Milton, John, one of the greatest of English poets, is known to hymnologists as the author of nineteen versions of various Psalms, which appeared in his Poems in English and Latin, second edition, 1673. Two or three of them have been extensively used. Milton was born in London December 9, 1608; and died in the same city November 8, 1674. He was educated at Cambridge. After graduating he traveled extensively for those days. He was a Puritan in religion and a Republican in politics; was in public service under Cromwell, and narrowly escaped death or banishment at the Restoration. In 1652 he became totally blind; but his poetic vision seemed to be only quickened thereby, and he wrote in Paradise Lost "things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme."