He was mightily importuned to goe into France & Italie. Foraigners came much to see him, and much admired him, & offered to him great preferments to come over to them, & the only inducement of severall foreigners that came over into England, was chifly to see O. Protector & M'r J. Milton, and would see _the house and chamber_ wher _he_ was borne: he was much more admired abrode then at home. * * * * * His harmonicall, and ingeniose soule did lodge[1] in a beautifull and well proportioned body--In toto nusquam corpore menda fuit. Ovid. [Footnote 1: 'did lodge' above 'dwelt'.] He had a very good memory: but I believe that his excellent Method of thinking, & disposing did much helpe his memorie. * * * * * Of a very cheerfull humour. He was very healthy, & free from all diseases, seldome tooke any Physique, only sometimes he tooke Manna[1], and only towards his later end he was visited with the Gowte--Spring & Fall: he would be chearfull even in his Gowte-fitts: & sing. [Footnote 1: 'seldome ... Manna' added above the line.] He died of the gowt struck in the 9th or 10th of Novemb 1674, as appeares by his Apothecaryes Booke. 58. Note by EDWARD PHILLIPS. There is another very remarkable Passage in the Composure of this Poem [_Paradise Lost_], which I have a particular occasion to remember; for whereas I had the perusal of it from the very beginning; for some years as I went from time to time to Visit him, in a Parcel of Ten, Twenty, or Thirty Verses at a Time, which being Written by whatever hand came next, might possibly want Correction as to the Orthography and Pointing; having as the Summer came on, not been shewed any for a considerable while, and desiring the reason thereof, was answered, That his Veine never happily flow'd, but from the _Autumnal Equinoctial_ to the _Vernal_, and that whatever he attempted was never to his satisfaction, though he courted his fancy never so much; so that in all the years he was about this Poem, he may be said to have spent but half his time therein. 59. Notes by JONATHAN RICHARDSON. One that had Often seen him, told me he us'd to come to a House where He Liv'd, and he has also Met him in the Street, Led by _Millington_, the same who was so Famous an Auctioneer of Books about the time of the Revolution, and Since. This Man was then a Seller of Old Books in _Little Britain_, and _Milton_ lodg'd at his house. This was 3 or 4 Years before he Dy'd. he then wore no Sword that My Informer remembers, though Probably he did, at least 'twas his Custom not long before to wear one with a Small Silver-Hilt, and in Cold Weather a Grey Camblet Coat....