thor of the infcription, permitted its reception." And fuch has been the "change of publick opinion," faid Dr. Gregory, from whom I heard this account, "that I have feen erected in the "church a ftatue of that man, whofe "name I once knew confidered as a pol"lution of its walls."

Milton has the reputation of having been in his youth eminently beautiful, fo as to have been called the Lady of his college. His hair, which was of a light brown, parted at the foretop, and hung down upon his fhoulders, according to the picture which he has given of Adam. He was, however, not of the heroick ftature, but rather below the middle fize, according to Mr. Richard

fon,

fon, who mentions him as having narrowly escaped from being bort and thick. He was vigorous and active,. and delighted in the excrcife of the fword, in which he is related to have been eminently skilful. His weapon was,, I believe, not the rapier, but the backfword, of which he recommends the ufe in his book on Education.

His eyes are faid never to have been bright; but, if he was a dexterous fen-, çer, they must have been once quick.

His domeftick habits, fo far as they are known, were thofe of a fevere fludent. He drank little ftrong drink of any kind, and fed without delicacy of choice or excefs in quantity. In his youth, he studied late at night; but afterwards

k 3

terwards changed his hours, and refted

in bed from nine to four in the Summer, and five in Winter. The course

of his day was best known after he was blind. When he firft rofe he heard a' chapter in the Hebrew Bible, and then studied till twelve; then took fome exercife for an hour; then dined; then plaid on the organ, and fung, or heard. another fing; then ftudied to fix; then entertained his vifiters, till eight; then fupped, and, after a pipe of tobacco and a glafs of water, went to bed.

So is his life defcribed; but this even tenour appears attainable only in Colleges. He that lives in the world will fometimes have the fucceffion of his practice broken and confufed. Vifiters,

of

of whom Milton is reprefented to have. had great numbers, will come and stay unfeasonably; bufinefs, of which every man has fome, muft be done when others will do it.

When he did not care to rife early, he had fomething read to him by his bedfide; perhaps at this time his daughters were employed. He composed much in the morning, and dictated in the day, fitting obliquely in an elbowchair, with his leg thrown over the

arm.

Fortune appears not to have had much of his care. In the civil wars he lent his perfonal eftate to the parlia-, ment; but when, after the contcft was decided, he folicited repayment, he met

not only with neglect but sharp rebuke;

7

"

and, having tired both himself and his friends, was given up to poverty and hopeless indignation, till he fhewed how able he was to do greater fervice. He was then made Latin fecretary, with two hundred pounds a year; and had a thoufand pounds for his Defence of the People. His widow, who, after his death, retired to Namptwich in Chefhire, and died about 1729, is faid to have reported that he loft two thousand pounds by entrusting it to a fcrivener; and that, in the general depredation upon the Church, he had grafped an eftate of about fixty pounds a year belonging to Westminster Abbey, which, like other fhare.s of the plunder of rebellion, he

was