s
after his first wife's death, a lady who died within a twelvemonth,
though her memory is kept ever fresh, generation after generation, by her
husband's sonnet beginning,

'Methought I saw my late espoused saint.'

Dr. Johnson, it is really worth remembering, called this a poor sonnet.
In 1664 Milton married a third and last wife, a lady he had never seen,
and who survived her husband for no less a period than fifty-three years,
not dying till the year 1727. The poet's household, like his country,
never realized any of his ideals. His third wife took decent care of
him, and there the matter ended. He did not belong to the category of
adored fathers. His daughters did not love him--it seems even probable
they disliked him. Mr. Pattison has pointed out that Milton never was on
terms even with the scholars of his age. Political acquaintances he had
none. He was, in Puritan language, 'unconnected with any place of
worship,' and had therefore no pastoral visits to receive, or sermons to
discuss. The few friends he had were mostly young men who were attracted
to him, and were glad to give him their company; and it is well that he
had this pleasure, for he was ever in his wishes a social man--not
intended to live alone, and blindness must have made society little short
of a necessity for him.

Now it was, in the evening of his days, with a Stuart once more upon the
throne, and Episcopacy finally installed, that Milton, a defeated
thinker, a baffled pamphleteer--for had not Salmasius triumphed?--with
Horton and Italy far, far behind him, set himself to keep the promise of
his glorious youth, and compose a poem the world should not willingly let
die. His manner of life was this. In summer he rose at four, in winter
at five. He went to bed at nine. He began the day with having the
Hebrew Scriptures read to him. Then he contemplated. At seven his man
came to him again, and he read and wrote till an early dinner. For
exercise he either walked in the garden or swung in a machine. Besides
conversation, his only other recreation was music. He played the organ
and the bass viol. He would sometimes sing himself. After recreation of
this kind he would return to his study to be read to till six. After six
his friends were admitted, and would sit with him till eight. At eight
he had his supper--olives or something light. He was very abstemious.
After supper he smoked a pipe of tobacco, drank a glass of water, an