Ut te tam dulci poffem caruiffe sodale O ego quantus eram, gelidi cum ftratus ad Arni 66 In these verses he repeats his defign of writing an epic poem on fome part of the ancient British hiftory. Dr. Johnson has observed that this poem is written with the common but childish imitation of paftoral life.'65 As it is not however intended deeply to move the fources of our fympathy, or to come across a strong and recent forrow, but to exprefs, as in Lycidas, in a pleafing and gentle manner, the poet's affection and regret; the pastoral veil, in imitation of ancient poetry, and of later Italian models, is not inelegantly affumed. Befides, as Warton obferves, the common topics are recommended by a novelty of elegant expreffion; some passages wander far beyond the bounds of bucolic fong, and are in his own original style of the more fublime poetry.' He might speak of its purpose as he does in his Prolufions (p. 91) of the Province of History; Nunc inquietos animi tumultus fedet et componit, nunc delibatum gaudio reddit, mox 61 See ver. 161–167. 6 As regards the imitation of Paftoral Life, numerous are the high authorities that Milton could give, as Buchanani Sylva, Defid. Tortai, Defid. Lutitia, Danheusü Thyrfis, Bucolica in Obitum Scaligeri Thuani, &c. 66 Methinks, faid Sancho, the thoughts that give way to verfes, are not very troublesome. Therefore verfify as much as you lift, and I'll Sleep as much as I can.' Don Quixote, vol. iv. p. 212. (Shelton's Tranfl.) evocat lacrymas, fed mites eas, et quæ moeftæ nefcio quid voluptatis fecum afferat.' Milton's return to England took place about the time of Charles's fecond expedition against the Scots, in which his forces were defeated by General Lefly, in the month of Auguft, 1639, and therefore not long before the meeting of the long parliament. In a Bible, once in the poffeffion of Mr. Blackburn, and which is fuppofed to have been the companion of Milton's travels, are some manuscript remarks, dated Canterbury, 1639, among which is a quotation from 1 Maccabees xiv. 16: Now when it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead, they were very forry.' When that day of death shall come, Shall flourish on my sleeping shade. Of the authenticity of these remarks, and of the book having been the property of Milton, reasonable doubts have been entertained; but I confider it my duty not to pass over in filence a circumstance which has been recorded and credited by the most induftrious and inquifitive among the biographers of the Poet.67 68 He now hired a lodging in St. Bride's Churchyard, Fleet-ftreet, at the house of one Ruffel, a tailor, and undertook the education of his two nephews, John and Edward Philips.69 Finding his rooms inconvenient, and 67 See Todd's Life (firft edit.) p. 39, Gent. Mag. July, Sept. Oct. 1792, Feb. 1790, March, 1803, p. 190, and Hawkins's Note in Newton's Life, p. ciii. 68 In this Bible are two little drawings of a profile, with Milton's name annexed, and one of them infcribed-Myfelf, 1640. 69 Their mother had married again, therefore Milton might feel it his duty to take these boys under his care. They lived with him about five not large enough for his books, he foon removed into a handsome garden-house in Alderfgate-street, free from the noise and disturbance of paffengers,70 and received some of his friends' fons to be inftructed and educated by him. His father was ftill living, the allowance which he received was small, and he supplied its deficiences by a refpectable employment. The expense of his travels, to which he has alluded in one of his tracts, probably rendered it neceffary for him to abstain from preffing more deeply on the limited refources of his father. 'My life,' he fays, 'has not been unexpenfive, in learning and voyaging about.' The Aubrey Letters mention that Milton went to the university at his own charges only, but in his Latin Epiftle to his father, ver. 77, he says; Tuo pater optime fumptu Cum mihi Romuleæ patuit facundia linguæ, Per te noffe licet, per te, fi noffe licebit, &c. The fyftem of education which he adopted was deep or fix years. Mr. Godwin thinks John Philips's Scarronides (1664) was written in an exceffive spirit of fpite and malignity against Milton, v. Life of Philips, p. 148. As long as he lived he never relaxed in his unnatural animofity against his uncle, p. 157. Mr. Godwin calls him a fhameless unfeeling buffoon, p. 161. Milton made his nephews fongfters, and fing from the time they were with him. v. Aubrey Let. 3. 