The Earlif:st Life of Milton. 9 



From Florence hee went to Rome, where, as in all places, 

 hee spent his time in the choicest company; and amongst 

 others there, in that of Lucas Holstein.^" 



At Naples, which was his next remove, hee became ac- 

 quainted w^^ ]Marquis ]\Ianso, a learned Person, and so aged 

 as to have bin Contemporary and intimate w*^ Torquato 

 Tasso, the famous Italian Heroic. This Nobleman oblig'd 

 him by very particular civilities, accompanying him to see 

 the rarities of the place, and paying him Visitts at his lodging ; 

 Also sent him the testimony of a great esteem in this Distich 



Ut Mens, Forma, Decor Facies, Mos, si Pietas sic, 

 Non Anglus, verum herclfe Angelus ipse fores. 



Yet excus'd himself e at parting for not having bin able to 

 do him more honour, by reason of his resolute owning his 

 Religion: This hee did whensoever by any ones enquiry occa- 

 sion was offred; not otherwise forward to enter upon dis- 

 courses of that Nature. Nor did hee decline its defense in 

 the like circimistanees even in Rome it self on his return 

 thether; though hee had bin advis'd by letters from som 

 friends to Naples, that the English Jesuits design 'd to do 

 him mischief on that account. Before his leaving Naples 

 hee return 'd the Marquis an^^ acknowlegement of his great 

 favors in an elegant Copy of Verses entitl'd INIansus w*^*^ is 

 extant amongst his other latin Poems.^- 



From Rome hee revisited Florence for the sake of his 

 charming friends there ; and then proceeded to Venice where 

 he shipp'd what books he had bought ^^ & through the de- 

 licious^* country of Lombardy, and over the Alps to Geneva, 



* Following the name, but crossed out, is ' Library Keeper at the 

 Vatican.' A letter above tlie line and before 'Library' refers to the 

 margin, where are the words, also crossed out, ' For I am not certain 

 that he was the library keeper.' LHolstein was the pope's librarian 

 from 1636 to 1661.] 



" Substituted for ' a large.' 



*-The last part of the sentence originally read 'an elegant Poem 

 wch is amongst his other latin Verses.' Wood borrows most of this 

 paragraph verbatim. 



"The clause 'where . . . bought' is inserted above the line. 



** Substituted for ' pleasant.' 



