“I... Steer Right Onward” 1654–1658A letter to the rulers of Hamburg introduces and seeks protection for Philip Mead-
ows, en route to Denmark as Cromwell’s envoy on the same peacemaking mission
(793–800). A letter in September to Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg
praises his “shining faith and constancy” in retaining an alliance with Sweden de-
spite surrounding enemies (803–4); ironically, the Elector made peace with Poland
on September 19 and agreed to join the coalition against Sweden. In December
Milton also produced credentialling letters for George Downing, sent as envoy to
the United Provinces to deal with the worsening Anglo-Dutch relations.^108
These few duties left Milton ample time for his own writing and personal af-
fairs.^109 Also, in early September he was given more help, including the assistant he
had earlier asked for, Andrew Marvell.^110 Anthony à Wood notes that Marvell
became “very intimate and conversant” with Milton while he served as his assist-
ant,^111 and Milton surely took pleasure in their close association. At about this time,
perhaps, the young poet John Dryden was also employed in Thurloe’s office for
occasional duties.^112 A remarkable happenstance, that the three best poets of the age
should be together at the same time in Cromwell’s bureaucracy! On October 19 a
daughter was born to Milton and Katherine, “between 5 and 6 in the morning,”
according to the record in his Bible.^113 She was named for her mother. Sometime
that year Milton was visited by another of those young European students on their
grand tour, 21-year-old Johan Lassenius who was to become a well-known Lu-
theran theologian.^114 Milton’s treatise Of Education continued to interest the Hartlib
circle: Hartlib sent a copy to the noted mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus
Mercator, then resident tutor at Petworth, who termed it “most reasonable,” and
wished that “our method of teaching was so well designed as that writing ad-
vises.”^115 Throughout the year Milton could have heard that several of his books,
both tracts and poems, had been quoted or advertised for sale.^116
Milton continued to exchange letters with Oldenburg and Richard Jones, who
had left Oxford (to Milton’s evident satisfaction) and were residing at Saumur in
France. Oldenburg’s letter of June 27/July 7 reports on their pleasant journey and
safe arrival, expresses affectionate eagerness for a letter from Milton, and passes on
the unwelcome news that Alexander More had been elected to the pastorate at
Charenton. Somewhat awkwardly he explains his decision not to distribute copies
of Milton’s Pro Se Defensio as Milton had requested because the people there gener-
ally approve More’s preaching and are paying scant attention to his unsavory life.
Oldenburg was clearly unwilling to court unpopularity by associating himself with
Milton’s quarrel (CPW VII, 499–500). Milton’s response (August 1) accepts
Oldenburg’s excuse, but with a not-so-gentle reproach: let him cast away the books
if they are burdensome, though Milton thinks they might help to block More’s
appointment. Rubbing it in, he observes that “a certain learned friend of mine”
who was at Saumur last winter (probably Marvell, who was there with his pupil
William Dutton in 1656) wrote that Milton’s book, which he had passed around to
learned men, was much in demand (502–3). Milton’s letter to Jones on the same day