It should be added that our Pawnbroker, Gin-seller, and Company, by deranging the contents of their ideal MILTON’S coffin, by carrying away his lower jaw, ribs, and right hand--and by employing one bone as an instrument to batter the rest--by tearing the shroud and winding-sheet to pieces, &c., &c., had annihilated all such further evidence as might have been collected from a skilful and complete examination of these nameless fragments of mortality. So far, indeed, were they mutilated that, had they been genuine, we could not have said with Horace,
Who, after a perusal of the foregoing remarks (which are founded on circumstantial truth), will congratulate the parishioners of St. Giles, Cripplegate, on their discovery and treatment of the imaginary dust of MILTON? His favourite, _Shakespeare_, most fortunately reposes at a secure distance from the paws of Messieurs _Laming_ and _Fountain_, who, otherwise, might have provoked the vengeance imprecated by our great dramatic poet on the remover of his bones.
From the preceding censures, however, Mr. _Cole_ (Churchwarden), and Messrs. _Strong_ and _Ascough_ (Vestry and Parish Clerks), should, in the most distinguished manner, be exempted. Throughout the whole of this extraordinary business, they conducted themselves with the strictest decency and propriety. It should also be confessed, by those whom curiosity has since attracted to the place of MILTON’S supposed disinterment, that the politeness of the same parish officers could only be exceeded by their respect for our illustrious author’s memory, and their concern at the complicated indignity which his nominal ashes have sustained.’
Now it was hardly likely that Mr. Neve, with the extremely plausible case that he had, would sit still and see his pet theory knocked on the head, so he issued a second edition of his pamphlet with this
As some reports have been circulated, and some anonymous papers have appeared, since the publication of this pamphlet, with intent to induce a belief that the corpse mentioned in it is that of a woman, and as the curiosity of the public now calls for a second impression of it, an opportunity is offered of relating a few circumstances which have happened since the 14th of August, and which, in some degree, may confirm the opinion that the corpse is that of _Milton_.