Fragrance More and More, if not Nippt by a Deprav'd Tafte. Thou shalt hide [him] in the Secret of thy Prefence from the Pride of Man: Thou shalt keep [him] Secretly in a Pavilion from the Strife of Tongues, Pf. xxx. 20. He Dy'd Nov. 10, 1674. of the Gout, but with So Little Pain, that Thofe in the Room knew not when he Expired.

I cannot find what Children he had at his Death. three Daughters his Firft Wife brought him, and then a Son who Dy'd an Infant. Another Daughter his Second Wife Dy'd in Childbed of, the Child foon follow'd. by his Laft he had None. What became of One of thofe Daughters, even Long before his Death, is Uncertain. Toland fays Two were Affiftant to him, 'till it growing Intolerable to them, they were fent to Learn what was More Proper for Young Women than Hebrew, Greek, &c. Wood fays but One; Deborah the Youngest, was his Amanuenfis. This then must be She who was So Vifited and Reliev'd a few Years Since.

When just before his Death Socrates was ask'd How he would be Bury'd, his Answer was to This Effect; have I been talking to you all this while to fo little Purpofe? [on the Soul's Immortality] Socrates will be gone far out of your reach; as for the Body of Socrates Difpofe of it with Decency, and as the Laws direct. what was call'd Milton, has Long been Mouldring under the Pavement of

the

the Church of S. Giles Cripplegate, close by his Indulgent Father. the Circumstances of his Family Excus'd a Monument, nor was any Such Neceffary.

I have heard however that One was a few Years ago Intended to have been Set up for him in Westminster-Abby; by Whom I know not; but it was not permitted upon Account of his Political Principles. a Cafe not much Unlike That of poor Ophelia in Shakespear, who was fuppos'd to have had Wrong Notions concerning Self-Murther. What her Brother Horatio fays is Admirable,

I tell thee, Churlish Priest, a Miniftring Angel fhall my Sifter be when Thou lyft Howling.

I have fhewn you Milton's Face, his Perfon, his Mind. I have then told How he pafs'd through Life. Let us Now Enquire what were his Circumftances with regard to his Fortune, his Means of Subfiftence. Which I have Chofen to make a Diftant Article, that, as in a Compofition in Painting there Ought to be Certain Groups or Maffes, that the Eye may not be Perplex'd and Confounded; in This Picture of this Extraordinary Man there fhould be the Like Art ufed to Affift the Reader to view and Comprehend the Whole, Clearly and at Ease.

f 2

How

How Long Milton's Father Subfifted him is not faid; he had no Employment whereby to Get Any thing, if 'tis true he was not Paid for his Trouble in the Education of Young Gentlemen, which I confess I don't very throughly Believe; for his Father's Eftate was not Large, nor had he Defign'd him for a Gentleman, without an Employment for his Maintenance; and befides 'tis faid he not only Inftructed his two Nephews, and the Sons of a particular Friend or two, but when he had Difcontinu'd That for a while, he Undertook it again in a Larger House, hired for That Purpofe; tho' That alfo was laid Afide in a fhort time, and Himfelf Engag'd in an Employment of Honour and Advantage for about 12 years. I have been told he had 2007. per Ann. Salmafius in his Refponfio, p. 16. fays the Parliament allow'd him 4000 Livres Annually for Writing for them. about a Year or two before This Alteration in his Affairs his Father Dy'd, and He became poffefs'd of an Elder Brother's Share of his Eftate. 1000/. 'tis faid was befides given him for Writing his Defence of the People of England; So that Now he was in Plentiful Circumftances, though he made no Ufe of them in Luxury or Oftentation. but not only upon the Change of the Government he Loft his Employment, he was Otherwise a Great Sufferer in his Fortune. he had put 2000/. in a Fund of Thofe Days, the Excife,

That

That was all Loft; Another Large Sum went for want of Management in Money-Matters, which People of Milton's Turn of Head are rarely Expert at; and in the Fire of London the Houfe in which he was Born, (all that was remaining of his Paternal. Eftate) was Burnt. Nevertheless, what by Money he had Sav'd, what by the Sale of his Library a little before his Death, and perhaps by Prefents, for So I have heard it Intimated, he Left at his Death 1500/. befides his Goods. So that he was in no Difficulties Confidering His Temper and Manner of Life, Auftere and Frugal. That Daughter, who a few years fince was So much Vifited and Reliev'd for her Father's Sake, and for the Share She had in Producing the Paradife Loft, Reading and Writing for him, Satisfy'd Us in That particular.

But how Eafy foever Milton was on That Article, 'tis More than Probable his Wife, who was not a Philofopher and Poet as He, nor confequently So Amus'd and Delighted with what Such a Mind, and So Stor'd as His, was, 'tis Exceeding Probable She Difturb'd him Somtimes for his Careleffnefs, or want of Skill of This Sort. Efpecially if She was, as I have heard, a Termagant. What Fortune She, or Either of his Other Wives brought him is not faid, only that All were the Daughters of Gentlemen, but be That as it will, She cannot be Blam'd if She With'd for a Better Maintenance at Prefent, and a More

Promifing View of the Future than She had. This is Natural to think, but the Story with which I fhall conclude this Branch of the Account of the Author of Paradife Loft, Confirms what I have Suggested, but what is More Important, it Alone gives us an Amiable Picture of that Beloved Man.

My Authority is Henry Bendifh Efq; a Defcendant by his Mother's fide, from the Protector Oliver Cromwell; Their Family and Milton's were in Great Intimacy Before and After His Death, and the thing was known among them; Mr.Bendish has heard the Widow or Daughter or Both fay it, that Soon after the Reftauration the King Offer'd to Employ this Pardon'd Man as his Latin Secretary, the Poft in which he Serv'd Cromwell with So much Integrity and Ability; (that a like Offer was made to Thurlow is not Difputed as ever I heard) Milton Withstood the Offer; the Wife prefs'd his Compliance. Thou art in the Right (fays he) You, as Other Women, would ride in your Coach; for Me, My Aim is to Live and Dye an Honest Man.

Upon the whole Matter, as he never made Riches or Show his Aim, he was not Troubled with Either; nor on the Other hand with the Want of the Neceffities, or Conveniencies, or, as far as he Defir'd, of the Elegancies of Life. but from his Cradle to his Grave he Liv'd in Honour and Content; and Such a Man is Truly Great and Rich, and

Such