American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-11-11
y Wilson, No. 4Oo, Market Street.
Volume Nv.


Elwood's connexicn with our great bard has beer
barely advered 10 by some OF his piers bu'
The exact circumstances attending il have never beer
ully stated, except in the book have mentioned,
which, have every reason to believe is an extreme
y rare one. 1t is entitled g The History OF the
Life of Thomas Elwood. one of the People called
Quakers, written by himseli." | do rot recollect
the exact date Of its publication, and have now no
means OF ascertainlng 1t; never having met With
any copy but the one, which has now been, about
ten years, out OF my possession Independent Of
the interest created for Elwood by his coanexice
with Milton, and the fact of his suggestion having
occasioned the composition of" Paradise Reganed,' =
the latest born and best beloved OF great roel's
literary offspring there is in the history Of his
life, by himself, simplicity and sincerity of style,
which cannot fail to convey very pleasing aud
favourable idea Of the qualities OF the writer. But
let US hear himself
1869. mentioned before, that when was a
boy had made some good progress in learning and
lost it all again before | came to be a man was
rightly sensible of my loss therein until came
amongst the quakers. But then both saw my loss.
and amented it, and applied myself with the utmost
diligence, at all leisure times TO recover ii false
found that charge to be, which in those times was
cast as reproach on the quakers, that they despsed
and decried all human learning. because they de-
MED it TO be essentially necessary gospel minis
try, which was one of the controversies OF those
times.
But though toiled hard and spared pains
to regain what had been mister Of, yet +
found it a matter of so great difficulty, that was
ready to say the noble eunueh to Philip, in an
other case, How can understand, unless had,
some man 10 guide me p
"This had formerly complained of to my esne-
cial friend, Isaac Pennington bur now more earnest
y, which put him upon considering, and conriVng.
means for my assistance. He had an intimate
quantance with DR.. Paget, physician Of note i'm
London, and he with John Milton. a gentleman OF
great note for learning throughout the learned WORLD
for the accurate pieces he had written on various,
subjects and occasions. This person, having 6eG
public station in the former tines lived now
private and retired life in London and having Who'll
ly lost his sirht, kept always man to read to hms
which usually was the son of some gentleman Of
his acquaintance, whom, in kindness, he took to i'm
prove 10 his learning. Thus, by the mediation OF
my friend Isaac Pennington with Dr. Paget ard Of
Dr.. Psgei with John Milton, was ! admitted % conc
10 him, not as a servant TO him (Which at that time
he needed not,) nor to be in the house with him but
only TO have the liberty Of coming to his house. at
certain hours when would, and to read to him
what books he should appoint me. which was all the
favour desired But this being a matter which
would require time to bring il about ], in the
meanwhile, returned to my fathers house in Oxford
shire
Understanding that the mediation used for my
admitance to John Milton had succeeded SO well,
that might come when would. fastened to Lon
don, and in the first place went to wait upon him.
He received me courteously as well for the sake Of
DR. Psget who introduced me, as OF Isaac Penning-
ton who recommended me to both whom he bore
good respect. And having inquired divers things
OF me, with respect to my former progression in
learning, he dismissed me, to provide myself of such
accommodations as might be most suitable to my
future studies. went, therefore. and took myself
lodging as near to his house (Which was then in
Jewin-st street, as conveniently as could, ard from
henceforward went every day in the afternoon, ex
cept the first days of he week. and sitting by him
in his dining room, read TO him in such books in the
Latin tongue as he pleased to hear me read At
my first sitting TO read TO him, observing that used
the English pronunciation, he told me if would
have the benefit Of the Latin tongue, not only to read
and understand Latin authors, but to converse with
oreigners, either abroad or at home, must learn
the foreign pronunciation To this consen;ing,
he instructed me how to sound the vowels, diHe
rent from the common pronunciation used by the
English, who speak Anglice that with Some few
other variations in sounding consorants in par
ticular cases, before or ., like Oh Sc before
like sh, Seq the Latin thus spoken seemed as dife
rent from that which was delivered, as the English
generally speak it, as it we're another language. l
had before, during my retired life at my athers by
unwearied diligence and industry, so Tar recovered
the rules of grammar On which had once been
very ready y shat could both read Latin author,
and after sort, hammer on, his meaning. But
this change OF pronunciation proved new difficulty
to me 1t was now harder to 10 read than le
was before to understand when read. But
s----Iahor omfia yincit