been fo well received, that notwithftanding the price of it was four times greater than before, the fale increased double the number every year. The Work is now generally known and esteemed; and I having the honour to hear your LORDSHIP fay, that a smaller edition of it would be grateful to the world, immediately refolved upon printing it in this volume, of which I moft humbly beg your acceptance, from,

My LORD,

Your LORDSHIP'S

ever obliged Servant.

THE

LIFE

O F

JOHN MILTON.

FRO

ROM a family, and town of his name. in Oxfordshire, our Author derived his descent; but he was born at London in the year 1608. The Publisher of his Works in Profe (on whofe veracity fome 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.

e

a 3

that

Mr. To LAND.

that Monfieur Bayle hath affigned; and for
the fame reafon which prevailed with him
to affign it. His father, John Milton, by
profeffion a Scrivener, lived in a reputable
manner on a competent eftate, entirely
his own acquifition; having been early
difinherited by his parents for renouncing
the communion of the church of Rome,
to which they were zealously devoted.
By his wife Sarah Cafton he had like-
wife one daughter, named Anna; and
another fon, Chriftopher, whom he train-
ed to the practice of the common law;
who in the great rebellion adhered to the
royal cause and in the reign of king
James II. by too eafy a compliance with
the doctrines of the court, both religious
and civil, he attained to the dignity of
being made a judge of the common pleas;
of which he died divefted not long after
the Revolution.

:

But

An. Etat. 12.

BUT JOHN, the fubject of the present effay, was the favourite of his father's hopes, who, to cultivate the great genius which early difplayed itself, was at the expense of a domeftic 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 have applyed himself to letters with fuch indefatigable industry, that he rarely was prevailed with to quit his ftudies before mid-night which not only made him frequently fubject to fevere pains in his head; but likewife occafioned that weakness in his eyes, which terminated in a total privation of fight. From a domeftic education he was removed to St. Paul's School, to complete his acquaintance with the claffics under the care of Dr. Gill: and after a short stay there, was tranfplanted to Chrift's

a 4

Christ's college in Cambridge, An. Etat. 15. where he distinguished himself

in all kinds of academical exercises. Of this fociety he continued a Member 'till he commenced mafter of arts; and then leaving the university, he returned to his father; who had quitted the Town, and lived at Horton in BuckingAn. Etat. 23. hamshire; where he purfued his studies with unparalleled affiduity and fuccefs.

AFTER fome years spent in this ftudious retirement, his mother died: and then he prevailed with his father to gratify an inclination he had long entertained, of seeing foreign countries. Sir Henry Wotton, at that time provost of Eaton An. Etat.30. college, gave him a letter of

advice for the direction of his travels : but by not observing an excellent maxim in

I penfieri firetti, ed il vifo sciolto.