Show I p. p I I c C L c L y Je l L N tb the day of ot It Jt will boo lx lx- O ON oo X years since the second of or English poets wa was wu born Shakespeare stand next comes conies John Milton and far tar behind be be- hind these two throng the lesser leMer bards rd like Uke foothills around twin mountain peaks Not only ocly Christ's Christs College Cambridge o of ot which the poet became came an undergraduate at the age of ot 17 Ii but many other Institutions of at learning throughout the English English- speaking world will celebrate te this I of ot the nu author hor of ot Paradise Lost America bs has hos her share sharo In Sn It H for tor or Milton lIton had no 00 small mall shore share in lu the spirit of ot the Puritan fathers who settled New England It was due to Milton's ID influence that Saxon Anglo Ideals of ot liberty have hare developed in the tho direction of ot true dem democracy demoe racy rather than the JI licentious radicalism of or Rousseau Rouseau Hence every civic chic educational educe educe- nod and literary corporation and end lion Uon ma way may well unite noUe to honor the memory of ot John Jobo Milton who WeB was born In London years enra ago There There There-ls is Is no co historical Impossibility In the be thought that Shakespeare In 10 the last rut yeara of ot his hll life on ou ono one of at his visits to London Londo ma may ha have petted patted the bright bt lookIng look look- lug Ing youngster on the head who played about the entrance to the Mermaid Tavern Tar TI em ern rD watching for tor th the great Master Shakespeare whose plays everybody iy dy S praised The Mermaid Tavern Ta where Beo held his merry me meetings 1 may e bb tood In 10 Bread street et where Milton lIlon wu us born borD and Milton won wee eight years old when Shakespeare died A picture of ot Milton at nt the D age e of ot nine In tit supposed to be by Cornelius len Jon I who also 1180 made one of ot tho the authenticated likenesses of ot Shakespeare That picture shows the ton eon to havo have been en a bright and healthy looking bo boy There can cao be little doubt doub that t be he was cheerful though serious serious- minded mIndel The stern stem Puritan bard I of ot Ja later tel days ds's had bad no wild youth to repent of at When Whee he be went to Cambridge c nt lit 17 Ii but bin chool nicknamed him blin Tho n Lady because of ot ot hla biM I fastidious taste and morn morals Is Welle still at College the tho mot most of ot 1 Us IO a colleges 4 rJ h- h bo vr rot r a t the won wua r c CrIt ou S Al tb cdo frosty as though written In lu it a cold call college col cot lege dormitory and Its opening has baa many r o ot of the fantastic Ima images es which Donne other poets of or the age se were so an fond of but ou on the whole it Is probably ua as r remarkable re me- a Q poem us was as ever written b by a n youth of ot 21 There are ore only three In Instances In 10 stances es of ot equal or more pr precocious oclo s genius Chatterton who wrote and nud Jurn at n ago age e of ot 12 Shelley who wrote Queen Mab when ho he was 21 t and nud Bryant whoso whose was written In 10 his eighteenth year The Tue Fierce Pamphleteer If It the theford word ford frosty trost may many he be applied 11 to the earliest of ot Milton's poems torrid Is not Dot too strong for tor some of ot his Inter litter prose In 10 1610 King Klog Charles wa was vos executed Milton's ringing defense of ot Cromwell's S I act caused t the h eyes yes of ot all England to turn turo toward him He ne was 8 appointed as 08 Latin Secretary of or the Commonwealth One ODe of ot his first arst dutle was to write n a reply reply re re- re pi ply to the Elkon or Image of ot the King a book that was being widely lJ circulated by the be Koyn lists t and supposed d to bo hO the work of ot the martyred tyrant himself Milton's answer er was the or I Image Breaker m gc reaker a n work un unworthy orthy of ot his genius Among the crimes Imes of ot which he accuses the dead Charles was a love lo for Shakespeare aud and other poets poeta This hardly rings sincere ere or 01 gracious coming from the poet pott who had bu himself addressed Shakespeare In an nn an Immortal sonnet as nR Dear Son of ot Memo Mcm Memory 1 ry great heir of Fame and proclaimed that Thou nUN In ID our COT wonder t. t Hm lust built bum thyself a Milton sank to further depths In ID his controversy with That famous Latin scholar was hired b by tho the Royalists to write a n Defense of ot the tho King ICing Milton I celled called bin hla reply a Defense of ot the English P People ople It was really a n scurrilous assortment assortment as as- of ot pcr personal onal abuse He lie twits for tor under his wife's thumb hurts hurls charges of or Immorality agaInst maidservants nod and accuses him ului ot of neglecting hl bin Illegitimate to children Not ot I coo COD content tout teD t with lib this thlu Milton uJ loa run makes Ies or az dab elaborate b. b or orate to attempt to prove that the book book- toiler toller published work was Ra A n fraudulent bankrupt imposter cheat cLest anti au thief U c. 4 SI eb no tb the of or political nr- nr n Jo tb that thai t ago o. o Millon fUlon was going ROhi- blind at nt the tho time he be prepared this