Dammi tua dolce Cetra Se vuoi ch'io dica del tuo dolce canto, Di farti huomo celefte ottiene il vanto, I o che in riva del Arno Tento spiegar tuo merto alto, e preclaro E ad ammirar, non a lodarlo imparo ; Del fig. Antonio Francini, gentilhuomo Fiorentino. JOANNI MILTONI LONDINENSI, Juveni patria, virtutibus eximio, VIRO O qui multa peregrinatione, ftudio cuncta orbis terrarum loca perfpexit, ut novus Ulys ses omnia ubique ab omnibus apprehenderet : Polyglotto, in cujus ore linguæ jam deperditæ fic revivifcunt, ut idiomata omnia fint in ejus laudibus infacunda; Et jure ea percallet, ut admirationes et plaufus populorum ab propria fapientia excitatos intelligat : Illi, cujus animi dotes corporifque fenfus ad admirationem commovent, et per ipfam motum cuique auferunt; cujus opera ad plaufus hortantur, fed *venuftate vocem laudatoribus adimunt. Cui in memoria totus orbis; in intellectu sapientia; in voluntate ardor gloriæ; in ore eloquenvaftitate. Edit. 1645. tia; harmonicos cœleftium fphærarum fonitus aftronomia duce audienti; characteres mirabilium naturæ per quos Dei magnitudo defcribitur magiftra philofophia legenti; antiquitatum latebras vetuftatis excidia, eruditionis ambages, comite affidua autofum lectione, Exquirenti, reftauranti, percurrenti. Illi in cujus virtutibus evulgandis ora Famæ non fufficiant, nec hominum ftupor in laudandis fatis eft, reverentiæ at amoris ergo hoc ejus meritis debitum admirationis tributum offert Carolus Datus * Patricius Florentinus, Tanto homini fervus, tantæ virtutis amator. Carlo Dati, one of Milton's literary friends at Florence. See EPITAPH. DAMON. v. 137. Tickell and Fenton, who might have been taught better by Tonfon's previous editions, read, Carolus DEODATUS, as if it was our author's friend Charles Deodate. See the next Note. UN ELE GIARUM LIBE R. ELEG. I. Ad CAROLUM DEODATUM *. TA Andem, chare, tuæ mihi pervenere tabellæ, Pertulit et voces nuncia charta tuas ; Pertulit, occidua Deva Ceftrenfis ab ora Vergivium prono qua petit amne falum. Charles Deodate was one of Milton's most intimate friends. He was an excellent scholar, and practiced phyfic in Cheshire. He was educated with our author at Saint Paul's school in London; and from thence was fent to Trinity college Oxford, where he was entered in the year 1621. He was a fellow-collegian there with Alexander Gill, another of Milton's intimate friends, who was fucceffively Ufher and Mafter of Saint Paul's fchool. Deodate, while bachelor of Arts, gave to Trinity college Library, Zuinglius's THEATRUM VITÆ HUMANÆ, in three volumes. He has a copy of Alcaics extant in an Oxfordcollection on the death of Camden, called CAMDENI INSIGNIA, Oxon. 1624. Toland fays, that he had in his poffeffion two Greek letters, very well written, from Deodate to Milton. Two of Milton's familiar Latin letters, in the utmost freedom of friendship, are to Deodate. EPIST. Fam. PROSE-WORKS, vol. ii. 567. 568. Both dated from London, 1637. But the beft, certainly the moft pleafing, evidences of their intimacy, and of Deodate's admirable character, are our author's first and fixth Elegies, the fourth Sonnet, and the EriTAPHIUM DAMONIS. And it is highly probable, that Deodate is the Simple Shepherd lad in Coмus, who is killed in plants, and loved to hear Thyrfis fing, v. 619. feq. He died in the year 1638. His father was originally of Lucca in Italy; but by his mother's fide, and in every other refpect, he was an Englishman. He must not be confounded with Giovanni Deodati, a learned profeffor of theology at Geneva, Multum, crede, juvat terras aluiffe remotas Pectus amans noftri, tamque fidele caput, 5 Geneva, with whom Milton contracted a friendship in his travels, and whose annotations on the bible were tranflated into English by the puritans. This Elegy was written about the year 1627, in answer to a letter out of Cheshire from Deodate: and Milton feems pleased to reflect, that he is affectionately remembered at so great a distance, v. 5. Multum, crede, juvat, TERRAS aluiffe REMOTAS Our author was now refiding with his father a fcrivener in Breadftreet, who had not yet retired from bufinefs to Horton near Colnebrook. I have mentioned Alexander Gill in this note. He was made Ufher of Saint Paul's school about the year 1619, where Milton was his favourite fcholar. He was admitted at fifteen, a commoner of Trinity college Oxford, in 1612. Here at length he took the degree of doctor in divinity. His brothers George and Nathaniel, were both of the fame college, and on the foundation. In a book given to the Library there, by their father, its author, called the SACRED PHILOSOPHIE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE, 1635, I find this inscription written by Alexander. "Ex dono authoris artium magiftri olim Collegii Corpo"ris Chrifti alumni, Patris Alexandri Georgii et Nathanaelis Gillorum, qui omnes in hoc Studioforum vivario literis operam dedere. Tertio Kal. Junias, 1635." This Alexander gave to the faid Library, the old folio edition of Spenfer's FAERIE QUEENE, Drayton's POLYOLBION by Selden, and Bourdelotius's LUCIAN, all having poetical mottos from the claffics in his own hand-writing, which fhew his taste and track of reading. In the LUCIAN, are the Arms of the GILLS, elegantly tricked with a pen, and coloured, by Alexander Gill. From Saint Faul's fchool, of which from the Ufhership he was appointed Master in 1635, on the death and in the room of his father, he fent Milton's friend Deodate to Trinity college Oxford. He continued Mafter five years only, and died in 1642. Three of Milton's familiar Latin Letters to this Alexander Gill are remaining, replete with the ftrongeft teftimonies of esteem and friendship. Wood fays, "he was accounted one of the best Latin poets in the nation." ATH. OXON. ii. 22. Milton pays him high compliments on the excellence of his Latin poetry and among many other expreffions of the warmeft approbation calls his verfes, "Carmina fane grandia, et majeftatem vere poeticam, Virgilianumque ubique ingenium, referentia," &c. See PROSE-WORKS, ii. 565.566. 567. Two are dated in 1628, and the laft, 1634. Most of his Latin poetry is published in a small volume, |