of satire and indignation; for in part of it the poet | Mr. R. in the very close of the late R.'s poems, takes occasion to inveigh against the corruptions printed at Oxford; whereunto it is added, as I of the clergy, and seems to have first discovered now suppose, that the accessory might help out his acrimony against Archbishop Laud, and to the principal, according to the art of stationers, have threatened him with the loss of his head, and leave the reader con la bocca dolce. which afterwards happened to him through the fury of his enemies. At least I can think of no sense so proper to be given to the following verses in Lycidas.

Besides what the grim wolf with privy paw
Daily devours apace, and nothing said;
But that two-handed engine at the door
Stands ready to smite once, and smite no more.

"Now, Sir, concerning your travels, wherein I may challenge a little more privilege of discourse with you; I suppose, you will not blanch Paris in your way. Therefore I have been bold to trouble you with a few lines to Mr. M. B. whom you shall casily find attending the young Lord S. as his governor; and you may surely receive from him good directions for shaping of your farther journey into Italy, where he did reside by my choice some time for the king, after mine own recess from Venice.

About this time, as we learn from some of his Camiliar epistles, he had some thoughts of taking thambers at one of the Inns of Court, for he was "I should think that your best line will be not very well pleased with living so obscurely in through the whole length of France to Marseilles, the country: but his mother dying, he prevailed and thence by sea to Genoa, whence the passage with his father to let him indulge a desire, which into Tuscany is as diurnal as a Gravesend barge. ne had long entertained, of seeing foreign coun-I hasten, as you do, to Florence or Sienna, the tries, and particularly Italy: and having commu- rather to tell you a short story, from the interest nicated his design to Sir Henry Wotton, who had you have given me in your safety. formerly been ambassador at Venice, and was "At Sienna I was tabled in the house of one

then Provost of Eton College, and having also Alberto Scipione, an old Roman courtier, in dansent him his Mask, of which he had not yet pub-gerous times, having been steward to the Duca di licly acknowledged himself the author, he received Pagliano, who with all his family were strangled, from him the following friendly letter dated from save this only man, that escaped by foresight of the College the 10th of April, 1738.

"SIR,

the tempest. With him I had often much chat of those affairs; into which he took pleasure to look back from his native harbour; and at my de"It was a special favour, when you lately parture toward Rome, which had been the centre bestowed upon me here the first taste of your ac- of his experience, I had won confidence enough to quaintance, though no longer than to make me beg his advice, how I might carry myself securely know, that I wanted more time to value it, and to there, without offence of others, or of my own conenjoy it rightly. And in truth, if I could then science: Signor Arrigo meo, says he, i pensieri have imagined your farther stay in these parts, which I understood afterwards by Mr. H., I would have been bold, in our vulgar phrase, to mend my draught, for you left me with an extreme thirst, and to have begged your conversation again joint- commentary; and therefore, Sir, I will commit ly with your said learned friend, at a poor meal or two, that we might have banded together some good authors of the ancient time, among which I observed you to have been familiar.

"Since your going, you have charged me with new obligations, both for a very kind letter from

stretti, il viso sciolto, that is, your thoughts close, and your countenance loose, will go safely over the whole world. Of which Delphian oracle (for so I found it) your judgment doth need no

you with it to the best of all securities, God's dear love, remaining your friend, as much at command as any of longer date.

H. WOTTON

"P. S. Sir, I have expressly sent this by my you, dated the sixth of this month, and for a footboy to prevent your departure, without some dainty piece of entertainment, that came there- acknowledgment from me of the receipt of your with; wherein I should much commend the tra- obliging letter, having myself through some busigical part, if the lyrical did not ravish with a cer-ness, I know not how, neglected the ordinary contain doric delicacy in your songs and odes, where-veyance. In any part where I shall understand in I must plainly confess to have seen yet nothing you fixed, I shall be glad and diligent to enterparallel in our language, ipsa mollities. But I tain you with home-novelties, even for some fomust not omit to tell you, that I now only owe you mentation of our friendship, too soon interrupted thanks for intimating unto me, how modestly so- in the cradle." ever, the true artificer. For the work itself I had

viewed some good while before with singular de

Soon after this he set out upon his travels, being

light, having received it from our common friend of an age to make the proper improvements, and

