, 1863-03-11
John Milton.

~"A~~*V
l;ev. ". II. Milturu lecturcd Ia=t evening
=. Siya1. Hall, on John Milton, b.ierc i large
ard Intelligent audience.
1t vas good for us, he said, sometimes to
Sit 2 a6dc from 0 r everyday walks into that
gra lloEsc Hisicil God il building in this
uLiscrse-the house, nau,cl;, Of hu..aa his
tory, that wc may become strong III
trust, III the unfolding conseiousnsss that
This Is not The DEVILS world. bull that Of Il
Mise, good and gracious eroFidence. Every
aift, good or bad, Is buleded into the walls Of
tliis Structure, for the Sreat Architect upholds
encc IL ills great house Of history, TINT he
l.ad evoked them together this evening, but
rather to take them by the hand as friends.
and conduct them into the inner life of tue
Er,at-perlaps the greatest--worthy Of tic
Elizabetl,an period OF England. He alluded,
life Of John Milton. He was born at the
close Of this Augustan era, which at its
R1ime. was full q genius in every direc~
tion-ln art and practical affairs IN
philosophy and poetry, in history and naviga.
tion. It was the time Of Shakespeare and
johnson, Of Philip Sidney, and Yalshipghan,
Of Raleigh and Bacon, and TINT immense gal
axy Of intelIects which has no parallel in The
history Of nations. He spoke Of Bacon In this
connection ae man with great 1ead and a
elD1n, mean heart, who WAS = mere crawling
reptile in the presence of his sovereign, and q
miserable strivcr after place and power,
TO which hc sacrificed his honor and honesty:
He spoke Of Elizabeth rs true ruler, aud
running from her time to that OF the fASt
James. be characterized him as learned,
foolish pcdant, who wasted Ats ltms ~ nunt-
1,ojt1ts Of divinity, and writing eonnter7hlastS
agninht Inc delicious weed which Raleigh had
Introduced. 49,,
was born, ana Of some Of ths great histosica! 1s;
passages Of that time, was very graphic aud
lie gave brief account Of Mi1ton's parent
age, aud brought bcforc our eyes, the house in
Broad street, London, where the poet WAS
born. The; great event-gzcat to history as
December, 1905. Milton inherited bis lore
Of music from his father-his Puritan father
who was not only performer on musical
ips' 'rnncnts-but. composer also. TIE
Young poet was encouraged By his father to
lit up-much too late at nights-for the pur-
poses Of study; and at very early age, be
stood two, at least, Of the ancient languages.
he was sent to Sidney College, at Cambridge,
quite early in life, and was noted there for lis
fine manners, bis varied scholarship, and his
almost womanly beauty.
Milton was puzzled what calling in life he
E1.oN." A1At0" 49,. - AAAo +.Ae'. A45 AesltC+
The magnificent church of England, which
had given the praye7book, not to any sect
hut TO the whole Christian wosld-which
boasted the long line Of the Fathcrs-thls
mognlhcent church was that to which he once
Aopea TO glFe hls Whoie talents, and learning
ana h1e: bnt tlnd1ng Thai Archbishop. Laud
VAS nlaster Of this church, at the time when he
would have entered its portals as n Priest, be
turned sorrowfull5 away. What Land
taught, he could not sanction in his heart;
he ionged 10 preach the truth Of Christ, and
could not bring himself to be the mere pup
pet Of 4 ceremonial. So be went into tic
country, aud there wrote II n14seroso, g -1ns-
wait for the solution OF his life problem until
Gods hand should strike the clock. lie stud
led, aud thought, conmuned with God in his
retirement, and presently bethought him that
foreign travel would improve both his mind
and body. Acting upon this thought, he
went to Italy. Whilst he was travelling
abroad be heard the tidings Of civil war al
home, and this brave, conscientious poet IT,
turned to England, hoping his hour Tor use
fnlness would come.
Not Jet, however, was he destined to take
his part in the grcat drnma Of history. He
contentcd himself therefor with taking q
house id Aggregate street and opening a
school. No other employment could yet be
found in all England FOR the greatest man now
in it. He proved himself hard dogger,
though good teacher
was pretty enough, but somewhat of hoy
den, and q separation eventually took place
between them. All this time Milton vas pa
tient and studions, aud at last, on the ID Of
November, 1641, God strnek the long expected
clock, and Milton began TO find hls true
work. The origin Of the Long Parliament
and its subsequent doings were rapidly traced;
and some Of the leatding characters who
figured In it, we're drawn with skill and
power. His pictures Of the House Of Com
mons at that time, and Of John Pynl lnpcach-
ing the mighty Earl Of Stanford, were fine
pieces Of word painting -Stratford, who had
] been Charles the First's strong right arm in
ireland, who had usurpcd in his own office
| and person the functions of government, and
| trampled upon the liberty Of the people, aud
! sanctioned and advised the tyrannies Of his
Sovereign. This great and powerful noble,
who went down to the Long Parliament, full
| Of the consciousness Of his Strength, walking
with right rosai step, and bearing himself
| ns one who Is superior to all his order, and
| without Il compeer, is inpcacAed by private
gentleman and Comm0ner, and is finally con-
Quoted By Maxwell, the Usher Of the Black
Rod, as q prisoner to the Tower This was
engage Milton N rs aayoeaey, aud hnally con 91
! tun'Mate NseN IN thc Eugsash shCommonwealth,
| Under the great ruio OF Cromwell.
| Inc Eefes1es, ana me sa1ctlon Ehlch Afch'
uttsbop Aauu Pase W MIG 'aa,ies ~, ueohghn I! y
al3n also 70 tne 19Mef, alid AZ l3se to inc seal
1910 Land dleo Ike SAINT Lora stranofd
I lIkG Nefo:
:. Inc clvH and relislous dlssentlonssot the
time called forth the. pen Of Milton
in the defense Of liberty. His
| prose writings which are masterpieces o.
t1c English tongue. abound With the mos
eloquent passages, and literally oyeraowinI
VIII q farc genius and INC fruits oi !! r'pt
schoiatsAip, afe tAe results o1 these dlssen
ions, and his I1ed. TOR The Lide'7y Of lnlieesGt
timing, IS TIC corncr,stonc Of that grea
chafdcr OF ireedom which VIC cais Liberty o
thc fress . mis 4eonoclastcS Is reply tt
tne E'k9n Has's!sa, Which vas long 'tribnt7t
10 Charies INC flIst, and his book On Dirore
vas ptonaniy written III consequence Of hi
own e'aacu!fies with his wife. Whilst speak
1ng 9, @ ne religions principles Of the poet
Mr. M1ibnFn made no hilnston to what wa
PlopapiS Tue last production OF Milton's pen
namely, ilis Lest Thoughts on The Tf:aty-:
"onacr1ui treatise book for its divinity AMI
reasonang-Which proves that the author was
IN the at.ictest and highest sense Of the word
ihe lecturer passed rapidly over the histor,
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