Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

walks were enlivened by forms that made no light impression even on a scholar's heart.

Et modo qua nostri spatiantur in urbe Quirites,
Et modo villarum proxima rura placent;
Turba frequens, facieque simillima turba dearum
Splendida per medias itque reditque vias.
Hæc ego non fugi spectacula grata severus,
Impetus et quo me fert juvenilis agor.
Unam forte aliis super eminuisse notabam,
Principium nostri lux erat illa mali.
Sic Venus optaret mortalibus ipsa videri,
Sic regina deûm conspicienda fuit.
Interea misero, quæ jam mihi sola placebat
Ablata est, oculis non reditura meis.
Ast ego progredior tacite querebundus, et excors,
Et dubius volui sæpe referre pedem.

These plans of life were suddenly changed by his mother's death in 1637,27 and he then obtained his father's permission to go abroad. He left England in 1638, having previously obtained some directions for his travels from Sir Henry Wotton; and as a presiding maxim of prudence, and means of safety, amid civil broils, and spiritual dissensions, he was desired to recollect the following sentence, which that experienced statesman had also impressed on other travellers.—' I pensieri stretti, ed il viso sciolto."

On his arrival at Paris, by the favour of Lord

quibus is locus supra modum affluit, usque ad saginam, prope dixerim, satur ; sperabam mihi iterum aliquando otium illud Literarium, quo ego vitæ genere etiam cœlestes animas gaudere opinor; eratque penitus in animo jam tandem abdere me in Literas et jucundissimæ Philosophiæ perdius et per nox assidere, ita semper assolet laboris et voluptatis vicissitudo amovere satietatis tædium, &c.

all

27 Mr. Godwin says, "There is great confusion among the biographers of Milton, respecting the period of his tra vels, and this confusion originates with Milton himself." See his Life of Philips, p. 357.

Scudamore, he was presented to Grotius, then residing at the French court, as ambassador from the celebrated queen of Sweden. Philips says, 'that Grotius took the visit kindly, and gave him entertainment suitable to his worth, and the high commendations he had heard of him.' After a residence of a few days, he proceeded directly to Nice, and embarked for Genoa,* from thence he passed through Leghorn and Pisa in his way to Florence. Milton had studied the language and literature of Italy with peculiar diligence and success; and at Florence he found himself honourably received by the most enlightened persons,28 as well as by the learned academicians.

* SONNET.

Rise, Genoa, rise in beauty from the sea,
Old Doria's blood is flowing in thy veins!
Rise, peerless in thy beauty! what remains
Of thy old glory is enough for me.

Flow then, ye emerald waters, bright and free!
And breathe, ye orange groves, along her plains;
Ye fountains, sparkle through her marble fanes :
And hang aloft, thou rich and purple sky,
Hang up thy gorgeous canopy: thou Sun!
Shine on her marble palaces that gleam
Like silver in thy never-dying beam:
Think of the years of glory she has won;
She must not sink before her race is run,
Nor her long age of conquest seem a dream.
Genoa, April 1822.

28 See his verses to his friend, Giov. Salsilli, 10.
Hæc ergo alumnus ille Londini Milto
Diebus hisce qui suum linquens nidum,
Venit feraces Itali soli ad glebas
Visum superbâ cognitas urbes famâ
Virosque, doctæque indolem juventutis.

See also his Epit. Damonis, ver. 137.

J. M.

Quin et nostra suas docuerunt nomina fagos
Et Datis, et Francinus, erant et vocibus ambo
Et studiis noti, Lydorum sanguinis ambo.

He formed a friendship with Gaddi, Carlo Dati, Frescobaldi, and other ingenious scholars. Dati presented him with an encomiastic inscription in Latin, and Francini with an Italian ode. A manuscript entitled, La 'Tina,' by Antonio Malatesti was also dedicated to him while he was at Florence, by its author. His visit to the great and injured Galileo must not pass unnoticed. Most of the biographers of Milton have asserted that our poet visited the philosopher in prison; but the superior information of Mr. Walker has proved that Galileo was never a prisoner in the inquisition at Florence, but was confined at Rome, and at Sienna. After his liberation he went to Arcetri, where it is probable that Milton saw him.