not barely to see sights and to learn the languages, sign, and advising him to add some observations like most of our modern travellers, who go out concerning the true pronunciation of that language boys, and return such as we see, but such as I do for the use of foreigners. not choose to name. He was attended by only one So much good acquaintance would probably servant, who accompanied him through all his tra- have detained him longer at Florence, if he had vels; and he went first to France, where he had re- not been going to Rome, which to a curious travelcommendations to the Lord Scudamore, the English ler is certainly the place the most worth seeing of ambassador there at that time; and as soon as he any in the world. And so he took leave of his came to Paris, he waited upon his Lordship, and friends at Florence, and went from thence to Sienwas received with wonderful civility; and having na, and from Sienna to Rome, where he stayed an earnest desire to visit the learned Hugo Gro- much about the same time that he had continued tius, he was by his Lordship's means introduced at Florence, feasting both his eyes and his mind, to that great man, who was then ambassador at and delighted with the fine paintings and sculpthe French court from the famous Christina Queen tures, and other rarities and antiquities of the city, of Sweden; and the visit was to their mutual sa- as well as with the conversation of several learned tisfaction; they were each of them pleased to see and ingenious men, and particularly of Lucas Hola person, of whom they had heard such commen-stenius, keeper of the Vatican library, who redations. But at Paris he stayed not long; his ceived him with the greatest humanity, and showthoughts and his wishes hastened into Italy; and ed him all the Greek authors, whether in print or so after a few days he took leave of the Lord Scu- in manuscript, which had passed through his cordamore, who very kindly gave him letters to the English merchants, in the several places through which he was to travel, requesting them to do him all the good offices which lay in their power..

rection; and also presented him to Cardinal Barberini, who at an entertainment of music, performed at his own expense, waited for him at the door, and taking him by the hand brought him into the assembly. The next morning he waited upon the Cardinal to return him thanks for his civilities, and by the means of Holstenius was again intro duced to his Eminence, and spent some time in conversation with him. It seems that Holstenius had studied three years at Oxford, and this might dispose him to be more friendly to the English, but he took a particular liking and affection to Milton; and Milton, to thank him for all his favours, wrote to him afterwards from Florence the ninth of his familiar epistles. At Rome too Selvaggi made a Latin distich in honour of Milton, and Salfilli a Latin tetrastich, celebrating him for his Greek and Latin and Italian poetry; and he in return presented to Salfilli in his sickness those fine Scazons, or Iambic verses having a spondee in the last foot, which are inserted among his juvenile poems.

From Paris he went directly to Nice, where he took shipping for Genoa, from whence he went to Leghorn, and thence to Pisa, and so to Florence, in which city he found sufficient inducements to make a stay of two months. For besides the curiosities and other beauties of the place, he took great delight in the company and conversation there, and frequented their academies as they are called, the meetings of the most polite and ingenious persons, which they have in this, as well as in the other principal cities of Italy, for the exercise and improvement of wit and learning among them. And in these conversations he bore so good a part, and produced so many excellent compositions, that he was soon taken notice of, and was very much courted and caressed by several of the nobility and prime wits of Florence. For the manner is, as he says himself in the preface to his second book of From Rome he went to Naples, in company the Reason of Church-government, that every one with a certain hermit; and by his means was inmust give some proof of his wit and reading there, troduced to the acquaintance of Giovanni Baptista and his productions were received with written en- Manso, Marquis of Villa, a Neapolitan nobleman, comiums which the Italian is not forward to bestow of singular merit and virtue, to whom Tasso adon men of this side the Alps. Jacomo Gaddi, An- dresses his dialogue of friendship, and whom he tonio Francini, Carlo Dati, Beneditto Bonmatthei, mentions likewise in his Gierusalemme Liberata Cultellino, Frescobaldi, Clementilli, are reckoned with great honour. This nobleman was particuamong his particular friends. At Gaddi's house larly civil to Milton, frequently visited him at his the academies were held, which he constantly fre- lodgings, and went with him to show him the quented. Antonio Francini composed an Italian Viceroy's palace, and whatever was curious or ole in his commendation. Carlo Dati wrote a La- worth notice in the city; and moreover he honourtin eulogium of him, and corresponded with him ed him so far as to make a Latin distich in his after his return to England. Bonmatthei was at praise, which is printed before our author's Latin that time about publishing an Italian. grammar; poems, as is likewise the other of Selvaggi, and the and the eighth of our author's familiar epistles, Latin tetrastich of Salfilli together with the Italian dated at Florence, September 10, 1638, is address- ode and the Latin eulogium before mentioned. We ed to him upon that occasion, commending his de- may suppose that Milton was not a little pleased

with the honours conferred upon him by so many came to Venice, in which city he spent a month; persons of distinction, and especially by one of and having shipped off the books which he had such quality and eminence as the Marquis of Vil- collected during his travels, and particularly a chest la; and as a testimony of his gratitude he present- or two of choice music books of the best masters ed to the Marquis at his departure from Naples flourishing about that time in Italy, he took his his eclogue intitled Mansus, which is well worth course through Verona, Milan, and along the lake reading among his Latin poems. So that it may Leman to Geneva. In this city he tarried some be reckoned a peculiar felicity of the Marquis of Villa's life, to have been celebrated both by Tasso and Milton, the one the greatest modern poet of his own, and the other the greatest of foreign nations.

