_Born 1608. Died 1674._
Notes by JOHN AUBREY.
He was of middle stature,[1] he had light abroun[2] hayre, his
complexion exceeding[3] faire. he was so faire, that they called him
the Lady of Christs college. ovall face. his eie a darke gray.... he
was a Spare man.
[Footnote 1: Aubrey wrote first 'He was scarce so tall as I am'; then
added above the last six words, 'q[uaere] quot feet I am high'; and
then above this 'Resp: of middle stature'.]
[Footnote 2: 'abroun' (i.e. auburn) written above 'browne'.]
[Footnote 3: 'exceeding' above 'very'.]
* * * * *
He was an early riser: Sc: at 4 a clock manè. yea, after he lost
his sight: He had a man read to him: The first thing he read was the
Hebrew bible, and that was at 4'h. manè 1/2'h.+. Then he contemplated.
At 7 his man came to him again & then read to him and wrote till
dinner: the writing was as much as the reading. His daughter Deborah
2[1] could read to him Latin, Italian, & French, & Greeke; married in
Dublin to one M'r Clarke [sells silke &c[2]] very like her father. The
other sister is Mary 1[1], more like her mother. After dinner he usd
to walke 3 or 4 houres at a time, he alwayes had a Garden where he
lived: went to bed about 9. Temperate, rarely drank between meales.
Extreme pleasant in his conversation, & at dinner, supper &c: but
Satyricall. He pronounced the letter R very hard. a certaine signe of
a Satyricall Witt. from Jo. Dreyden.
[Footnote 1: '2' and '1', marking seniority, above the names.]
[Footnote 2: 'sells silke &c' above 'a Mercer'.]
[Sidenote: Litera Canina.]
He had a delicate tuneable Voice & had good skill: his father
instructed him: he had an Organ in his house: he played on that most.
His exercise was chiefly walking.
He was visited much by learned[1]: more then he did desire.
[Footnote 1: 'by learned' added above the line.]
He was mightily importuned to goe into France & Italie. Foraigners
came much to see him, and much admired him, & offered to him great
preferments to come over to them, & the only inducement of severall
foreigners that came over into England, was chifly to see O. Protector
& M'r J. Milton, and would see _the house and chamber_ wher _he_ was
borne: he was much more admired abrode then at home.
* * * * *
His harmonicall, and ingeniose soule did lodge[1] in a beautifull and
well proportioned body--In toto nusquam corpore menda fuit. Ovid.
[Footnote 1: 'did lodge' above 'dwelt'.]
He had a very good memory: but I believe that his excellent Method of
thinking, & disposing did much helpe his memorie.
* * * * *
Of a very cheerfull humour.
He was very healthy, & free from all diseases, seldome tooke any
Physique, only sometimes he tooke Manna[1], and only towards his
later end he was visited with the Gowte--Spring & Fall: he would be
chearfull even in his Gowte-fitts: & sing.
[Footnote 1: 'seldome ... Manna' added above the line.]
He died of the gowt struck in the 9th or 10th of Novemb 1674, as
appeares by his Apothecaryes Booke.
58.
Note by EDWARD PHILLIPS.
There is another very remarkable Passage in the Composure of this Poem
[_Paradise Lost_], which I have a particular occasion to remember;
for whereas I had the perusal of it from the very beginning; for some
years as I went from time to time to Visit him, in a Parcel of Ten,
Twenty, or Thirty Verses at a Time, which being Written by whatever
hand came next, might possibly want Correction as to the Orthography
and Pointing; having as the Summer came on, not been shewed any for
a considerable while, and desiring the reason thereof, was answered,
That his Veine never happily flow'd, but from the _Autumnal
Equinoctial_ to the _Vernal_, and that whatever he attempted was never
to his satisfaction, though he courted his fancy never so much; so
that in all the years he was about this Poem, he may be said to have
spent but half his time therein.
59.
Notes by JONATHAN RICHARDSON.
One that had Often seen him, told me he us'd to come to a House where
He Liv'd, and he has also Met him in the Street, Led by _Millington_,
the same who was so Famous an Auctioneer of Books about the time of
the Revolution, and Since. This Man was then a Seller of Old Books
in _Little Britain_, and _Milton_ lodg'd at his house. This was 3
or 4 Years before he Dy'd. he then wore no Sword that My Informer
remembers, though Probably he did, at least 'twas his Custom not long
before to wear one with a Small Silver-Hilt, and in Cold Weather a
Grey Camblet Coat....
I have heard many Years Since that he Us'd to Sit in a Grey Coarse
Cloth Coat at the Door of his House, near _Bun-hill_ Fields Without
_Moor-gate_, in Warm Sunny Weather to Enjoy the Fresh Air, and So, as
well as in his Room, receiv'd the Visits of People of Distinguished
Parts, as well as Quality, and very Lately I had the Good Fortune
to have Another Picture of him from an Ancient Clergyman in
_Dorsetshire_, Dr. _Wright_; He found him in a Small House, he thinks
but One Room on a Floor; in That, up One pair of Stairs, which was
hung with a Rusty Green, he found _John Milton_, Sitting in an Elbow
Chair, Black Cloaths, and Neat enough, Pale, but not Cadaverous, his
Hands and Fingers Gouty, and with Chalk Stones. among Other Discourse
He exprest Himself to This Purpose; that was he Free from the Pain
This gave him, his Blindness would be Tolerable.
* * * * *
... besides what Affliction he Must have from his Disappointment on
the Change of the Times, and from his Own Private Losses, and probably
Cares for Subsistence, and for his Family; he was in Perpetual Terror
of being Assassinated, though he had Escap'd the Talons of the Law, he
knew he had Made Himself Enemies in Abundance. he was So Dejected he
would lie Awake whole Nights. He then kept Himself as Private as he
could. This Dr. _Tancred Robinson_ had from a Relation of _Milton's_,
Mr. _Walker_ of the Temple. and This is what is Intimated by Himself,
VII. 26.
_On Evil Daies though fall'n and Evil Tongues, in Darkness,
and with Dangers compast round, and Solitude_.
* * * * *
Mr. _Bendish_ has heard the Widow or Daughter or Both say it, that
Soon after the Restauration the King Offer'd to Employ this Pardon'd
Man as his Latin Secretary, the Post in which he Serv'd _Cromwell_
with So much Integrity and Ability; (that a like Offer was made to
_Thurlow_ is not Disputed as ever I heard) _Milton_ Withstood the
Offer; the Wife press'd his Compliance. _Thou art in the Right_ (says
he) _You, as Other Women, would ride in your Coach; for Me, My Aim is
to Live and Dye an Honest Man_.
* * * * *
Other Stories I have heard concerning the Posture he was Usually in
when he Dictated, that he Sat leaning Backward Obliquely in an Easy
Chair, with his Leg flung over the Elbow of it. that he frequently
Compos'd lying in Bed in a Morning ('twas Winter Sure Then) I have
been Well inform'd, that when he could not Sleep, but lay Awake whole
Nights, he Try'd; not One Verse could he make; at Other times flow'd
_Easy his Unpremeditated Verse_, with a certain _Impetus_ and _Æstro_,
as Himself seem'd to Believe. Then, at what Hour soever, he rung
for his Daughter to Secure what Came. I have been also told he would
Dictate many, perhaps 40 Lines as it were in a Breath, and then reduce
them to half the Number.
60.