The Portland daily press., 1864-11-30
Wednesday Morning, Nov. 80. 1854.
Portrait Of Milton.
BY M. DE oHATEAUBRIAND.

The bard Of Eden said that poet sought
to be himself a true poem," a model of the
best and most honorable qualities.
Milton rose ab four In the morning during
summer, and at flve in the winter He wore
almost invariably dress of coarse grey cloth,
studied till noon, dined frugaly, walked with
q guide, and in the evening sung, accompany
ing himself on some instrument. He under
stood harmony, and had fine voice. He for
a long time addicted himself to the practice
of fencing. To judge by Paradise Lost" he
must have been passionately fond of music
and the perfume of flowers. He supped off
five or six olives and a little water, retired to
rest at nine, and composed at night in bed.
When he had made some verses, he sung, and
dictated to his wife or daughters. On sunny
days be. sat on bench at his door; he lived
in Artillery Walk, leading to Bunhill Fields.
From without, insults were heaped ON this,
the sick and forsaken lion. These lines were
addressed to him, headed "Upon John Mil
ton'snot suffering from this traitorous book,
when the TryerS were executed, 1860" tsa
"That thou escapdst that vengeance which o'ertook
Milton thy regicides, and thy own book, y
Was ciemency in Charles beyond compare
And yet thy doom doth prove grievous far;
Old scky, poor, stark blind, thou wrtest for bread,
So, for to live, thou'dst call Samatus from the dead" "
They reproached him with his age, his ugli-
ness, his small stature, and applied to him this
verse OF Virgil:
''Monstruml horrsndum. informe, ingens, cui lumen
Adeptum-n EF.
Observing that the word jngens was the on
ly one which did not apply to his person. He
had the simplicity to reply (Defensio Autoris)
that be was poor because he had never enrich
ed himself; that he was neither large nor
small; that at no age had he been considered
ugly; that in youth, with asword by his side,
he had never feared the bravest. 80 .W
Intact he had been very handsome, and was
so even in old age. The portrait Of Adam is
his own. His hair was admirable; bis eyes OF
extraordinary clearness, no defect could be
perceived in them, it would be impossible to
guess that he was blind. If we were not
aware what party rage can do, could we be-
Iieve that it would make it crime for man
TO be blind? But let US thank this abomina-
BILE hate, we owe to it some exquisite lines.
Milton first replies that he lost his his sight in
the defence of liberty; then adds these pas
sages, full OF sublimlty and tenderness:
"In the night that surrounds me, the light
of the Divine Presence shines the more bright
ly on me. God beholds me with greater ten
derness and compassion because can see
nought but Him. The Divine law ought not
TO shield me from Injury, but to render me
more sacred, not on account Of loss OF sight,
but because am under the shadow of the
Divine wings, which seem TO. produce this
darkness in me. To This attribute the affec-
tionate assidnities Of my friends, their sooth-
ing attentions, their kind visits, and their re-
spectful behavior" C
We see to what shifts he was reduced In
writing, by passage In one of his letters to
Peter Hiembach: I'll BtN IAgh
"That virtue of mine, which you call politi
cal virtue, and which would rather you had
called devotion to my country-patriotism
enchanting me with her captivating name, al
most II may so say, expatriated me. In I'm
ishing my letter, let me beg of you this favor,
that II you find some parts incorrectly written,
yousWill impnte the fault to the boy who writes
for me; he Is utterly ignorant of Latin, and
am obliged to spell every word dictate"
The miseries Of Milton were still more ag-
gravated by domestic griefs. He lost his first
wife, Mary Powell, who died suddenly; as, al
so, alter years marriage, did his second wife
Catharine Woodcock, of Hackney. His third
wife, Elizabeth Minshell, survived him, and had
used him well. He appears not to have been
beloved; his daughters, who played such po-
etical parts In his life, deceived him, and Sc
cretly sold his books. He complains OF this
Unfortunately, his character seems to have had
the .iDhexibility of his genius. johnson has
said, with precision and truth, that Milton be-
lived woman made only for obedience, and man
for rebellion. q fHafEaHM N wMI"
Milton, in his last days, was forced to sell
his library. He drew near his end. DR.. Wright
going to see him, found him confined to the
first floor Of his small house, in very small
room, to which the visitor assembled by stair.
case, carpeted, extempore, with green baize,
to deaden the noise offootsteps, and toprocurs
silence for the man who was advancing to
wards everlasting silence. The author of Par
adise Lost" attired in a black doublet, reclin
cd ID an elbow chair. His head uncovered
its silver locks fell on his shoulders; his blind
but fine dark eyes, sparkled amidst the pale
ness of his countenauce. ~ q.
On the tenth Of November, 1874, that God
who had discoursed with him by night came
to fetch him, and reunited him in Eden with
the angels, amid whom he had lived, and whom
he knew BY their names, their offices, and theil
beauty.
Milton expired SO gently that no one per.
ceived the moment when, at the age of 81
years, within one month"; he rendered bach
to God one of the mightiest spirits that evel
animated human clay. His temporal life, tho
neither long nor short, served as foundation
for lie eternal. This great man had draggeC
on asuffieient number OF days on earth to fee
their WEAKNESS; but not sufficient to exhaus
his genius, which remained entire even to hi
latest breath.