Milton's daughters chose to reject the fair repute that the simple fulfilment of evident duty would have brought them, and to be damned to everlasting fame, not merely as neglectful of their father, but as embittering his existence.

The shocking speech attributed to one of them is, we may hope, not a fact; and it may not be true to the letter that they conspired to rob him, and sold his books to the ragpickers.

The course of events down to his death, nevertheless, is sufficient evidence of the unhappiness of his household.

Writing "Samson Agonistes" in calmer days, he lets us see how deep the iron had entered into his soul: "I dark in light exposed To daily fraud, contempt, abuse, and wrong, Within doors, or without, still as a fool In power of others, never in my own." He probably never understood how greatly he was himself to blame.

He had, in the first place, neglected to give his daughters the education which might have qualified them in some measure to appreciate him.