time, meeting here with people of his own principles, and contracted an intimate friendship with Giovanni Deodati, the most learned professor of divinity, whose annotations upon the Bible are published in English. And from thence returning through France, the same way that he had gone before, he arrived safe in England, after a peregrination of one year and about three months, having seen more, and learned more, and conversed with more famous men, and made more real improvements, than most others in double the time.

Having seen the finest parts of Italy, Milton was now thinking of passing over into Sicily and Greece, when he was diverted from his purpose by the news from England, that things were tending to a civil war between the King and Parliament: for he thought it unworthy of himself to be taking his pleasure abroad, while his countrymen were contending for liberty at home. He resolved there- His first business after his return was to pay fore to return by the way of Rome, though he was his duty to his father, and to visit his other friends; advised to the contrary by the merchants, who had but this pleasure was much diminished by the loss received intelligence from their correspondents, of his dear friend and schoolfellow Charles Deothat the English Jesuits there were forming plots dati in his absence. While he was abroad, he against him, in case he should return thither, by heard it reported that he was dead; and upon his reason of the great freedom which he had used in coming home he found it but too true, and lamented all his discourses of religion. For he had by no his death in an excellent Latin eclogue entitled means observed the rule, recommended to him by Epitaphium Damonis. This Deodati had a father Sir Henry Wotton, of keeping his thoughts close originally of Lucca, but his mother was English, and his countenance open. He had visited Gali- and he was born and bred in England, and studied leo, a prisoner to the Inquisition, for asserting the physic, and was an admirable scholar, and no less motion of the earth, and thinking otherwise in as-remarkable for his sobriety and other virtues than tronomy than the Dominicans and Franciscans for his great learning and ingenuity. One or two thought. And though the Marquis of Villa had of Milton's familiar epistles are addressed to him; shown him such distinguishing marks of favour at and Mr. Toland says that he had in his hands Naples, yet he told him at his departure that he two Greek letters of Deodati to Milton, very handwould have shown him much greater, if he had somely written. It may be right for scholars now been more reserved in matters of religion. But he and then to exercise themselves in Greek and Lahad a soul above dissimulation and disguise; he tin; but we have much more frequent occasion to was neither afraid nor ashamed to vindicate the write letters in our own native language, and in truth; and if any man had, he had in him the spi- that therefore we should principally endeavour to rit of an old martyr. He was so prudent indeed, excel. that he would not of his own accord begin any discourse of religion; but at the same time he was so honest, that if he was questioned at all about his faith, he would not dissemble his sentiments, whatever was the consequence. And with this esolution he went to Rome the second time, and stayed there two months more, neither concealing his name, nor declining openly to defend the truth, if any thought proper to attack him: and yet, God's good providence protecting him, he came safe to his kind friends at Florence, where he was received with as much joy and affection as if he had returned into his own country.

Here likewise he stayed two months, as he had done before, excepting only an excursion of a few days to Lucca; and then crossing the Appenine, and passing through Bologna and Ferrara, he

Milton soon after his return, had taken a lodg ing at one Russel's, a taylor, in St. Bride's Churchyard; but he continued not long there, having not sufficient room for his library and furniture; and therefore determined to take a house, and accordingly took a handsome garden-house in Aldersgate street, situate at the end of an entry, which was the more agreeable to a studious man for its privacy and freedom from noise and disturbance. And in this house he continued several years, and his sister's two sons were put to board with him, first the younger and afterwards the clder: and some other of his intimate friends requested of him the same favour for their sons, especially since there was little more trouble in instructing half a dozen than two or three: and he, who could not easily deny any thing to his friends, and who knew that