446. In John Philips's Don Quixote, p. 361, there is this paffage, not previously noticed :-" As for the modern Poets he allows very few of them to be worth a straw; among the rest he has a particular peek against Du Bartas and Paradife Loft, which he says has neither rhyme nor reaSon," &c. 70 Philips fays, He made no long ftay in his lodgings in St. Bride's Churchyard, neceffity of having a place to difpofe his books in, and other goods fit for the furnishing of a good handfome house, haftening him to take one; and accordingly a pretty garden-house he took in Alderfgate and comprehenfive, it promised to teach science with language; or rather to make the study of languages fubfervient to the acquifition of fcientific knowledge. Dr. Johnfon has feverely cenfured this method of inftruction, but with arguments that might not unsuccessfully be met. The plan recommended by the authority of Milton seems to be chiefly liable to objection, from being too extenfive; and while it makes authors of all ages contribute to the developement of fcience; it must reject that careful selection, which can alone fecure the proper cultivation of the taste. We may alfo reply to Johnson, that although all men are not defigned to be aftronomers, or geometricians: a knowledge of the principles on which the fciences are built, and the reasonings by which they are conducted, not only forms the most exact difcipline which the mind can undergo, giving to it comprehenfion and vigour; but is the only folid bafis on which an investigation of the laws of nature can be conducted, or thofe arts improved that tend to the advantage of fociety, and the happiness of mankind. Johnfon fays, we are not placed here to watch the planets, or the motion of the ftars, but to do good. But good is done in various ways, according to opportunities offered, and abilities conferred; a man whofe natural disposition, or the circumstances of whofe education lead him to purfue aftronomical discoveries, or the fublime fpeculations of geometry, is emphatically doing good to others, as he is extending the boundaries of knowledge, and to himself, as he is directing the energies of his mind. to fubjects of the most exalted contemplation. But if the word 'good' is reftricted to the performance St. at the end of an entry, and therefore the fitter for his turn, by the reafon of the privacy, befides that there were few streets in London more free from noife than that." v. p. lii. Al. Gill, his old tutor, being driven from St. Paul's, fet up a private school in the fame street. Wood's Ath. Ox. ii. 22. of charitable actions, or the fulfilment of moral duties, we may ask, what oppofition is there between the practice of virtue, and the pursuit of science? Every man is bound by the laws of God, and the design of his creation to do good, for this purpose was he placed here; but are men of science therefore unfitted for the performance of their civil and religious duties, are they on account of their enlargement of mind or their fublime fpeculations less virtuous, less felf-denying, or lefs benevolent than others? Is not their occupation itself almost a school of virtue : leffons of civil wisdom, and maxims of prudential conduct will be learnt by all, and is not a man eminently doing good, who is fubduing the wild powers of nature under the dominion of skill, diminishing the extent of human fuffering, or diffipating ignorance; like Franklin disarming the lightning of its fires, or like Watt binding an element of tremendous power into a safe and commodious form; whofe future effects on the focial fyftem of the world, even the eye of trembling Hope' dares not follow. The philofopher whose discoveries in fcience can facilitate the communication between diftant nations, and carry the arts of civilized life into the bofom of the defert, may well be called the benefactor of mankind; and what fatal delufions may have been expelled by him, who could first calculate with precision the regularity of the comet's return? The most abstract and exalted departments of science are the foundation of those inventions, that are of practical benefit and vulgar ufe."1 71 Jobnfon's Life of Milton is written with his ufual vigour of thought and clearness of expreffion; it abounds with many just and striking obfervations; but it is deeply coloured with prejudice, and the reasoning is fometimes fophiftical and incorrect. I am fupported in this opinion by Mr. Hawkins; fee Pref. to Newton's Milton, p. 25. ed. 1824. Yet I do not approve of the spirit or manner of Archd. Blackburne's obfer vations. |