John Milton
John Milton
John Miltonwas an English poet, polemicist, and man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell. He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval, and is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, written in blank verse...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth9 December 1608
book evil meat
For books are as meats and viands are; some of good, some of evil sub-stance.
beauty fall mind
. . . for beauty stands In the admiration only of weak minds Led captive. Cease to admire, and all her plumes Fall flat and shrink into a trivial toy, At every sudden slighting quite abash'd.
riches firsts wealth
Therefore, if at great things thou wouldst arrive, Get riches first, get wealth.
retirement noise ease
Retiring from the popular noise, I seek This unfrequented place to find some ease.
hurtful may principles
A good principle not rightly understood may prove as hurtful as a bad.
smell enemy crafts
Praise from an enemy smells of craft.
people delight tongue
And what the people but a herd confus'd, A miscellaneous rabble, who extol Things vulgar, and, well weigh'd, scarce worth the praise? They praise, and they admire, they know not what; And know not whom, but as one leads the other; And what delight to be by such extoll'd, To live upon their tongues, and be their talk, Of whom to be disprais'd were no small praise?
patience stubborn arms
Arm the obdured breast with stubborn patience as with triple steel.
faithful fidelity found
Faithful found among the faithless.
dapper fairy sand
On the tawny sands and shelves trip the pert fairies and the dapper elves.
bogs fierce bitter
And feel by turns the bitter change Of fierce extremes, extremes by change more fierce.
thieves youth subtle
Time is the subtle thief of youth.
done boast
Boast not of what thou would'st have done, but do.
religious eye blow
And storied windows richly dight, Casting a dim religious light. There let the pealing organ blow, To the full-voiced choir below, In service high, and anthems clear As may, with sweetness, through mine ear Dissolve me into ecstasies, And bring all heaven before mine eyes.