the greatest men in all ages had delighted in teach- | Mr. Alphry and Mr. Miller, both of Gray's Inn, ing others the principles of knowledge and virtue, and two of the greatest beaus of those times. undertook the office, not out of any sordid and But he was not so fond of this academical life. mercenary views, but more from a benevolent dis-as to be an indifferent spectator of what was acted position, and a desire to do good. And his method upon the public stage of the world. The nation of education was as much above the pedantry and was now in a great ferment in 1641, and the clajargon of the common schools, as his genius was mour run high against the bishops, when he joined superior to that of a common school-master. One loudly in the cry, to help the puritan ministers, (as of his nephews has given us an account of the he says himself in his second Defence) they being many authors both Latin and Greek, which (be- inferior to the bishops in learning and eloquence; sides those usually read in the schools) through and published his two books, Of Reformation in his excellent judgment and way of teaching were England, written to a friend. About the same run over within no greater compass of time, than time certain ministers having published a treatise from ten to fifteen or sixteen years of age. Of against episcopacy, in answer to the Humble Rethe Latin the four authors concerning husbandry, monstrance of Dr. Joseph Hall, Bishop of NorCato, Varro, Columella, and Palladius, Cornelius wich, under the title of Smectymnuus, a word Celsus the physician, a great part of Pliny's Na- consisting of the initial letters of their names, Stetural History, the Architecture of Vitruvius, the phen Marshal, Edmund Calamy, Thomas Young, Stratagems of Frontinus, and the philosophical Matthew Newcomen, and William Spurstow; poets Lucretius and Manilius. Of the Greek He- and Archbishop Usher having published at Oxsiod, Aratus' Phænomena and Diosemeia, Diony-ford a refutation of Smectymnuus, in a tract consius Afer de situ orbis, Oppian's Cynegetics and cerning the original of Bishops and Metropolitans; Halieutics, Quintus Calaber's poem of the Trojan Milton wrote his little piece Of Prelatical Episcowar continued from Homer, Apollonius Rhodius' pacy, in opposition chiefly to Usher, for he was for Argonautics, and in prose, Plutarch's Placita phi- contending with the most powerful adversary; losophorum, and of the education of children, Xe- there would be either less disgrace in the defeat, nophon's Cyropædia and Anabasis, Ælian's Tac-or more glory in the victory. He handled the tics, and the stratagems of Polyænus. Nor did subject more at large in his next performance this application to the Greek and Latin tongues which was the Reason of Church Governmen hinder the attaining to the chief oriental languages, urged against Prelacy, in two books. And Bishop the Hebrew, Chaldee and Syriac, so far as to go Hall having published a Defence of the Humble through the Pentateuch or five books of Moses in Remonstrance, he wrote Animadversions upon it. Hebrew, to make a good entrance into the Tar- All these treatises he published within the course gum or Chaldee paraphrase, and to understand of one year, 1641, which show how very diligent several chapters of St. Matthew in the Syriac he was in the cause that he had undertaken. And Testament; besides the modern languages, Italian the next year he set forth his Apology for Smecand French, and a competent knowledge of the tymnuus, in answer to the Confutation of his Animathematics and astronomy. The Sunday's ex-madversions, written as he thought himself by ercise for his pupils was for the most part to read Bishop Hall, or his son. And here very luckily

a chapter of Greek Testament, and to hear his ended a controversy, which detained him from learned exposition of it. The next work after greater and better writings which he was medithis was to write from his dictation some part of a tating, more useful to the public, as well as more system of divinity, which he had collected from suitable to his own genius and inclination: but he the ablest divines, who had written upon that sub-thought all this while that he was vindicating Ject. Such were his academic institutions; and ecclesiastical liberty.

thus by teaching others he in some measure en- In the year 1643, and the thirty-fifth year of his larged his own knowledge; and having the read-lage, he married; and indeed his family was now ing of so many authors as it were by proxy, he growing so numerous, that it wanted a mistress might possibly have preserved his sight, if he had at the head of it. His father, who had lived with not moreover been perpetually busied in reading his younger son at Reading, was, upon the taking or writing something himself. It was certainly a of that place by the forces under the Earl of Esvery recluse and studious life, that both he and his sex, necessitated to come and live in London with pupils led; but the young men of that age were this his elder son, with whom he continued in of a different turn from those of the present; and tranquillity and devotion to his dying day. Some he himself gave an example to those under him addition too was to be made to the number of his of hard study and spare diet; only uw and then, pupils. But before his father or his new pupils once in three weeks or a month, he made a gaudy were come, he took a journey in the Whitsuntido day with some young gentlemen of his acquaint-vacation, and after a month's absence returned ance the chief of whom, says Mr. Philips, were with a wife, Mary the eldest daughter of Mr

