Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

MEMOIR OF

THE REV. HENRY HART MILMAN.

THE life of the scholar united with that of the clergyman, is, in a peculiar manner, barren and inattractive to the general reader, from its being deficient in those stirring incidents which fix the attention and take strong hold upon the memory. There may be every virtue under heaven, all the graces of the mind, and the fullest developement of those tranquil and better qualifications of the heart which are, in truth and reason, men's noblest attributes; but there must be stir and bustle, animation and variety, to enchain the indifferent reader to the biographical page. Why the purer virtues alone are so inattractive, is perhaps owing to the superior charm they possess in the social circle. They must be experienced to be valued, and interest from immediate contact and personal observation, becoming mere verbiage on paper, because they are there seen divested of their simple charms; the chaste beauty of their hues being, like the transitory expression on the features of the orator or the actor, untransferable, and only truly engaging in actual observation.

conferred upon him. In 1821 he was elected professor of poetry in the university,—an office usually held for five years, but the professor is customarily re-elected for the same term. In 1824, Mr. Milman married Mary Anne, the youngest daughter of Lieutenant-General Cockell.

In the foregoing lines are comprised all the events of the peaceful and virtuous life of a distinguished man, up to the period when his name came forth to the world in his writings. In the time preceding that period, to arrive at such honours there must have been as arduous, nay more arduous mental labour, than he encounters who overruns kingdoms, or whose adventures and hair-breadth escapes by sea and land fill a folio over which the reader bends with admiration and interest. How little does the one attract, compared with the other! Yet how enchaining and useful, how much matter for contemplation would be afforded to the world, were it practicable to record all the workings of the student's mind, which have passed away in secret. The strugglings after knowledge, the satisfaction at Successful progress, the despair of conquering a difficulty at one time, and the triumph over ob

To this tranquil order of biographical subjects belongs the memoir of the Rev. HENRY HART MILMAN, a clergyman of the church of England, and Professor of Poetry in the University of Ox-stacles at another; the aspirations after distincford. He was born in London, February 10th, 1791; and was the youngest son of Sir Francis Milman, a very eminent physician, considered to have been much in the confidence of the late king and queen of England. The name of Mr. Milman's mother was Hart.

Our poet was first sent to school at Greenwich, where he had for a master the well-known Dr. Charles Burney. From the tutorage of Dr. Burney he was removed to Eton. In that celebrated seminary he remained about nine years. In the year 1810 he went to Oxford, and entered at Brazen-Nose College. At this university he obtained the greatest number of prizes that ever fell to the lot of one individual. One of these was for English verse, one for Latin verse, and a third and fourth for English and Latin essays, while he was distinguished for the first honours in the examinations. In the year 1815, Mr. Milman became a fellow of Brazen-Nose College, and in 1817 entered into holy orders. It was in the year 1817 that the vicarage of St. Mary in the town of Reading was

tion, the perseverance in toil and the glory of success.

The first appearance of Mr. Milman before the public was in the tragedy of "Fazio," which was written before he went into orders, and was af terwards performed with distinguished success. It appeared on the scene at Drury-Lane, on the 5th of February, 1818; but it had been previously published by its author, and had passed through three editions. The plot of this drama is more than commonly interesting, and has the recommendation of being simple, and consequently more noble in character in proportion to its simplicity. The imagery is natural and chaste, the diction pure and elegant. The poetry is of the highest order, and abounds in passages of chastened beauty and great felicity of expression.

The "Fall of Jerusalem," the next dramatic work of this poet, appeared in 1820. Perhaps there is more of nature and pathos, more to affect the heart and feelings in this poem than in "Fa

« AnteriorContinuar »