The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume II.Cibber, Theophilus
History
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume II.
Cibber, Theophilus
Poets, English -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Poets, Irish -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
Milton's daughter; but immediately on her being introduced to him, he
said, Madam, you need no other voucher; your face is a sufficient
testimonial whose daughter you are; and he then made her a handsome
present of a purse of guineas, with a promise of procuring for her an
annual provision for life; but he dying soon after, she lost the
benefit of his generous design. She appeared to be a woman of good
sense, and genteel behaviour, and to bear the inconveniencies of a low
fortune with decency and prudence.'
Her late Majesty Queen Caroline sent her fifty pounds, and she
received presents of money from several gentlemen not long before her
death. Milton had a brother, Mr. Christopher Milton who was knighted
and made one of the barons of the Exchequer in King James II's reign,
but he does not appear to have been a man of any abilities, at least
if he had any, they are lost to posterity in the lustre of his
brother's.
There is now alive a grand-daughter of this Christopher Milton, who is
married to one Mr. John Lookup, advocate at Edinburgh, remarkable for
his knowledge of the Hebrew tongue. The lady, whom I have often seen,
is extremely corpulent, has in her youth been very handsome, and is
not destitute of a poetical genius. She has writ several copies of
verses, published in the Edinburgh Magazines; and her face bears some
resemblance to the picture of Milton.
Mr. Wood, and after him Mr. Fenton, has given us the following
description of Milton's person.
"He was of a moderate size, well-proportioned, and of a ruddy
complexion, light brown hair, and had handsome features, yet his eyes
were none of the quickest. When he was a student in Cambridge, he was
so fair and clear, that many called him the Lady of Christ's-College.
His deportment was affable, and his gait erect and manly, bespeaking
courage and undauntedness; while he had his sight he wore a sword, and
was well skilled in using it. He had a delicate tuneable voice, an
excellent ear, could p[l]ay on the organ, and bear a part in vocal and
instrumental music."[6]
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