The Portland daily press., 1865-10-04
M1LroN ON r,.rRERrY.

The following extracts are taken from an
article, on Milton, written forty years ago for
the Edinburgh Review, by the late Lord Ma
cauley. An exchange reproduces them as be-
ing singularIy applicable to the present time.
Abiding to the great rebellion in England
the reviewer says: .t.... ,ss9ggag i21s lslaI7
sit is the character of such revolutions, that
we always see the worst of them first. Till men
have been for some time Free they know not
how to use their freedom. The natives of
wine countries are always sober In climates.
where wine is rarity, intemperance abounds
newly liberated people may be compared to
northern army encamped on the Rhine or
Xeres. 1t is said, that when soldiers in such
situation find themselves able to indulge with
out restraint, In such a rare and expensive
luxury, nothing is tobe seen but intoxication.
Sosns however, plenty teaches discretion;
and after wine has been fora fewmonths their
daily fare, they become more temperate then
they have ever been in their own country In
the same manner, the final and permanent
fruits OF liberty, are wisdom, moderation and
mercy. Its Immediate effects are often afro
cious crimes, conflicting errors, sceptieism@
points the most clear, dogmatism on the points
the most mysterious 1t is Just at this crisis
that its enemies love to exhibit it, They pull
down the scaifold from the half-fiinshed edi-
fee; they point to the flying dust, the falling
bricks, the comfortless rooms, the ffightfIl ir-,
regularityHof the whole appearance; and then
ask in scorn, where the promised splendor
and comfort is to be found? IF such misera-
bic sophism were to prevail, there would ney-
er be good house or government in the
Ariosto tells a story ofa fairy, who, was
condemned to appear, at certain seasons
in the form of a foul and poisonous snake.
Those who injured her during the period of
her disguise, were forever excluded from par
ticpatiOn in the blessings she bestowed But
to those who, IN spite of her lcathsome as
pect, pitied and protected her, she afterwards
revealed herself in the beautiful and celestial
iorn which was natural to her, accompanied
their steps, granted all their wishes filed their
houses with wealth, made them happy in love.
and victorious in war. Such spirit is Liber-
ty. At times, she takes the form of a hateful
reptile. She grovels, she hisses she stings. But
woe to those who, IN disgust shall venture to
crush herl And happy are those who hay-'
ing dared to receive her in her degraded condi-
ton shall at length be rewarded by her in the
time her beauty and her glory. Isy ws1
There is only one cure for the evils which
newly acquired freedom produces-and that
cure is freedom When prisoner leaves his
cell, he cannot bear the light of day--he is un-
able to discriminate eolors or recognize faces
But the remedy is not to remand him to his
dungeon, but-to -accustom him to the rays of
the sun The blaze of truth and liberty may
at first dazzle and bewilder nations which have
become half blind IN the house of bondage.--
But. let them gaze ON, and they xVill soon be.
Many politicians Of our time are in the hab-
it of laying it down as a selfeyident PROPOSE
ton, that mo people ought to be free until they
are fit to use their freedom. The maxim is