Richard Powell, of Foresthill, near Shotover in main benefits of conjugal society, which are soOxfordshire, a justice of the peace, and a gentle- lace and peace, are greater reasons of divorce than man of good repute and figure in that county. But adultery or natural frigidity, especially if there be she had not cohabited with her husband above a no children, and there be mutual consent for semonth, before she was earnestly solicited by her paration. He published it at first without his relations to come and spend the remaining part name, but the style easily betrayed the author; of the summer with then in the country. If it and afterwards a second edition, much augmentwas not at her instigation that her friends made ed, with his name; and he dedicated it to the Parthis request, yet at least it was agreeable to her liament of England with the Assembly of Divines, inclination; and she obtained her husband's con- that as they were then consulting about the genesent upon a promise of returning at Michaelmas. ral reformation of the kingdom, they might also And in the mean while his studies went on very take this particular case of domestic liberty into vigorously; and his chief diversion, after the busi- their consideration. And then, as it was objected, ness of the day, was now and then in an evening that his doctrine was a novel notion, and a paradox to visit the Lady Margaret Lee, daughter of the that no body had ever asserted before, he endeaEarl of Marlborough, Lord High Treasurer of voured to confirm his own opinion by the authority England, and President of the Privy Council to of others, and published in 1614 the Judgment of King James I. This Lady, being a woman of Martin Bucer, &c.: and as it was still objected, excellent wit and understanding, had a particular that his doctrine could not be reconciled to Scriphonour for our author, and took great delight in his ture, he published, in 16-15, his Tetrachordon, or conversation; as likewise did her husband Captain Expositions upon the four chief places in ScripHobson, a very accomplished gentleman. And ture, which treat of marriage, or nullities in marwhat a regard Milton again had for her, he has riage. At the first appearing of the Doctrine and left upon record in a sonnet to her praise, extant Discipline of Divorce the clergy raised a heavy among his other poems. outcry against it, and daily solicited the ParliaMichaelmas was now come, but he heard no- ment to pass some censure upon it; and at last thing of his wife's return. He wrote to her, but one of them, in a sermon preached before the received no answer. He wrote again letter after Lords and Commons on a day of humiliation in letter, but received no answer to any of them. He August, 1644, roundly told them that there was a then despatched a messenger with a letter, de- book abroad, which deserved to be burned, and siring her to return; but she positively refused, that among their other sins they ought to repent, and dismissed the messenger with contempt. that they had not yet branded it with some mark Whether it was, that she had conceived any dis- of their displeasure. And Mr. Wood informs us, like to her husband's person or humour; or whe- that upon Milton's publishing his three books of ther she could not conform to his retired and phi- Divorce, the Assembly of Divines, that was then losophical manner of life, having been accustom- sitting at Westminster, took special notice of them; ed to a house of much gaiety and company; or and notwithstanding his former services in writing whether being of a family strongly attached to against the bishops, caused him to be summoned the royal cause, she could not bear her husband's before the House of Lords: but that House, wherepublican principles; or whether she was over-ther approving his doctrine, or not favouring his persuaded by her relations, who possibly might accusers, soon dismissed him. He was attacked repent of having matched the eldest daughter of too from the press as well as from the pulpit, in a the family to a man so distinguished for taking pamphlet entitled Divorce at Pleasure, and in anothe contrary party, the King's head-quarters being ther entitled an Answer to the Doctrine and Dis in their neighbourhood at Oxford, and his Majesty cipline of Divorce, which was licensed and recomhaving now some fairer prospect of success; whe-mended by Mr. Joseph Caryl, a famous Presbyther any or all of these were the reasons of this terian divine, and author of a voluminous comextraordinary behaviour; however it was, it so mentary on the book of Job: and Milton, in his highly incensed her husband, that he thought it Colasterion or Reply, published in 1615, expostuwould be dishonourable ever to receive her again lates smartly with the licenser, as well as handles after such a repulse, and he determined to repu- very roughly the nameless author. And these diate her as she had in effect repudiated him, and provocations, I suppose, contributed not a little te to consider her no longer as his wife. And to make him such an enemy to the Presbyterians, tu fortify this his resolution, and at the same time to whom he had before distinguished himself a justify it to the world, he wrote the Doctrine and friend. He composed likewise two of his sonnets Discipline of Divorce, wherein he endeavours to on the reception his book of Divorce met with, but prove, that indisposition, unfitness, or contrariety the latter is much the better of the two. To this of mind, proceeding from any unchangeable cause account it may be added from Antony Wood that n nature, hindering and ever likely to hinder the after the King's restoration, when the subject &