1821.] Extracts from Ellwood’s 
and decried all human learning, be¬ 
cause they denied it to be essentially 
necessary to a gospel ministry, which 
was one of the controversies of those 
times. But though I toiled hard, 
and spared no pains to regain what 
once I had been master of, yet I found 
it a matter of so great difficulty, that I 
was ready to say, as the noble eunuch 
to Philip in another case; how can I, 
unless I had some man to guide me ? 
This I had formerly complained of 
to my especial friend, Isaac Penning¬ 
ton, but now more earnestly, which put 
him upon considering and contriving 
a means for my assistance. He had an 
intimate acquaintance-with Dr. Paget, 
a physician of note in London ; and he, 
with John Milton, a gentleman of great 
note for learning throughout the learned 
world, for the accurate pieces he had 
written on various subjects and occa¬ 
sions. This person having filled a 
public station in the former times, now 
lived a private and retired life in Lon¬ 
don : and having wholly lost his sight, 
kept always a man to read to him, 
which usually was the son of some gen¬ 
tleman of his acquaintance, whom in 
kindness he took to improve in his 
learning. Thus by the mediation of 
my friend, Isaac Pennington, with Dr. 
Paget, and of Dr. Paget with John 
Milton, was I admitted to come to him ; 
not as a servant to him, (which at that 
time he needed not) nor to be in the 
house with him, but only to have the 
liberty of coming to his house at cer¬ 
tain hours, when I would, and to read 
to him what books he should appoint 
me; which was all the favour I desired.* 
**##*>» 
1662. Understanding that the medi¬ 
ation used for my admittance to John 
Milton, had succeeded so well that I 
might come when I would, I hastened 
to London, and in the first place went 
to wait upon him. He received me 
courteously, as well for the sake of Dr. 
Paget, who introduced me, as of Isaac 
Pennington, who recommended me: to 
both of whom he bore a good respect. 
And having enquired divers things of 
me, with respect to my former progres¬ 
sion in learning, he dismissed me to pro¬ 
vide myself of such accommodations as 
might be most suitable to my future stu¬ 
dies. I went, therefore, and took myself a 
lodging as near to his house (which was 
# Therefore improperly styled in the 
Month iy Magazine, for 7tli month, Milton’s 
amanuensis. 
History of his own Life . 309 
then in Jewin-street) as conveniently 
as I could: and from thenceforward, 
w r ent every day in the afternoon (except 
on the first days of the week) and sit¬ 
ting by him in his dining room, read to 
him in such books in the Latin tongue, 
as he pleased to hear me read. 
At my first sitting to read to him, 
observing that I used the English pro¬ 
nunciation, he told me, if I would 
have the benefit of the Latin tongue 
(not only to read and understand Latin 
authors, but) to converse with foreign¬ 
ers, either abroad or at home, I must 
learn the foreign pronunciation. To 
this I consenting, he instructed me how 
to sound the vowels; so different from 
the common pronunciation used by the 
English (who speak anglicd their Latin) 
that (with some few other variations in 
sounding some consonants, in particular 
cases; as c, before e, or I like ch, sc, 
before i like sh, &c.) the Latin thus 
spoken, seemed so different from that 
w-hich was delivered, as the English 
generally speak it, as if it were another 
language. 
This change of pronunciation proved 
a new difficulty to me; it w 7 as now 
harder fo me to read, than it was before 
to understand when read, but 
-Labor omnia vincit 
Improbus. 
And so Hid I, which made my reading 
the more acceptable to my master. He 
on the other hand,perceiving with what 
earnest desire I pursued learning, gave 
me not only all the encouragement, but 
all the help he could. For having a 
curious ear, he understood by my tone, 
when I understood what I read, and 
when I did not: and accordingly would 
stop me, examine me, and open the 
most difficult passages to me. Thus 
went I on for about six weeks time, 
reading to him in the afternoon, and 
exercising myself with my owm books, 
in my chamber, in the forenoon: I was 
sensible of an improvement—but alas ! 
I had fixed my studies in a wrong place. 
London and I could never agree for 
health, &c. &c. 
1665. Some little time before I went 
to Aylesbury prison,* I was desired by 
my quondam master, Milton, to take 
a house for him in the neighbourhood 
where I dwelt, that he might go out of 
the city for the safety of himself and 
his family, the pestilence then growing 
* He was sent there on a religious ac¬ 
count. 
hot 
