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COLLECTION

OF INTERESTING

Anecdotes, Memoirs, &c.

ANECDOTE OF MILTON.

is well known that, in the bloom of youth, And when how purated his blooms of

bridge, this poet was extremely beautiful. Wandering one day, during the fummer, far beyond the precincts of the University, into the country, he became fo heated and fatigued, that, reclining himself at the foot of a tree to reft, he shortly fell asleep. Before he awoke, two ladies,. who were foreigners, passed by in a carriage. Agreeably astonished at the loveliness of his appearance, they alighted, and having admired him (as they thought) unperceived, for fome time, the youngeft, who was very handfome, drew a pencil from B her

her pocket, and having written fome lines upon a piece of paper, put it with trembling hand into his own. Immediately afterwards they proceeded on their journey.

Some of his acquaintance, who were in fearch of him, had obferved this filent adventure, but at too great a diftance to difcover that the highly favoured party in it was our illuftrious bard. Approaching nearer, they faw their friend, to whom, being awakened, they mentioned what had happened. Milton opened the paper, and, with furprize, read these verses from Guarini.

:

Ye eyes! ye human stars! ye authors of my lovelieft pangs! If thus, when shut, ye wound me, what must have proved the confequence had ye been open ?"

Eager, from this moment, to find out the fair incognita, Milton travelled, but in vain, through every part of Italy. His poetic fervor became inceffantly more and more heated by the idea which he had

formed

formed of his unknown admirer; and it is, in fome degree, to her, that his own times, the prefent times, and the latest pofterity must feel themfelves indebted for feveral of the most impaffioned and charming compofitions of the Paradise Loft.

REMARKABLE ANECDOTE

RELATING TO

PETER THE GREAT,

EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.

ISS Hambleton, a maid of honour to the

MISS

Empress Catherine, had an amour which, at different times, produced three children. She had always pleaded fickness, but Peter, being fufpicious, ordered his phyfician to attend her, who foon made the difcovery. It alfo appeared that a fenfe of fhame had triumphed over her humanity, and that the children had been put to death as foon as born.

Peter enquired if the father of them was privy to the murder: the lady infifted that he was innocent; for he had always deceived him, by pretending that they were fent to nurse.

Justice now called upon the Emperor to punish the offence. The lady was much beloved by the Emprefs; who pleaded for her; the amour was pardonable, but not the murder.

Peter fent her to the castle, and went himself to vifit her; and the fact being confeffed, he pronounced her fentence with tears; telling her, that his duty as a Prince, and God's vice-gerent, called on him for that juftice which her crime had rendered indifpenfably neceffary; and, that she must therefore prepare for death. He attended her alfo on the scaffold, where he embraced her with the utmoft tenderness, mixed with forrow: and fome fay, when the head was ftruck off, he took it up by the ear, whilft the lips were still trembling, and kiffed them :-a circumstance of an extraordinary nature, and yet not incredible, confidering the peculiarities of his character.

IDLENESS