APOEM, IN TWELVE BOOKS: WRITTEN BY JOHN MILTON. Τὸν πέρι Μᾶσ ̓ ἐφίλησε, δίδε δ ̓ ἀγαθόν τε, κακόν τε, HOMER Odyssf. . LONDON: Printed for T. JOHNSON, N THE LIFE OF MR. JOHN MILTON. ROM a Family, & Town of his name in Oxfordshire, our Author deriv'd his defcent, but he was born at London in the year 1608. The Publisher of his Works in profe (on whose veracity some part of this narrative must entirely depend) dates his birth two years earlier than this: but contradicting himself afterwards in his own computation, I reduce it to the time that Monfieur Bayle hath affign'd; and for the fame reason which prevail'd with him to affign it. His Father, John Milton, by profession a Scrivener, liv'd in a reputable manner on a competent eftate, entirely his own acquisition; having been early dis-inherited by his Parents for renouncing the communion of the Church of Rome, to which they were zealoufly devoted. By his wife Sarah Caston he had likewife one Daughter nam'd Anna; & another Son, Christopher, whom he train'd to the practice of the Common-Law; who in the great Rebellion adher'd to the Royal cause: and in the Reign of King James I I. by too easy a compliance with the doctrines of the Court, both religious and civil, he attain'd to the dignity of being made a Judge of the CommonPleas; *2 Pleas; of which he dy'd devested not long after the Revolution. But JOHN the subject of the present essay, was the favorite of his Father's hopes; who to cultivate the great genius which early display'd itself, was at the expense of a domestic Tutor: whose care and capacity his Pupil hath gratefully celebrated in an excellent Latin Elegy; the fourth in the present collection. At his initiation he is faid to An. Etat. 12. have apply'd himself to letters with such indefatigable industry, that he rarely was prevail'd with to quit his studies before midnight: which not only made him frequently subject to fevere pains in his head; but likewife occafion'd that weakness in his eyes, which terminated in a total privation of fight. From a domeftic education he was remov'd to St. Paul's School, to complete his acquaintance with the Classics under the care of Dr. Gill: and after a short stay there, was transplanted to Chrift's College in Cambridge, where he diftinAn. Ætat. 15. guishd himself in all kinds of Academical exercises. Of this society he continued a Member 'till he commenc'd Master of Arts: and then leaving the University, he return'd to his Father; who had quitted the Town, and liv'd at Horton near Colebrooke in Barkshire; where he persu'd An. Ætat. 23. his studies with unparallel'd affiduity, 1 and fuccess. After some years spent in this studious retirement, his Mother dy'd: and then he prevail'd with his Father to gratify an inclination he had long entertain'd of feeing foreign countries. Sir Henry Wotton, at that time Provost of Eaton ColAn. Etat. 30. lege, gave him a letter of advice for the direction of his travels: but by an excellent maxim in it, he incur'd * not observing great danger by difputing against the fuperftition of * 1 pensieri stretti, ed il viso sciolto. she the Church of Rome, within the verge of the Vatican. Having employ'd his curiofity about * two years in France and Italy, on the news of a civil war breaking out in England he return'd, without taking a survey of Greece and Sicily, as at his fetting out the scheme was projected. † At Paris the Lord Viscount Scudamore, Ambassador from King Charles I. at the Court of France, introduc'd him to the acquaintance of Grotius; who at that time was honor'd with the fame character there by Christina Queen of Sweden. In Rome, Genoa, Florence, and other cities of Italy, he contracted a familiarity with those who were of highest reputation for wit & learning: several of whom gave him very obliging teftimonies of their friendship, and esteem, which are printed before his Latin Poems The first of them was written by Manso Marquis of Villa, a great patron of Taffo, by whom he is celebrated in his † Poem on the Conquest of Jerusalem. It is highly probable that to his conversation with this noble Neapolitan we owe the first design which MILTON conceiv'd of writing an Epic Poem: and it appears by some Latin verses address'd to the Marquis with the title of Manfus, that he intended to fix on King Arthur for his Heroe: but Arthur was referv'd to another destiny ! Returning from his travels he found England on the point of being involv'd An. Etat. 32. in blood and confufion. It seems won derful that one of so warm, and daring a spirit, as he certainly was, shou'd be restrain'd from the field in those unnatural commotions. I suppose we may impute * 3 * Et jam bis viridi furgebat culmus arista, Et totidem flavas numerabant horrea messes, -- † Defenfio Secunda. pag. 96. Fol. Fra Cavalier magnanimi, e cortesi, ... Lib, 29, Epitaph. Dam • |