em an Epistle to the King, in the Printer's name,
exceedingly eloquent and full of good matter. When that care of
Morus over the business of printing the book had become known to
Milton through the spies of the Regicides in Holland, Milton held it
as an ascertained fact that Morus was the author of the
_Clamor;_ whence that most virulent book of Milton's against
Morus, entitled _Defensio Secunda pro Populo Anglicano_. It had
the effect, moreover, of making enemies for Morus in Holland; for at
that time the English Tyrants were very much feared in foreign parts.
Meanwhile I looked on in silence, and not without a soft chuckle, at
seeing my bantling laid at another man's door, and the blind and
furious Milton fighting and slashing the air, like the hoodwinked
horse-combatants in the old circus, not knowing by whom he was struck
and whom he struck in return. But Morus, unable to stand out against
so much ill-will, began to cool in the King's cause, and gave Milton
to know who the author of the _Clamor_ really was (_Clamoris
authorem Miltono indicavit_). For, in fact, in his Reply to
Milton's attack he produced two witnesses, of the highest credit
among the rebels, who might have well known the author, and could
divulge him on being asked. Thus over me and my head there hung the
most certain destruction. But that great Guardian of Justice, to whom
I had willingly devoted both my labour and my life, wrought out my
safety through Milton's own pride, as it is customary with His Wisdom
to bring good out of evil, and light out of darkness. For Milton, who
had gone full tilt at Morus with his canine eloquence, and who had
made it almost the sole object of his _Defensio Secunda_ to cut
up the life and reputation of Morus, never could be brought to
confess that he had been so grossly mistaken: fearing, I suppose,
that the public would make fun of his blindness, and that
grammar-school boys would compare him to that blind Catullus in
Juvenal who, meaning to praise the fish presented to Domitian,

"'Made a long speech,
Facing the left, while on his right there lay
The actual turbot.'

[Footnote 1: _Gentleman's Magazine_ for 1773, as in last note.]

"And so, Milton persisting in his blundering charge against Morus
for that dangerous service to the King, the other Rebels could not,
without great damage to their good patron, proceed against any other
than Morus as guilty of so great a crime. And, as Milton prefe