"Nec duri libet ufque minas perferre "magiftri, "Cæteraque ingenio non fubeunda "meo." Where, in Mr. Warton's ideas, cætera fignifics flogging. But Dr. Johnfon having noted that it fignifies fomething elfe befides threats, interprets it into fomething more, i. e. more fevere, namely, punishment. But he feems to be in doubt whether that punishment was whipping or banishment; and with reason, for cætera may fignify fomething more, i. e. fomething over and befides threats, and yet fomething elfe befides either whipping or ruftication. The most natural interpretation of the fecond line feems to be, that thofe college-exercises known by the name of impofitions (oftentimes prescribed as punishments) did not fuit Milton's genius, being indeed even within our memory calculated rather for the drudgery of an industrious plodder than fuited to the genius of a youth of parts and fpirit. Wonderful must be that genius which has a tafte for being flogged or banished! "It seems plain," fays the new narrative, "from his own verfes to Diodati, that he had incurred ruflication, a temporary difiiffion into the country, with "perhaps the lofs of a term." Milton was admitted of Chrift's College, February 12, 1624 5. He took his bachelor's degree in 1628, so that without a perhaps he loft no term. In every college there is or fhould be a regifter, in which are entered all orders for expulfion and ruftication of delinquents. This is neceffary for the juftification of the mafter and fellows against whom appeals and complaints are often lodged by the fufferers, either before the vifitor or in Westminster-Hall. We have been informed, from the beft authority, that there is an entry in the register of this very college, importing, that a candidate for a fellowship, being rejected by the fociety, was, upon calling in the vifitor +, established in his right, not without fome fevere expreffions inferted The late Dr. Hutton, Archbishop of Canterbury. Bishop Sherlock, then Vice-chancellor. in the fentence, which the vifitor, upon application, refused to expunge. If therefore the Regifters of Chrift's College are filent with refpect to the expulfion of John Milton, it is not plain that he was either expelled or rufticated, not to mention that the terms, vetiti laris et exilium, may refer to twenty causes befides that affigned by the new Biographer. If Milton's return to college was voluntary, it would be invidious to afcribe his abfence to compulfion, unless you will fuppofe that the prohibition was the effect of his father's œconomy, which is by far moft likely to have been the cafe. Milton however was certainly out of humour with the univerfities (except per perhaps with a few of his ingenious and judicious friends in them); and Dr. Johnfon gives us our choice of two caufes of it, the injudicious feverity of his governors, : and Milton's captious perverfeness*. • Had Milton left us nothing upon the fubject but rude and indifcriminate abuse of the univerfities, Dr. Johnson's alternative in affifting us to account for it had been liberal and gracious. But the fingle letter of Milton to Hartlib fhews that his objections were of another fort, and took their rife neither from any refentment against his governors for their feverity, nor from any perverfeness of his own temper. So far from blaming their severity, he reproves the idle vacancies * Life, p. 10. D 3 given |