368 A. Century of Science 



as if they smelt music ; there he knew, doubtless, 

 many a bank where the wild thyme grew and on 

 which the moonlight sweetly slept ; there he watched 

 the coming of " violets dim," " pale primroses," 

 flower-de-luce, carnations, with " rosemary and rue " 

 to keep their " savour all the winter long," 



" When icicles hang by the wall, 



And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, 

 And Tom bears logs into the hall, 



And milk comes frozen home in pail." 



Such lore as this no books or college could im- 

 part. 



It was this that Milton had in mind when he 

 introduced Shakespeare arid Ben Jonson into his 

 poem "I/ Allegro." Milton was in his thirtieth 

 year when Jonson, poet laureate, was laid to rest 

 in Westminster Abbey; he was only a boy of 

 eight years when Shakespeare died, but the beau- 

 tiful sonnet written fourteen years later shows how 

 lovingly he studied his works : 



" What needs my Shakespeare, for his honoured bones," etc. 



The poem " L' Allegro " and its fellow " II Pense- 

 roso " describe the delights of Milton's life at his 

 father's country house near Windsor Castle. He 

 used often to ride into London to hear music or 

 pass an evening at the theatre, as in the following 

 lines : - 



