Of Highest Wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the close.
Oft He seems to hide his face,

But unexpectedly returns,

And to his faithful champion hath in place

Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns,

And all that band them to resist

His uncontrollable intent.

His servants He, with new acquist

Of true experience from this great event,
With peace and consolation hath dismissed,
And calm of mind, all passion spent.

THE END.

1750

MINOR POEMS.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION;

OR,

CHRONOLOGY OF THE POEMS:

WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE EDITIONS OF 1645 AND 1673,

AND OF THE CAMBRIDGE VOLUME OF MILTON MSS.

MILTO

ILTON was a poet from his childhood. The earliest verses of his that have been preserved, however, are his

PARAPHRASES ON PSALMS CXIV. AND CXXXVI.

These were done "at fifteen years old "-i.e. in 1624, when Milton was a boy at St. Paul's School in London, just finishing his course there, and preparing to go to College.

AT CAMBRIDGE: 1625-1632.

In February 1624-5, or when sixteen years and two months old, Milton was admitted at Christ's College, Cambridge; and he remained at Cambridge (constantly there in term-time, though spending the vacations in London or elsewhere) till July 1632, when he left the University, as Master of Arts and with the highest distinction, at the age of twenty-three years and seven months. These seven years of his residence at Cambridge were a period of considerable literary activity. Besides four of his Latin familiar Epistles, one English letter to a friend, and seven Latin academic