‘To Cambridge...for Seven Years’

After leaving St Paul’s, Milton came up to Christ’s College, Cambridge in 1625, at the age of sixteen. Milton’s parents may have chosen Christ’s because of its lingering Puritan reputation. At that time, the university taught a five-year BA course of rhetoric, logic, and philosophy. It was examined on the basis of a series of formal Latin orations, exercises at which the young Milton excelled.

Milton later recalled his time at Christ’s with great fondness, but was frustrated by what he saw as the limitations of the university’s curriculum. On leaving Cambridge, he attempted to supplement this lack through several years of self-directed study in retirement at his parents’ house, followed by travels on the Continent from 1638-39. During this period, Milton composed some of his finest Latin poems, as well as Lycidas—an elegy for Edward King, Milton’s contemporary at Christ’s—the first landmark of his poetic career.

Click on the thumbnail images below for more details.

	Engraving of Christ’s College, c. 1690 from David Loggan (bap. 1634, d. 1692), Cantabrigia llustrata ... (Cambridge: 1690).
	Christ’s College Admissions Book Milton’s entry, 12th February 1624/5.
	John Milton (1608–1674) Joannis Miltonii Angli, epistolarum familiarium liber unus: quibus accesserunt, eiusdem, iam olim in collegio adolescentis, prolusiones quædam oratoriae. (London: Brabazon Aylmer, 1674).
	John Milton (1608–1674) An Apology for Smectymnuus with the Reason of Church-Government (London: John Rothwell, [1654]).
	John Milton (1608–1674) Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib. ([London: Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson, 1644]).
	Joseph Mead (1586–1638) Account books, Christ’s College.
	Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43BC) M. T. Ciceronis ad Marcum Brutum Orator. Cum Victoris Pisani ... commentario. (Lugduni: Apud Seb. Gryphium, 1536).
	Henry Peacham (1578-c.1644) The Compleat Gentleman ... (London: Richard Thrale, 1661).

 previous     next