John Milton is admitted to stand second only to Shakespeare in the roll of English Poets. Looking at the numerous testimonies (during his lifetime) to Shakespeare's existence, the number of his plays and poems, the many acquaintances whom his mere profession must necessarily have forced upon him, the friends whom his un -doubted genial nature must have secured, and the various business transactions in which he must have engaged before being able to accumulate the competence on which he retired to the country, it seems strange that six or seven signatures are all that remain of the actual writing of him who, in literature, is England's chief glory. But looking at these signatures, and considering the traditions about Shakespeare's youth, it may be doubted if he was ever a good penman: transcripts by other persons of his rough drafts would serve for the Play House and the Press, and his business transactions were most likely effected by scriveners; the circumstances under which he is traditionally reported to have first come t o London would perhaps prevent him from corresponding with his country friends; and not even a copy or print of any letter by him exists.

In malo morali potest multum esse admistum boni, idque arte singulari; nemo venenum temperat felle et hellebore sed conditis pulmentis et bene saporatis: ita diabolus letale quod conficit rebus dei gratissimis imbuit, etc. Tertull: de spectaculis, p. 102, edit. Rigalt.

Cur permittit deus malum ? ut ratio virtuti constare possit. virtus enim malo arguitur, illustratur, exercetur, quemadmodum disserit Lactantius, l. 5, c. 1, ut haberet ratio et prudentia in quo se exerceret, eligendo bona, fugiendo mala, Lactan. de ira dei, c. 13, quamvis et hæc non satisfaciunt.

Tritum est vetustate proverbium “diluculo surgere saluberrimum est,” nee sane minus verum quàm antiquum: etenim si ordine supputare conabor hujus rei singulas utilitates, opus ardui laboris obire videbor: surge igitur, surge, deses nee semper teneat te mollis lectus; nescis quot oblectamenta prsebet aurora. Oculos delectare cupis? aspice solem purpureo colore orientem, coelum purum et salubre, herbescentem agrorum viriditatem, florum omnium varietatem. Aures juvare velis ? audi argutos auvium concentus et leves apum susurros : naribus placebis ? non satiari possis suavitate odorum qui è floribus efflantur. Quod si hæc non arrident, rationem salutis tuse aliquantulum quseso ducas ; quippe summo mane cubitu surgere ad firmam corporis yaletudinem non parum conducit, study's vero aptissimum est, tune enim in numerato habes ingenium. Præterea boni regis est non somno immodico corpus saginare, et vitam feriatam et laboris vacuam transigere, at reipublicæ cum nocte turn die consulere ut argute hortatur Theocritus