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moft likely to feize a hint of this kind with avidity, and expreffions in Paradife Loft have led an Italian biographer of the poet to fuppofe, that while he refided at Florence he caught from Galileo, or his difciples, fome ideas approaching towards the Newtonian philofophy. He has informed us himself, that he really faw the illuftrious fcientific prifoner of the inquifition, and it seems not unreasonable to conclude, that he was in fome degree indebted to his conference with Grotius for that mournful gratification.

From Paris our author proceeded to Italy, embarking at Nice for Genoa. After a curfory view of Leghorn and Pifa, he fettled for two months at Florence; a city, which he particularly regarded for the elegance of its language, and the men of genius it had produced; here, as he informs us, he became familiar with many perfons diftinguished by their rank and learning; and here, probably, he began to form thofe great, but unfettled, projects of future compofition, which were to prove the fources of his glory, and of which he thus fpeaks himfelf:

"In the private academies of Italy, whither I "was favoured to refort, perceiving that fome "trifles I had in memory, compofed at under "twenty, or thereabout (for the manner is, that

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every one must give fome proof of his wit and "reading there) met with acceptance above what was looked for, and other things, which I had "fhifted, in fcarcity of books and conveniency, to "patch up amongst them, were received with written. "encomiums,

"encomiums, which the Italian is not forward to "bestow on men of this fide the Alps, I began thus "far to affent both to them, and divers of my "friends here at home, and not lefs to an inward prompting, which now grew daily upon me, that by labour and intent study, (which I take to be my portion in this life) joined with the strong "propenfity of nature, I might, perhaps, leave

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fomething fo written to after-times as they should "not willingly let it die. These thoughts at once "poffeffed me, and thefe other, that if I were cer"tain to write as men buy leafes, for three lives "and downward, there ought no regard to be "fooner had than to God's glory, by the honour "and inftruction of my country; for which cause, "and not only for that I knew it would be hard to "arrive at the fecond rank among the Latins, I ap

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plied myself to that refolution, which Ariofto fol"lowed against the perfuafions of Bembo, to fix all "the industry and art I could unite to the adorning "of my native tongue; not to make verbal curio"fities the end, (that were a toilfome vanity) but "to be an interpreter and relater of the best and

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fageft things among mine own citizens through

out this island in the mother dialect; that what` "the greatest and choiceft wits of Athens, Rome, "or modern Italy, and those Hebrews of old, did "for their country, I in my proportion, with this "over and above of being a Christian, might do "for mine, not caring to be once named abroad,

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though, perhaps, I could attain to that, but con

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"tent with thefe British islands as my world." Prose works, vol. 1. p. 62.

It is delightful to contemplate fuch a character as Milton, thus cherishing, in his own mind, the feeds of future greatnefs, and animating his youthful spirit with visions of renown, that time has realized and extended beyond his most fanguine wishes. He appears, on every occafion, a fincere and fervent lover of his country, and expreffes, in one of his Latin Poems, the fame patriotic idea, that he fhould be fatisfied with glory confined to these Iflands.

Mi fatis ampla

Merces, et mihi grande decus (fim ignotus in ævum
Tum licet, externo penitufque inglorius orbi)

Si me flava comas legat Ufa, et potor Alauni,
Vorticibufque frequens Abra, et nemus omne Treantæ,
Et Thamefis meus ante omnes, et fufca metallis
Tamara, et extremis me difcant Orcades undis.
Epitaphium Damonis.

And it fhall well fuffice me, and fhall be
Fame and proud recompence enough for me,
If Ufa golden hair'd my verfe may learn;
If Alain, bending o'er his crystal urn,
Swift whirling Abra, Trent's o'ershadow'd stream,
If, lovelier far than all in my esteem,

Thames, and the Tamar ting'd with mineral hues,
And northern Orcades, regard my mufe.

In tracing the literary ambition of Milton from the first conception of his great purpofes to their accomplishment, we feem to participate in the triumph of his genius, which, though it aspired only to the praise of these British islands, is already grown

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an object of univerfal admiration, and may find hereafter, in the western world, the amplest theatre of his glory.

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Dr. Johnson takes occafion, from the paffage in which Milton speaks of the literary projects he conceived in Italy, to remark, that " he had a lofty and fteady confidence in himself, perhaps not without "fome contempt of others." The latter part of this obfervation is evidently invidious; it is completely refuted by the various commendations, which the graceful and engaging manners of the poetical traveller received from the Italians: a contemptuous spirit, indeed, appears utterly incompatible with the native difpofition of Milton, whofe generous enthufiafm led him to conceive the fondeft veneration for all, who were distinguished by genius or virtue; a difpofition, which he has expreffed in the strongest terms, as the reader may recollect, in a letter, already cited, to his friend Diodati! His prejudiced biographer endeavours to prove, that his fpirit was contemptuous, by obferving, that he was frugal of his praife. The argument is particularly defective, as applied to Milton on his travels; fince the praises he bestowed on thofe accomplished foreigners, who were kind to him, are liberal in the highest degree, and apparently dictated by the heart.

After a fhort vifit to Sienna, he refided two months in Rome, enjoying the most refined society, which that city could afford. By the favour of Holftenius, the well known librarian of the Vatican (whofe kindness to him he has recorded in a Latin Epiftle equally grateful and elegant) he was recom

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mended to the notice of Cardinal Barberini, who honoured him with the most flattering attention; it was at the concerts of the Cardinal that he was captivated by the charms of Leonora Baroni, whose extraordinary musical powers he has celebrated in Latin verfe, and whom he is fuppofed to address as a lover in his Italian poetry. The moft eloquen of the paffions, which is faid to convert almost eves ry man who feels it into a poet, induced the imagi nation of Milton to try its powers in a foreign language, whofe difficulties he seems to have perfectly fubdued by the united aids of genius and of love.

His Italian fonnets have been liberally commended by natives of Italy, and one of them contains a sketch of his own character, fo fpirited and fingular as to claim a place in this narrative.

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Giovane piano, e femplicetto amante

Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono,
Madonna a voi del mio cuor l' humil dono
Farò divoto; io certo a prove tante
L'hebbi fedele, intrepido, costante,

De penfieri leggiadri accorto, e buono;
Quando rugge il gran mondo, e fcocca il tuono,
S'arma di se, e d'intero diamante ;

Tanto del forfe, e d' invidia ficuro,

Di timori, e fperanze, al popol use,

Quanto d' ingegno, e d'alto valor vago,

E di cetra fonora, e delle mufe:

Sol troverete in tal parte men duro,
Ove' amor mise l' infanabil ago.

Enamour'd, artlefs, young, on foreign ground,
Uncertain whether from myself to fly,

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