he Secluded Members before readmitting
them, and also in his Declaration or Address to the Army published
after their re-admission, used the language of a true
Commonwealth's-man, and even called God to witness that his only aim
was "God's glory and the settlement of these nations upon
Commonwealth foundations"? Had not the Secluded Members virtually
made a compact with Monk upon these terms? Milton will not, for the
present, suppose either Monk or the Parliament false in the main
matter. He will only suppose that they have perceived, with himself,
the infatuated drift of the popular humour towards a restoration of
Royalty, and will themselves listen, and allow the country to listen,
to what he had written on that subject two or three weeks ago.

The despondency which he disguises in the preface appears in the
pamphlet itself. Or rather it is a despondency dashed with a sanguine
remnant of faith that all might yet be well, and that the means of
perpetuating a Republic, all contrary appearances notwithstanding,
might yet be shown to be "ready and easy." The use of these two words
in the title of such a pamphlet at such a time is very
characteristic. It was the public theorist, however, that ventured on
them, rather than the secret and real man. Throughout the pamphlet
there is a sad and fierce undertone, as of one knowing that what he
is prophesying as easy will never come to pass.

About half of the pamphlet consists of a declamation in general on
the advantages of a Commonwealth Government over a Kingly Government,
and on the dishonour, inconveniences, and dangers, to the British
Islands in particular, if they should relapse into the one form of
Government after having had so much prosperous experience of the
other. In the following specimen of the declamation the reader will
note the prophecy of actual events as far as to the Revolution of
1688:--

"After our liberty thus successfully fought for, gained, and many
years possessed (except in those unhappy interruptions which God
hath removed), ... to fall back, or rather to creep back, so poorly
as it seems the multitude would, to their once abjured and detested
thraldom of kingship, not only argues a strange degenerate
corruption suddenly spread among us, fitted and prepared for new
slavery, but will render us a scorn and derision to all our
neighbours. And what will they say of us but scoffingly as of that
foolish builder mentioned by our Saviour