The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and
Instruction, by Various

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction
Volume 12, No. 339, Saturday, November 8, 1828.

Author: Various

Release Date: February 26, 2004 [EBook #11312]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MIRROR OF LITERATURE, NO. 339 ***

Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Keith M. Eckrich, David Garcia, and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.

VOL. XII, NO. 339.] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1828. [PRICE 2d.

Great Milton.

[Illustration: Great Milton.]

Great Milton, a picturesque village, near Thame, in Oxfordshire, is
entitled to notice in the annals of literature, as the family seat of
the MILTONS, ancestors of Britain's illustrious epic poet. Of this
original abode, our engraving is an accurate representation. One of
Milton's ancestors forfeited his estate in the turbulent times of York
and Lancaster. "Which side he took," says Johnson, "I know not; his
descendant inherited no veneration for the White Rose." His grandfather
was under ranger of the forest of Shotover, Oxon, who was a zealous
Papist, and disinherited his son for becoming a Protestant. Milton's
father being thus deprived of his family property, was compelled to quit
his studies at Christ Church, Oxford, whence he went to London, and
became a scrivener. He was eminent for his skill in music;[1] and from
his reputation in his profession, he grew rich, and retired. He was
likewise a classical scholar, as his son addresses him in one of his
most elaborate Latin verses. He married a lady of the name of Caston, of
a Welsh family, by whom he had two sons, John, THE POET,[2] and
Christopher, who studied the law, became a bencher of the Inner Temple,
was knighted at a very advanced age, and raised by James II. first to be
a Baron of the Exchequer, and afterwards one of the Judges of the Common
Pleas. He was much persecuted by the republicans for his adherence to
the royal cause, but his composition with them was effected by his
brother's interest.

[1] Dr.