Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-27
JOHN MILTON,
Lecture by Homer b. Sprague at the
CONGREGATIONAL Church

Congregational Church.
Homer B. Sprague delivered lecture on
Milton" at the Congregational Church,
last evening, under the auspices Of the
Marguerite Mission. The lecture was not
largely attended, but those present enjoyed
rare and scholarly treat. A synopsis of
the lecture cannot convey an idea of its
beauty. It was an exemplifcation of Par
adise Lost" with interesting narrative con-
corning Millions life and history early child
hood and education, college life, marriage,
and his devotion to the one cause of secur-
ing not only for the people of England but
the whole world, civil, political and religi-
Gus liberty. He showed that many OF the
leading principles of liberty, upon which
we of America love to dwell, were enun-
ciated By John Milton in his early treatise
on political liberty. Our constitutional
maxim that all men are born free and
equal " was first enunciated by him also,
that when Governments permit the object of
their institutions or creations to be per-
verted so as 10 Cypress the people,
the latter have the right to throw off the
Government. This was borrowed from
Milton. and was not original with our peo-
pie. He described Milton as being
ONE OF THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED SCHOLARS
OF his age, or that ever existed before or
since in England described his travels in
foreign and continental countries, his
open, frank and manly aTowal of his prin-
ciples wherever he went and particularly
his opposition to the established Church.
He described his unfortunate marriage re-
lations, having married lady whose tastes
and habits were all in opposition to his
own. Her sympathies were all with the
established Church and royalists of that
age, while he was republican or advocate
of what was Synonymous with democracy,
in opposition to imperialism or monarchy.
His whole time and attention were en-
crossed in his studies and vocation as
teacher-a vocation he followed for many
years. That he became a distinguished
linguist, the master of several living as well
as dead languages, a finished Latin and
Greek scholar; that his writings were
principally devoted to the cause of the peo-
pie in opposition to the established Gov
eminent and Church, which perhaps did
as much as any other one thing to enlighten
the people and to unite their oppo-
sition to Charles, who was depressing them
so cruelty, and which led to the ruler
being beheaded; that the Republican
or Cromwellian Government recognized in
him one of their ableSt defenders, and en-
ployed him to write on two principal occa-
sions reply to two of the ablest docu-
| ments produced or published by the oppo-
sition. Each time he crushed his oppo-
nent and more firmly
ESTABLISHED THE LIBERTIES OF THE PEOPLE.
For his first reply Parliament voted him
81 900. At that time he was Secretary OF
| State, and the doctors advised him not to
enter upon the second task the Govern
ment had assigned him, on account of his
failing sight-the vision of his left eye
having nearly or quite disappeared, and the
sight of the other eye very much affected
But John Milton did not hesitate long as
between his eyesight and duty. He wrote
the reply, crushed his opponent, and, as the
doctors predicted, the mental strain
and exertion was followed in time
| by total blindness. The Royalists re-estab-
lished themselves in power, called Charles
| II. to the throne, after which Milton was
branded as the arch traitor, and all good
cilizens were called upon to apprehend him
on sight. He went into seclusion, was hid
for long time in friends house, deserted
by his wife, betrayed possibly by his two
daughters.
WAS BLIND AND FUGITIVE.
| His mind was called off from the tenn
poral affairs of life 10 the great subjects in
volved in his Paradise Lost"
The speaker gave running review OF
the contents of that great poem, and con-
cluded with a beautiful tribute to his
memory, and his devotion to the cause for
which he lived and labored.
He compared him with the great men Of
contemporaneous and subsequent times
contrasted him with Shakespeare, and
showed that they welded an influence
within limited sphere that did not, to any
of the people. All the writings and labors
of Milton were devoted to- and produced
their effect upon the religious and civil
status of the world, and the impress of his
high mind, his noble aspirations, his pure
thoughts, religious nature and yirtuous
character, not only at that time, but ever
since, has influenced, and is still influence
ing, the nations of the world. John Milton
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