Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-04-23

Il have heard many years since, says
Richardson, THAT he usedto sit i'll gray
coarse cloth coat at the door Of his house,
near Bunhill fields, without Moorgate, in
warm, sunny weather, to ENJOY the fresh
air, and so, rs well as in his room, re-
ceived the visits of people of distinguished
parts, as well as quality; and very lately
had the good fortune to have another
picture Of him from an aged clergyman III
Dorsetshire, DIR. Wright He found him
| in a small house, he thinks but one
room on floor In that, mp one pair OF
! stairs. which was hung with II rusty
green, he found John Milton, sitting III
mn elbow chair, black clothes. AMI neat
enough, pale but not cadaverIus, his
hands and fingers equity and with chalk
stones. Among other discourse he ex-
pressed himself to this purpose that ii
[ he was free from the pain this gave him,
| his blindness would be tolerable. Neat
| black within doors when visitors were cy
/ pected, and rough gray for home disha-
! bile, us for out-oi-doors walking. Were
/ therefore Milton's latest colors Hewort
/ his light brown hair parted from the
crown to the middle Of the forehead, and
somewhat flat, long and waving, little
curled. ." The Faithorne portrait tells us
much the same. His department was
manly and rcsolute. but with gentle
manly allnblity, Richardson had heard
and, on the whole. the impression gwen
Is that of stately and deliberate courte-
sy. with Just IL shade OF austeI1ty. Ibis
voice WAS musicdlly agreeable, SAYS
Richardson which Is no news. and would
not he worth repeating but for particu-
lar from Aubrey, which may 90 along
with it He pronounced the letter r
very hard, - saws Aubrey, having noted
the fact himself, and adding tins com
mcnt bv DRYDEN, when lac and Dryden
talked Of the peculiarly, "htera Gamma,
the Inr-lcttrr. a certain slgu ot satiu-
cal wit
His economy If his day, ii We may
trust Aubrey and Toland, was very strict
He rose. they say, as carly as 1 O'Clock in
summer, and I'm the winter, Int would
sometimes, T1lanl judiciously hints, lie
III bed b Nond those hours. In either
ease he began the day by having chap
ter or two of the Hebrew Bible read to
him bv his ''mnn, rs Aubrey calls HIM,
!. e., We are to suppose 10y whatever
scholar he had in attendance upon HIM,
for love on money, as his servant III such
matters Breakfast down stairs, and
then contemplation" by himself ~ hls
upper room or study carried him ON till
about 7o'cluck. when his "mnn came t"
him again Tor the solid work of the day
i'll the upstairs room. That consisted Of
reading and ,hctution till the mid day dim
ner. the man then changed from rcadingto
amanucnsis 10y direction. and the writing
generally being las much rs the rend-
ing, SAYS Aubrey. At the midday din-
ner down stsirs. Milton took what was
set before him. SAYS Richardson, which
was anything most IN season or the
el.,iest procured" explains T"and, both
agreeing that he WAS, extraordinarily tenn
perate IN his diet" and mo friend to
sharp or strong liquors" Dinner over,
some three or four hours IN the afternoon
were gwen to exercise and recreation.
Walking, either out Ill the neighborhood
or in his own garden, was always the ia