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
death sleep immortal-life
A death-like sleep, A gentle wafting to immortal life.
book men essence
We should be wary what persecution we raise against the living labors of public men, how we spill that seasoned life of man, preserved and stored up in books, since we see a kind of homicide may be thus committed, sometimes a martyrdom; and if it extend to the whole impression, a kind of massacre, whereof the execution ends not in the slaying of an elemental life, but strikes at the ethereal and fifth essence, the breath of reason itself; slays an immortality rather than a life.
courage yield submit
Courage never to submit of yield.
temptation lasts corruption
He who tempts, though in vain, at last asperses The tempted with dishonor foul, supposed Not incorruptible of faith, not proof Against temptation.
stars heaven unseen
At His birth a star, unseen before in heaven, proclaims Him come.
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.