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THE

FIRST FOUR BOOKS

OF

MILTON'S PARADISE LOST.

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FOR THE USE OF PUPIL TEACHERS, TRAINING COLLEGES, AND THE
HIGHER CLASSES OF SCHOOLS.

BY C. W. CONNON, MA.

AUTHOR OF "A SYSTEM OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR,' ETC.

"And know we not that from the blind have flowed
The highest, holiest raptures of the lyre;
And wisdom married to immortal verse ?"

WORDSWORTH'S Excursion.

LONDON:

LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS.

1855.

280. x 470.

PREFACE.

MILTON'S Paradise Lost has long taken its place among the permanent studies of English youth, and any moderately judicious attempt to make it more effective for the purposes of instruction will, I think, be well received. In the case

of those who are pursuing a Classical education, it is of some consequence to retain their loyalty to our native literature, and this can best be done by showing them that England has produced-"not once or twice in our heroic story"-poets equal to any that stand on the roll of Greek or Roman fame. As regards those who are not to be subjected to the mental training that the study of a dead or foreign tongue supplies, the next best thing is to make them thoroughly understand their own. No work seems better fitted to aid in the accomplishment of this object than the great Epic poem of Milton, part of which is now presented to the public in a form adapted for the use of that large and interesting body of young men and women, known as Pupil Teachers, of Teachers in Training and generally of the upper classes of Schools.

In many respects the complete mastering of the Paradise Lost will be found to involve the same sort of collateral information as is necessary to the intelligent reading of the ancient poets. The mere words, being those of our mother tongue, may not demand any particular care; but the appreciation of their relations and nice dependencies requires as

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