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fufpect, that he was regarded in his "college with no great fondness. That "he obtained no fellowship is certain; "but the unkindnefs with which he was "treated was not merely negative. I am

afhamed to relate what I fear is true; that Milton was the laft ftudent in either univerfity that fuffered the public indignity of corporal correction *." This filly tale is taken from Warton's Life and Remains of Dean Bathurst," and retailed by Warton from fome manufcripts of Aubrey the antiquarian in the Afhmolean Museum, whofe anile credulity has difabled him from being a writer of any authority. In what manner, and with what circumftances, this corporal

* Milton's Life, p. 7, 8.

cor

correction was inflicted in either univer

A

fity, we are not informed. Warton's

6.6

words are, that "Milton was actually whipped by Dr. Thomas Bainbrigge, "Master of Chrift's College, while he "C was at Cambridge." Dr. Johnfon. calls it a public indignity, which is an improvement upon Aubrey, and renders the fact ftill more improbable. There is no fpecification of the offence, or of the time of the correction; and we may prefume, that when this wholefome feverity was most in vogue in either univerfity, the head of a college would hardly make himself fo ridiculous as to condefcend to execute the office of a parifh-beadle *.

There

* We have been informed, that the manner

of

There is another prefumption against this anecdote. Warton obferves, that Wood, who, according to him, compiled his account of Milton from Au-brey's manufcript, has omitted fome circumftances, particularly this of his fla-gellation. Aubrey pretends he had hist information from Milton's own mouth;: or from his relations after his death; at leaft fo he told Wood, who could not be fuppofed to omit this circumftance from any good-will he bore to Milton's memory. We may then reasonably fufpect that Wood did not believe it, and that he was convinced Aubrey was mifinform ed; and fuppofe the story fhould be one

of whipping young unlucky academics was, to hoift them upon the college buttery hatch, where the difcipline was inflicted by the butler.

of

of those which Aubrey had from Milton's own mouth, Milton would hardly give him an account of the punishment, without fignifying what was the fault.

Dr. Johnfon fays, "Milton was the "laft ftudent in either univerfity that fuf"fered this corporal correction." Now Mr. Warton tells us, that "the whip was 65 an inftrument of academical correc-❝tion, not entirely laid afide in the old 66 age of Dr. Bathurft*; but Bathurst furvived Milton thirty years, and the time of Milton's admiffion above eighty, If Milton therefore was the last sufferer by this illiberal punishment in Cambridge, that univerfity got the start of

Life of Bathurst, p. 202.

Oxford in civilisation by at least fifty or fixty years; which is more honour, we believe, than Dr. Johnson desired Mr. Warton fhould confer upon it..

Mr. Warton fays, "This" (meaning the whipping-bout] "explains more fully a paffage in one of Milton's 66 elegies :.

"Nec:

"In the public ftatutes of Oxford, the in-junction of inflicting corporal punishment on. "boys under fixteen remains unrepealed, and. "in force at this day; but the execution of this "law, fo repugnant to every liberal and decent: "idea, has been long abolished. Yet this code: "of statutes was compiled no longer ago than. "the year 1635. It was, however, no uncom"mon practice at a college in Oxford, where the "foundation-fcholars are elected very young,. "actually to punish with the rod as far down as "the beginning of the prefent century."

Gent. Mag. 1779, P. 493.

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