PREFACE.

THE present edition of Milton's Poetical Works is a repetition, with additions, of that originally published by Messrs. Tilt and Bogue, in 1843, and since by Messrs Kent and Co.

The beautiful embellishments of that edition, and the accuracy of the text, which was carefully revised by the late Mr. James Montgomery, the poet, have long since engrafted it on public favour. Nevertheless, it seemed to the present publisher to lack student-helps, and these he has now endeavoured to supply.

The additions which have consequently been made are very considerable, and amount substantially to more than one-third of the book: they consist of

1. A selection of explanatory and critical notes to Paradise Lost, adapted to the use of students.

2. An Index of subjects to Paradise Lost.

3. Todd's Verbal Index to the whole of Milton's Poems; extending to upwards of 150 closely printed pages.

It was at first intended to add Addison's Series of Criticisms on Paradise Lost; but as these would have occupied more room than could well be spared, and are readily accessible in every edition of the Spectator, * it has been thought advisable to dispense with them here.

* See Spectator, Nos. 267, 273, 279, 285, 291, 297, 303, 309, 315, 321, 327, 333, 339, 345, 351, 357, 363, and 369. The whole are contained in Vol. III. of Bohn's Edition of Addison's Works, published at 3s. 6d.

A minor but not unimportant improvement is the numbering of the lines in Paradise Lost and Regained, which, strange to say, had been previously omitted, and without which the Notes and Indexes would scarcely have been applicable.

With regard to the Notes, they have been selected from every available source, more especially from the Commentaries of Patrick Hume, Bishop Pearce, the Richardsons, Bishop Newton, Todd, Hawkins, Sir Egerton, Brydges, Mitford, and Prendeville; with occasional references to the recent editions of Major and Keightley, and to Classical and Biblical Dictionaries. But no note has been adopted without duly weighing all that has been said on the subject, and scarcely one without alteration, either by way of abridgment or enlargement. For this reason, as well as to compress the matter into the smallest possible compass, authorities have rarely been annexed.

The Index of subjects to Paradise Lost is common to several editions; but Todd's Verbal Index to the whole poems, which accompanies our Second Volume, may fairly be adduced as a remarkable feature, inasmuch as it has (not been given (on account of the expense of printing in any edition of Todd's Milton since 1809, when it first appeared in its present comprehensive form.

Notwithstanding these material additions, the book is now published at considerably less than half its former price, and will, it is hoped, find sufficient favour with the / public to reimburse the labour and expense bestowed upon it.

March 28th, 1861.

HENRY G. BOHN.

MEMOIR

OF

JOHN MILTON,

WITH STRICTURES ON HIS GENIUS AND WRITINGS.

LITTLE more than a brief memoir, and a few strictures on the principal poems of the Author of "Paradise Lost," can be attempted here.

JOHN MILTON was born December 6th, 1608, in London. His father was a scrivener in large practice, and his mother a lady from Wales. Of them he has left this testimony in reference to his own origin :"Born in London, of honourable parentage, my father a man of the highest integrity, my mother of most virtuous character, and especially distinguished throughout the neighbourhood for her charities." His father, besides possessing a fine taste in literature, excelled in music, "equalling in science, if not in genius, the best composers of the age." His talents are gracefully recorded in the Latin verses addressed to him by his greater son, who, in after life, however he may have disappointed certain paternal hopes of his advancement, through the law or the church, abundantly compensated for this by his transcendent excellence in the highest of the polite arts.

Successively, under the roof of his parents, afterwards at St. Paul's School, and in due course at the University of Cambridge, young Milton received his education, and so profited by his diligence, that he came forth, in the issue, "a ripe scholar and a good one," before he had arrived at his twenty-first year. Through all his writings, whether prose or verse, his learning appears in the array of his thoughts, as well as in their adornment; however original, unborrowed, and independent of precedent or authorities these may have been. His vein for poetry showed itself early; but, till he approached manhood, this was principally exercised in Latin compositions, though occasional experiments in his own tongue strengthened and prepared his style for greater achievements in the sequel. At the age of ten years he was a poet, says Aubrey; and his fond father, to encourage him in "the idle trade" that was to "cross" his own "hopes," employed Cornelius Jansen to paint the portrait of so promising a son," a half-length, in laced ruffles," at the price of "five broad pieces:" no small sum for the honour of the little minstrel.

During this period of his life, and onward, he thus speaks of his studies "I must say that, after I had, for my first years, by the ceaseless diligence and care of my father (whom God recompense!) been exercised to the tongues, and some science as my age would suffer, by sundry masters and teachers, both at home and at the schools, it was found that, whether aught was imposed on me by them that had the overlooking, or betaken to of mine own choice, in English, or other tongue, prosing or versing, but chiefly the latter, the style, by certain vital signs it had, was likely to live. But, much latelier, in the private academies of Italy,