MILTON, .dons (1608-74). An English poet. Ile was born in Bread Street, London, December 9, 11;08. His father, also named John Milton, be longeJ to a Roman Catholic family of yeomen liv ing in Oxfordshire. The elder John Milton was Converted to Protestantism while a student at Ox ford, and as a, result was promptly disinherited by his father, Richard Milton. The poet's father settled in London, where lie prospered as a scrive ner. The younger John Milton received instruc tion from his father in music; was taught by a private tutor; and was sent to Saint Paul's, School (about 1620), where he learned Latin. Greek, French, Italian, and some Hebrew, and read English literature. Spenser's Pacrie ()a« ne and Sylvester's translation of Do Bartas, which came into his hands at this time, exerted much influence on the formation of his style. In Feb ruary, 1625, lie proceeded to Christ's College, Cambridge. He was of less than the middle height. yet well made. with light brown or auburn hair. in hearing he was courteous and stately, though sometimes sarcastic. Owing to a misunderstanding with his first tutor, he was rusticated for a short time in 1026. but he re turned and completed the course, graduating. B.A. in 1629 and MA. in 1632. From childhood Milton had been destined for the Church. but the policy of Laud led him first to postpone taking orders and then to abandon n11 thought of it. He retired to his father's estate at Hor ton. Buckinghamshire, where he passed nearly six years (16'32-381 in reading the classics and writing at intervals his choicest poems. Believ ing that lie hail it in I11111 to WritP something that would live, he set out for Italy in April, l638, wishing to tit himself still more for his future work. Probably at Bologna, which he visited in 1639. Milton wrote in exeellent Italian five sonnets and a eanzone wherein he expresses. love for a beautiful lady of Bologna. For some time he stayed in Florence. where he visited in prison the blind Galileo. Thence he went on to Rome and Naples. As he was about to pass over to Sicily and from there to 1;reeve, news reached him of 't lie civil commotions in England.' Ile turned homeward, reaching England toward the end of July. 1639. Be took a house in Aldersgate Street, London. where he received as pupils two nephews. children of an elder sister, and occupied his leisure with plans for future poems. From these pursuits lie was drama into
ecclesiastical controversies. writing, pamphlet after pamphlet. In June. 1043, he married. after a brief courtship. Mary Powell. then only seven teen years old, the daughter of an Oxfordshire squire and Royalist. After a month the bride returned to her father's house. In the slimmer of 1645 they were reconciled. and tie moved to the Barbican, a more commodious house for the increasing number of his pupils. She died in 1652, after bearing four children, of whom the one son died in infancy. A fortnight after the execution of Charles 1. (January 30. 1049). ton issued a memorable defense of the deed. and this led to other pamphlets which gave him European fame as eontrnversialist. On the es tablishment of the Commonwealth :Milton was appointed Latium secretary to the Council of State (March 15. 1649). For this office, involving the duty of turning into Latin all foreign dispatches, he was eminently fitted. In 1632 he lost his eyesight. already long impaired, but with the aid of -one of whoni was Andrew Marvell he performed the duties of 16, post till the abdication of Richard Cronimell (1639). In the meantime (November, 16.56) he had married a Catharine \Voodeock. who died in 1638. f-he was honored by one of Milton's beauti ful sonnets I xxiii.). The Restoration put an end to his active career. lit 1661 lie in Jewin Street. Ahlersgate, from which he removed two years later to a house in .Artillery 1111111611 Fields, his last residence. Here he ful filled the literary task he had long ago and since begun. To the annoyance of his (laugh he married a third wife, thirty years his junior. named Elizabeth this relations these daughters were most unhappy. Brought up in ignorance. they revolted from the service that he demanded of them—reading to him ]satin, Creek. and ITebreW, Which of course they could not understand. Toward the end Mil ton stood aloof from religious sects and never went to religious services. ITe died November S. 1674, and was buried in Saint (hies's, gate, Milton's literary career is clearly divided by the outbreak of the Civil War and by the Res toration into three periods; (1) 1626-40; (2) 111401i0; (3) 11160-74.