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by his bigoted parents for embracing the Protestant reli. gion, and abjuring the popish idolatry. He lived at the sign of the Spread Eagle, (the armorial bearings of the family,) in Bread-street. Of his mother, it is said, "she was a woman of incomparable virtue and goodness." JOHN MILTON was destined to be a scholar and partly under domestic tutors, (whereof one was THOMAS Young,* to whom the first of his familiar letters is inscribed; and afterwards, Dr. GILL, the chief master of Paul's School, to whom, likewise, the fifth of the same letters is inscribed,) he made an incredible progress in the knowledge of words and things,his diligence and inclination outstripping the care of his instructors; and after he was twelve years of age, such was his insatiable thirst for learning, that he seldom went to bed before midnight. Being thus initiated into several tongues, and having not slightly tasted the inexpressible sweets of philosophy, he was sent, at the age of fifteen, to Christ's College, in Cambridge to pursue more arduous and solid studies.

In the same year he gave several proofs of his early geuius for poetry. His first essay was to translate some psalms into English verse, whereof the 114th thus com

mences:

"When the bless'd seed of TERAH'S faithful son,
After long toil their liberty had won;

And past from Pharian fields to Canaan land,
Led by the strength of the Almighty's hand;
Jehovah's wonders were in Israel shown,

His praise and glory was in Israel known."

In his seventeenth year, he wrote a handsome copy of verses on a child of his sister, who had died of a consumption. In this year also he composed a Latin Elegy on the

* He was afterwards chaplain to the English merchants at Hamburgh. His pupil dedicated a poem to him. Aubrey calls him "a Puritan in Essex, who cutt his hair short."

death of the Bishop of WINCHESTER, and another on that of the Bishop of ELY; and about the same time he composed his fine poem on the Gunpowder Treason Plot. Of these juvenile productions MAROHOF* says: "That MILTON's writings show him to have been a man from his childhood; and that these poems are exceedingly above the ordinary capacity of that age."

He spent seven years at Cambridge, "where he lived with great reputation, and was generally beloved. But having obtained the degree of Master of Arts, in 1632, and performed his exercises with much applause, he left the university; for he aimed not at any of those learned professions that require a longer stay in that place." Some of his academic performances are still extant among his occasional poems, and at the end of his familiar letters. He was now twenty-four years of age. From this time till 137 he lived at his father's house, at Horton, near Colebrook, in Buckinghamshire: here he had full opportunity to peruse all the Greek and Latin writers. He was not, however, so much in love with solitude but that he frequently visited London for the purpose of purchasing books, and to meet his old friends from the unj. versity; or to learn something new in the mathematics, or in music, in which he extraordinarily delighted. It was during this period that he wrote, while in London, the Latin Elegy to his intimate friend CHARLES Diodati, wherein were some verses which expressed his preference of the pleasures of London to the drudgery of the university. "It was on this account," says Toland, "that some persons, no less ignorant than malicious, afterwards took a handle to assert, that he was either expelled for some misdemeanour from Cambridge, or that he left it in discontent, because he obtained no preferment; or that he

* In his Polyhistar Literaturius.

spent his time in London with lewd women, or at the play-houses; but," he adds, "the falsity of this story, we shall in due place demonstrate."

His first work of consequence was written and enacted in 1634. This was his "Comus," entitled "A Maske, presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634, on Michaelmass night, before the Right Honourable John, Earl of Bridgewater, Viscount Brackly, Lord President of Wells, and one of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Counsell."* In the year 1637 he wrote the inimitable poem called "Lycidas," of which the manuscript is still preserved in the Egyptian Library, Trinity College, Cambridge.

The death of his mother happened about this time, so that he felt himself at liberty to carry into effect his favourite object; and having obtained his father's consent, he resolved to make the tour of Europe. His reason for wishing to travel in foreign countries, is quaintly expressed by Toland, to have been a persuasion, "that he could not better discern the pre-eminence or defects of his own country, than by observing the customs and institutions of others; and that the study of never so many books, without the advantages of conversation, serves either to render a man a stupid fool, or an insuf. ferable pedant.'

In 1638, he went to France, accompanied by a servant, but by no tutor : "For," says his biographer, "such as still need a pedagogue are not fit to go abroad: and those who are able to make a right use of their travels, ought to be the free masters of their own actions, their good qualifications being sufficient to introduce them into all places, and to present them to the most deserving persons."

* "London: printed for Humphrey Robinson, at the sign of the Three Pigeons, in Paul's Church Yard.-1637."

It affords full proof of the high respectability of the character of MILTON, that he was favoured with an elegant letter of direction and advice from the famous SIR HENRY WOTTON, who was a long time ambassador from James the First to the Republic of Venice. When he arrived at Paris, he was most kindly received by the English ambassador, Lord Scudamore, who recommended him to the famous GROTIUS, who was then ambassador to the French Court, from CHRISTINA, Queen of Sweden. From France he proceeded to Italy, where, after having passed through many noted places, he came at length to Florence: "A city, for the politeness of the language, and the civility of the inhabitants, he always after infinitely admired." In this city he staid about two months, and was daily assisting at those learned conferences which they held in their private academies, according to the laudable custom of Italy, both for the improvement of letters, and the maintaining of friendship. "During this time he contracted an intimate acquaintance with several ingenious men : "most of whom," says Toland, "have since made a noise in the world, and deserve a mention in this place; I mean GADDI, DATI, FRESCOBALDI, FRANCINI, BONMATTEI, COLTELLINO, CHIMENTELLI, and seve ral others. With these he kept up a constant correspondence, particularly with CAROLO DATI, a nobleman of Florence, to whom he wrote the tenth of his familiar letters."

From Florence he went next to Rome, where he resided two months, and witnessed the miserable remains of that once famous city, the mistress of the world. "And," says Toland, "deservedly so; being then not only the fairest place under heaven, but, until the ambition of a few persons had corrupted her equal government, she extended liberty and learning as far as the glory of her

name and the terror of her arms. Here, no doubt,” remarks his biographer, "all the examples which he had read of the virtue, eloquence, wisdom, and valour of her ancient citizens, occurred to his mind; and must have oppressed his generous soul with grief, when he saw Rome, the chief seat of the most exquisite tyranny, exercised by effeminate priests, not governing the world by the opinion formed of their justice, or power, being afraid of their courage, (for to these qualities they are known and sworn enemies), but deluding men with unaccountable fables, and terrifying them by imaginary fears; filling their heads with superstition, and filling their own pockets with the money of their credulous votaries.”

At Rome, MILTON made the acquaintance of several eminently learned men, as the celebrated LUCAS HOLSTENIUS, the librarian of the Vatican, who showed him great politeness, and permitted him to read all the Greek authors under his care. This gentleman presented him to Cardinal Barberini, who, at an entertainment of music performed at the Cardinal's expense, sought him out in the crowd, and gave him a kind invitation to visit him. He likewise commenced a friendship with the poet, G10VANNI SALSILLI.

Having departed from Rome, he went to Naples, and was introduced by his fellow-traveller, a hermit, to G10vanni BattistA MANSO, Marquis of Villa, a person most nobly descended, who accompanied MILTON round the city, showing him all the remarkable places in it, and visited him often at his lodging. He also composed a Latin distich, which he addressed to MILTON :

"Ut mens forma, decor, facies, mos; si pietas sic,

Non Anglus, vèrum, Herclè, Angelus ipse fores."

"Did your piety equal your talents, form, countenance, grace, and manners, you were not so much an Englishman, by Hercules, as an angel.