From Florence he passed to Sienna, and then to Rome, where he resided two months, experiencing the civilities, and partaking the hospitality of the learned, and the great. L. Holstenius, an eminent scholar, was at that time keeper of the Vatican Library; he introduced Milton to Cardinal Barbarini, who was the peculiar guardian, or patron of the English;' and who, at a musical entertainment waited for our youthful poet at the door, and

29 The full title of this work is 'La Tina, Equivoci Rusticali di Antonio Malatesti, exposti nella sua villa de Taiano il Septembre dell' anno 1637. Sonnetti Cinquante, dedicate all' Illo Signore, e Padrone offno il Signor Giovanni Milton nobil' Inghilese. This manuscript was discovered by Mr. Brand on a book-stall, it was sent as a present to the Academia della Crusca, but came back to England, and was sold by Evans the auctioneer, in Pall Mall. See Todd's Life, p. 34. Mr. Hollis searched unsuccessfully the Laurentian Library for six Italian sonnets of Milton, addressed to his friend Chimentelli; for other Italian and Latin compositions, and for his marble bust, said to be at Florence. V. Warton's Milton, p. 333. Hollis's Memoirs, p. 167.

491.

presented him with respect to the company.30 M. ton speaks of the Cardinal as one Cujus magna virtutes, rectique studium ad provocandas item omnes artes liberales egregie comparatum, semper mihi ob oculos versatur.' Salselli and Selvaggi praised him in some common place verses, (yet the best, I suppose, which they could give); and wherever he went, admiration and esteem accompanied him.

From Rome he passed on to Naples, in company with a hermit, to whom he owed his introduction to Manso, Marquis of Villa, a nobleman of distinguished rank and fortune (who had supported a military character with high reputation,) of unblemished morals, a polite scholar, and known to posterity as the friend, the patron, and the biographer of Tasso.31 To him Milton addressed a beautiful Latin poem, in which he expresses his hope, if he could find such a friend and patron as Manso, of celebrating in verse the exploits of King Arthur and his Knights.

Si quando indigenas revocabo in carmina reges
Arturumque etiam sub terris bella moventem;
Aut dicam invictæ sociali foedere mensæ
Magnanimos heroas, et O modo spiritus adsit
Frangam Saxonicas Britonum sub Marte Phalanges.

30 It was at the concerts of Barbarini, that Milton heard Leonora Baroni sing: who with her mother, Adriana of Mantua, was esteemed the first singer in the world. Milton has celebrated her in three Latin epigrams. It was the fashion for all ingenious strangers who visited Rome to leave some verses in her praise. Pietro della Valle who wrote in 1640, on the Muses of his Time, speaks of the fanciful and masterly style in which Leonora touched the Arch lute to her own accompaniments, v. Warton's Milton, p. 479.

31 Tasso mentions Manso in the twentieth book of his Gierusal. Liberata, among other princes of Italy. He adManso was also the patron of

dressed to him five sonnets.

LIFE OF MILTON.

Dr. Johnson very justly says, that this poem must have raised a high opinion of English elegance and literature among the scholars of Italy. From Naples he intended to visit Sicily and Greece; but he now heard of the commencement of the quarrel between the king and the parliament; and he thought it his duty to hasten home where his countrymen were contending for their rights, rather than to pursue the enjoyments o. more extended travel. Turpe enim existimabam, dum mei cives de libertate dimicarent, me animi causâ, otiose peregrinari.' He returned by way of Rome, though some merchants had informed him of the enmity of the Jesuits on account of his freedom of conversation; and Manso was withheld from showing him some favours by the opinions which Milton had too openly expressed on religious questions. Sir Henry Wotton's advice, though neglected, was now seen to be prudent and wise; but we may conceive, that in those times, it was difficult to withhold opinions on subjects so much agitated, affecting the temporal interests of some, and awakening the spiritual alarm of others. The schism between the churches was comparatively fresh; the Church of Rome reluctantly beheld a great and growing kingdom rescued from her avarice and power.32 In the freedom of opinion, and by the discussion of rights, she saw

Marino; and was the biographer of both these illustrious poets. Mr. Walker, when at Naples, endeavoured to discover the villa where Manso had received the visits of Milton and Tasso. See Hist. Mem. 1799. App. p. xxvi.

xxxi.

33 Dum Cathedram, venerande tuam, diademaque triplex
Ridet Hyperboreo gens barbara nata sub axe
Dumque pharetrati spernunt tua jura Britanni.'

Miltoni Sylv. Quint. Nov. v. 94.

« AnteriorContinuar »