In War we long for Peace; Peace endeth wars, Music makes jocund Peace to know no jars. Your most obedient servant, R. Deering. {63} VII. JOHN MILTON 1553--1646-7 To many the name of John Milton will hardly suggest a musical composer. And yet I am able to include this name--the name of the father of the poet--among the band of "Good Musicians" whose careers and works I am considering. I have always felt greatly interested in him and desired to find out all I could of his personal history, and particularly of his musical education, for undoubtedly in the elder Milton we have a really accomplished musician. We are told he educated his distinguished son in music, and that he had an organ in his house. Dr Burney gives a very good and concise account of him, upon which I cannot improve and from which I venture to quote. (Burney, Vol. III, p. 134): "We come now to John Milton, the father of our great poet, who though a scrivener by profession, was a voluminous composer, and equal in science, if not genius, to the best musicians of his age: in conjunction and on a level with whom, his name and works appeared in numerous musical publications of the time, particularly in those of {64} old Wilbye; in the _Triumphs of Oriana_ published by Morley; in Ravenscroft's _Psalms_; in the _Lamentations_ published by Sir William Leighton; and in MS. collections, still in the possession of the curious. Mr Warton, in his Notes upon Milton's _Poems on Several Occasions_, tells us, from the MS. _Life of the Poet_ by Aubrey, the antiquary, in the Mus. Ashm. Oxon, that Milton's father, though a "scrivener," was not apprenticed to that trade, having been bred a scholar and of Christ Church, Oxford; and that he took to trade in consequence of being disinherited. His son celebrates his musical abilities in an admirable Latin poem, _Ad Patrem_, where, alluding to his father's musical science, he says that Apollo had divided his favours in the sister arts between them; giving Music to the father and Poetry to the son. Nor blame, Oh much-lov'd sire! the sacred Nine, Who thee have honour'd with such gifts divine; Who taught thee how to charm the list'ning throng, With all the sweetness of a siren's song; Blending such tones as every breast inflame And made thee heir to great Orion's fame. By blood united, and by kindred arts, On each Apollo his refulgence darts: To thee points out the magic power of sound, To me the mazes of poetic ground; And fostered thus by his parental care, We equal seem Divinity to share." (_Translation_). {65}