pamphlet and exulted that It was wan due to the strain his upon eyes en en- tailed ailed IJ by th the tho controversy while Milton lIH n. n tv T 4 E E S S 'S i S' S 1 e u S. S r Jr J d 1 S. S L Ii i I IJ P b 4 S d J lJ 1 I i i on 00 the other hand Is said to to hare boasted d that t bl hi bl- trenchant 11 attacks had hastened the death of ot These These- derce political have been deplored by some fowe admirers of or Milton Mil Mu III ton yet there Is reason to believe e that without having blaIn become thus thull embroiled the gentle author of ot and nd II could never Derer ba have hare e risen to the heights of or Paradise L Lust Lost st Samson Could have havo written his Inferno It If be hail had not known n a 1 whole host bost of ot whom be he wished to consign to It lIb Poetical Achl Achievement r Milton made m up his mind at nt tin n early carly age that he he- would become a n poet All hI his studies and aDd his hla mode of ot life were directed to this end From his twelfth year Tear on be rarely left IcU his hla books book before midnight Boon Soon otter after be he left college colic during the live five placid years earS be spent pent at Horton Charles his friend nt lit school wrote to n ask nak k what be Ue was WIlS thinking think thin log lag ot of Vt by 7 mR may God Cod la belp I int-i int of ot Itu- Itu mortality wn was Milton's reply I 1 urn cm crowing my wings for tor n I night lit ht After lter the Horton i during which he hI wrote nud and Com us Milton Mil Mu ton a n journey to Italy There on his way homeward be bc met tact Galileo sUIl still under b by the Inquisition Wll- Wll I lium Vaughn Moody Moo has bee Hu that this meeting between the blind astronomer mer and the poet who was doomed to blindness might have Inspired the painter who has ban given us mis the picture of ot Milton dictating Paradise Lost to his daughter dough daugh tern ter to 10 point paint another picture In itt which truth need not have n been beu sacrificed to That Milton lIton cherished the memories of ot that meeting with Galileo Gull Gnu leo Ito Is III shown b by his allusion to the Tim cans can artists artist's optic glass glans In the famous description of ot shield Milton wrote the Hymn on tho Nativity Na Nil thIt when he be 11 was alS 21 I 11 and nd II 11 at nt 24 I Com us and aDd at lit 20 ro the sonnet to Cromwell Cromwell Crom Croin well our chief of men nod that on his blindness 44 to 47 17 He lIe began Paradise Lost at nt CO 00 50 and It took him five vl years yearn to complete the poem lie He was 57 1 when h he commenced Paradise Regained und within a II 1 year ur of ot CO when It was WIlS finished d. The marvelous lines of ot Samson Agon Agon- l bites tes were written II nt at t about the tho age of or GO OG I blind Samson's death foreshadowing hi his hili own three years earll Inter hater Mr Ir Moody who e edited tho Cambridge U OL Institute quite an elaborate pur- pur nile between poet nail the Hebrew prophet lie He too tO had bad b been n a 0 champion favored of or the Ix Lord rd anti and had matched bl bin giant str strength n th against the enemies ol ot hi his people veople He lie had ball ent nt tuo of ot lila hs among their 2 POC 1 leP corn COrD ani antI and slain their strongest with sImple simple sim aim Pie weapons near at nt hand He lIe too hod had a wife from among the worshipers of or Dagon baron he hl had made festival with her people over oyer the nuptials which brought him hint a n loss as tragic as ns the Samson's the loss of ot hUDla ic tenderness a n lowered lo Ideal and anda I a n warped und understanding of ot the deepest human n relationships Now blind and oDIl fettered in the midst of an Idolatrous generation In another year or two when jen Dryden should tn tag his verses awl and transform his bis august auguRt epic luto into a n trivial trivIal tri tri- vial opera he would be brou brought ht like liko Samson to make wake sport before belore the Phil Phil- is Ilia Jilt Domestic Trouble Troubles The marital troubles of lit tho the poet which ile began nn before hit him dust honeymoon wits wim fairly over over over-ho ho was married three tI times probably had ball much to do with his writings writing in favor tavor of divorce He lie watta watt was a 3 she eho was 17 11 when be he married Mary Many ho was a n rl rigorous lre she of ot frivolous Cavalier eller blood No o wonder wonder won won- dc der r their o proved Incompatible After Alter b. b Laying having left him for two years Mary tar Milton returned to lien r husband anti and he lie forgave her with a noble leonine clemency Their thre 1111 daughter tenc after utter I the tha mothers mother's death did their be best t In turn turo to make their blind fathers father's life lire miser miser- rable r- r I able Milton lIton had bad not allowed them to learn any language one language one tongue be said was enough for tor torn a n woman oman woman but but bat he expected th them m to read to him from dye n nor I or six rib This Thin they found dull and Irksome Irk Irk- some nome and rebelled IIi JIb Ills Insistent authority au an- matched against their obstinacy engendered mutual hatred One ODe of ot them Just before her ber fathers father's U marriage e when wileD