The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-04-30
ANECDOTES OF MILTON.

ANECDOTES OF MILTON.
We have a work in our possession, in
which there are several anecdotes of the
great poet, that are not familiar to the
general reader.
When about to compose, he prepared
himself--as did Cicero--by reading some
of the Greek pocts,- or having them read
to him, afterhe became blind. And we
will here remark, that reading the poetry
of the best authors, as preparation for
writing poetry, has much greater influ-
enee upon the mind in composing, than
might be imagined; as the writer doubt
less catches more or less of the fire and
Inspiration of his author.
1t it well known that he was blind, but
the manner of his losing his sight is per-
haps but little known to many readers.
It was occasiOned by his celebrated con-
trogersy with Salmasius. When he first
proposed to answer that learned man,
but ridiculous writer, hshad lost the use
of one of his eyes. His physician de-
clared that if he applied himself to the
controversy, he would also lose the other.
But his patriotism was MOTTO be bafled.
He continued to apply himself to it, in
spite of the warning, and the other was
soon closed forever.
While on the subject of this controyer-
sy, we will add, what the impartiality of
criticism obliges US to confess-that Mil
ton was not destitute of rancor. When
told that Sa1masius boasted he had occa-
stoned the loss of his eyes, he answered
With the ferocity of the irritated Puri-
tan, And I shall cost him his life 7
The prediction was shortly after fulfilled,
for Christian, Queen of Sweden, with
drew her patronage from Salmasius, and
sided with Milton in this controversy,
which was of such magnitude that all
Europe took part in the paper war of
these two great men. The universal ne
glect which the proud scholar met with,
hastened his death in the course of a
year.
The circumstance of his first wife be-
ing a great shrew, is also familiar to
most readers of his works and life, but
not the way in which he got her.. He
exhibited nothing of the greatness of his
mind in his choice of wife, for his first
wife was not the object Of sudden fancy.
He left London, and unexpectedly re-
turned a married man-uuited to wo-
man with dispositions so uncongenial,
that the romp was frightened at the lite
rary habits of the great poet, found his
house solitary place, beat his nepheWs;
and ran away after month residence.
In connection with this woman is his
witty reply to the Duke of Buckingham,
after he became blind. The Duke called
her rose, whereupon Milton replied ::
I am no judge of colors, and it may be
so, for feel the thorns daily
1 Equal to this was his shrewd reply to
James II, when Duke of Y orkj who made
visit to Milton, out of curiosity. In
the course of their conversation, james
said to him, that he thought his blindness
was judgment of Heaven on him be-
cause he had written against Charles {,
his James fathers when Milton replied:
If your bighness thinks that misfortunes
are an index, of the wrath of Heaven,
what must you think of your fathers
tragical end have only lost my eyes
.he lost his head!' The retort was
severe, but a just and merited one.
He was the author of celebrated and
oft quoted line of poetry, of which but
few probably know the origin. When
attending at st. Paufs school, London.
at one of the public examinations, the
subject for poetical composition happen
ed to be our Savior's first miracle, of
changing water into wine. Much was
written and handed In on the subject
When it came to Millions turn, from
whom little was expected, he merely
wrote on slate one line:
The conscious water saw its God and blushed.'
The laconic beauty of the line and
simple sublimity Of the idea were SO
striking that the judges looked at each
other in astonishment and after bestow-
ing encomiums upon the more elaborate
productions; according to their merits II
hey awarded the prize to Milton. It
was an early evidence of the power Of
mind that produced Paradise Lost
EI A lady died in Lansing from
poison contained in some maple sugar,
,f which che had narfakan L. Ia snn.