FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154  
155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   >>   >|  
ollege, Cambridge, where, from his delicate and beautiful face and shy airs, he was called the "Lady of the College." It is said that he left the university on account of peculiar views in theology and politics; but eight years after, in 1632, he took his degree as master of arts. Meanwhile, in December, 1629, he had celebrated his twenty-first birthday, when the Star of Bethlehem was coming into the ascendant, with that pealing, organ-like hymn, "On the Eve of Christ's Nativity"--the worthiest poetic tribute ever laid by man, along with the gold, frankincense, and myrrh of the Eastern sages, at the feet of the Infant God: See how from far upon the Eastern road, The star-led wizards haste with odours sweet; O run, prevent them with thy humble ode, And lay it lowly at his blessed feet; Have thou the honour first thy Lord to greet, And join thy voice unto the angel choir, From out his secret altar touched with hallowed fire. Some years of travel on the Continent matured his mind, and gave full scope to his poetic genius. At Paris he became acquainted with Grotius, the illustrious writer upon public law; and in Rome, Genoa, Florence, and other Italian cities, he became intimate with the leading minds of the age. He returned to England on account of the political troubles. MILTON'S VIEWS OF MARRIAGE.--In the consideration of Milton's personality, we do not find in him much to arouse our heart-sympathy. His opinions concerning marriage and divorce, as set forth in several of his prose writings, would, if generally adopted, destroy the sacred character of divinely appointed wedlock. His views may be found in his essay on _The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce;_ in his _Tetrachordon, or the four chief places in Scripture, which treat of Marriage, or Nullities in Marriage_; in his _Colasterion_, and in his translation of Martin Bucer's _Judgment Concerning Divorce_, addressed to the Parliament of England. Where women were concerned he was a hard man and a stern master. In 1643 he married Mary Powell, the daughter of a Cavalier; and, taking her from the gay life of her father's house, he brought her into a gloom and seclusion almost insupportable. He loved his books better than he did his wife. He fed and sheltered her, indeed, but he gave her no tender sympathy. Then was enacted in his household the drama of the rebellion in miniature; and no doubt his domestic troubles had led to hi
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154  
155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
sympathy
 

master

 

Divorce

 

Eastern

 

Marriage

 
poetic
 
account
 

troubles

 
England
 

divinely


appointed

 

character

 
destroy
 

sacred

 
Discipline
 

wedlock

 
Doctrine
 
political
 

adopted

 

returned


MILTON

 

personality

 

Milton

 

opinions

 

arouse

 

marriage

 

writings

 

generally

 

divorce

 

consideration


MARRIAGE

 
translation
 

insupportable

 

seclusion

 

father

 
brought
 

miniature

 
rebellion
 

domestic

 
household

sheltered
 

tender

 
enacted
 
taking
 

leading

 

Colasterion

 
Martin
 

Concerning

 
Judgment
 

Nullities