she fihe was told of ot It It said MId It i Is no news to hear bear of ot his wedding but It If I could hear of ot his death that were some some- thing TIle They frequently de deserted him they stole stola his hla books boob and sold soM them they even arranged with his maid servant to him In his So the happy domestic scene depicted de by hI Mun Mun- un- un acs the painter of ot Christ Before BetoN Pilate Pi If ri- ri late Is quite mythical Milton's second who had hall died within a n year or two but he be married a again at ot atthe atthe the age of or forced to It b by the Insubordination ordination of ot hI bis daughters Elizabeth the third Mrs Milton Mitton was Willi 23 of ot ex excellent ellent and pious character says saya Professor Masson some ell education a n placid and kindly temper and very Tery prudent housekeeping housekeep In ways ways Milton's signature sig signature nature natura to tho the application for marriage mar mU license e Is almost t as aB miserable a n scrawl D ns mis that on Shakespeare's will and shows shown ho how blindness and gout out had bad afflicted afflict afflict- ed the poet Elizabeth Milton Ulton did her bel best to alleviate ella alle nate Inte his lot and nod be was genuinely fond of ot her Somo Some tiara have gone one BO so far asto ns as to suppose that Milton described bl his bis Eve Evens ns nil blond in compliment to Mrs rs Milton the third One tiny day shortly before his death she Jibe had prepared one oDe of ot his favorite far dishes and bo hu cried out God liars have mere mercy Hetty Betty I see thou wilt perform perform per per- form according to thy promise In provid tnt In me uie such dishes ns as I think fit whilst I lire 11 ane and when I J die Ue thou that I have left thee all On the strength of thin lib she claimed his property after his death tb but hut the daughters contested contested con COD tested and broke this thin wilt will S Epic Sold for Five Fire Pound Pounds Milton Mllton was fairly well well-to-do llo his pater minI oal on I Inheritance being belu by the of or n a boys boy school he be con con- dueled ducted b before taking time the Latin Score Score- Much nib ado lies Ims been teen annie over oTer the fact tuN that t b bo lie sold 1 Lost oat S' S S 'S I I fay H M a. a eaP of rI e Free tor or 5 with the promise of ot another J 5 when the tho second ond edition should appear But It Is doubtful whether anyone with no an n epic poem t today could get as much muchas as 11 25 23 from the tho publisher and Qed It must moet be c rem remembered that editions In that day doy were email th the poet out ont of ot favor with bo the Merry Marry Monarchs Monarch's hs h's court coort sad and mon money 7 had iad much larger value than It bus bee busow now now-In ow In fact tact fact lt Its purchasing power was trot about bout el eight ht times Ume an as great I Thus tom eon Milton uton received e about down downor for or Lost and modern madera pub pub- ushers might do well ell to emulate tho liberality of ot tb the famous taman agreement b bet between be- be t weon tween John Milton gent of ot the one oae parte arte on anti and Samuel Symons printer of ot the tho ho other other- parte espe especially aU as ns Symon Symons paid an tin additional 5 later Inter But nut It Is not In tn pounds pound II and pence that a a. a poets poet's oets genius mu must t be rated Golden words word of or pr praise lse have been coined by critics and of at Milton lIton Some have hav trl tried to diminish his glory clory by the charge that b be betook took ook his bla Paradise Lost from the Lucifer Lad Luci for fer of the Dutch poet lO t Vondel but this charge harge Is absurd It vanishes matches when we hear lear the sonorous eloquence of at the gO god 1 gifted organ vole of ot England s-s s Tennyson Teeny Tenny son Ion apostrophized Milton This Thin man cuts us all out and Qed the ancients an en- cleats clent too too said Dryden Walter Waiter Savage L Landor D or in Jo a n quite outburst declared that It may b be doubted doubled If the Creator ever created one ODe altogether so great T Tame lne saw In him HED most malt splendid and most moat couples poetic genius E Even en the carping Voltaire paid Milton lIton the compliment of ot a futile attempt to translate Paradise Lost Loslo Klopstock tb tho tb Liz st of at Germanys Germany's truly German p poets poet l was Inspired b by Milton to TV write rite his Mes else Bins Thou Though b Paradise Lost Is not read Jd M u much as os it should bo be cJ despite Ruskin's counsel much of at Milton's phrase has hos passed pass pas ed luto Into common speech How flow mno many who II speak of ot the light fantastic toe toeS know V that It Is from rote L AlleGro 7 T How lIow many who say lay that Pence Peace bath her victories no less renowned than war know It I Is from Crom the sonnet to Cromwell How hoer many maDY aio o speak k of at the autumnal leaves leavel that strew the brooks In la know that this Is Ja Milton's simile to picture the time mustering ot of Satans Satan's legions Scores cons at of other olber popular r phrases like to temper Justice with vIlh mercy uro aro thus thull taken rOut from th fh KT Ir gat at t poet who t tercentenary Is 19 now bOW at hand band |