'Sonn. ix. fol. 9.

Tit. “ To a Lady.”
V.7. And at thy blooming vertue fret their spleen.
V. 13. Opens the dore of bliffe that hour of night.
All in Milton's own hand-writing.

Sonn. x. fol. 9.
Tit. “ To the Lady Margaret Ley.” All in Milton's own hand,

Sonn. xi. fol. 43.
Tit. “ On the detraction which, &c.” As we have given it.
V. 1. I writt a book of late call’a Tetrachordon,

And weav'd it close, both matter, form, and style :
It went off well about the town awhile,

Numbering good wits, but now is seldom por'd on.
V. 10. Those barbarous names.
Then rough-bewn, then rugged.
All in
own hand.

SONN. xii. fol. 46.
V. 4. Of owls and buzzards.
V.10. And bate the truth whereby tbey frould be free.
All in his own hand.

Son. xiji. fol. 43. 45.
Tır. “To my friend Mr. Hen. Lawes, feb. 9. 1645. On the publish-
ing of his aires."
V. 3. Words with just notes, which till then us'd to scan,

With Midas' cares, misjoining short and long.
Or,“ Wben most were us'd to scan.”
V.6. And gives thee praise above the pipe of Pan.

To after age thou shalt be writ a man,
Thou didfi reform the art obe obiof among.

Thou honourft vers, and vers must lend her wing,
V.12. Fame, by the Tuscan's leav, Tall set thee higher

Than old Cafell, whom Dante woo'd to sing.
Two copies of this Sonnet are in Milton's hand : a third in another,
a man's hand. Milton had an amanuensis on account of the failure of

Sonn. xiv. fol. 45.
Tit. “On the religious, &c. As we have given it.
V.3. Meekly thou didit refign this earthly clod

Of flesh and fin, which man from heaven doth sever.
V. 6. Strait follow'd thee the path, that saints have trod

Srill as they journey'd from this dark abode
Up to the realm of peace and joy for eger.
Faith pow'd the way, and she who saw them best

Thy handmaids, &c.
V.12. And spoke the truth.

There are two copies of this Sonnet, (one corrected,) in Milton's own hand: a third in another, a man's, as of Sonn. xiii,

SONN.

his eyes.

V.4.

SONN. XV. fol. 47.
Tit, “ On the, &c. At the firge of Colchester.”
V. 2. And fills each.

Which daunt remotest kings.
V. 5. Thy firm unshaken virtue.«
V.6. -Though new rebellions raise

Their hydra heads, and the fals north displays

Her broken league, to impe their serpent wings.
V.10. For what can war but endless war still breed,

Till truth and right from violence be freed,
And publick faith cleard from rhe shamefull brand

Of publick fraud.
This Sonnet is in Milton's own hand.

Sonn. xvi. fol. 47.
Tit.“ To the Lord General Cromwell, May 1652. On the Proposalls
“ of certaine ministers at the committee for propagation of the gospell."
V.I. Who through a cloud

Not of war onlic, but detractions rude.
V. 5. And on the neck of crowned fortune proud,

Haft rear'd god's cropbies and his work pursued.
As we have given, instead of " And fought. -" (Sec Notes.]
V.7. While Darwen streame.-
V. 9. And twenty battles more.
V.11. No less renown'd than war.
V. 12.

Wirb secular chains.
This Sonnet is in a female hand, unlike that of Sonn, viii,

SONN. xvii, fol. 48.
V.1. In sage counsel old.
V. 7. And to advise how war may, best upheld,

Move by.

Besides to know
What
power

the church and sobat ibe civill means, I hou teaches beft, which few have ever done. Afterwards thus,

Both spirituall power and civill, what each means,

Thou hast learn'd well, a praise which few have won.
Lastly, as in our text.
V. 13. Therefore on thy firme hand religion leans

In pence, and reckons thee her eldest son,
But at first, right hand.
This Sonnet is in a female hand, unlike either of the two laft

.
(SONNETS xviij. xix. xx. do not appear.)

SONN. xxi. fol. 49.
The four first lines are wanting.
V. 8. And what the Swedes intend.
In the hand of a fourth woman, as it seems.

Sonn. xxii, fol. 49.
V. 3. Beseft of light.

V.9.

41

V. 43 ,

c V. 4. Dorb fight appear

Of sun or moon.-
V.7. Against god's hand or will, nor bate a jot

Of heart and hope, but still attend to steer

Up billward.
V. 12. Of which all Europe talks from side to side :

This thought would lead me through the world's vain mark

Content though blind, had I no better guide. In the same female hand as the last.

SONN. xxiii. fol.

50. No variations, but in the spelling. In a fifth female hand.

EDITION s.

I. EMS of Mr. John Milton, Both ENGLISH and LATIN,

composed at several times. Printed by his true copies. The “ Songs were set in musick by Mr. Henry Lawes, gentleman of “ thc King's Chappel, and one of his MAIESTies private musick.

Barcare frontem
Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua futuro.

Virgil, Eclog, 7. “ Printed and published according to order. London, Printed by Ruth “Raworth for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at the ligne of " the Princes Arms in Pauls Church yard. 1645." [N.B. COMUS • had been before separately printed in 1637. And Lycidas, in 1638. See above, p. 1.120.] Then follows this addrefs from the Stationer to the Reader. “ It is not any private respect of gain, gentle reader, “ for the flighteit pamphlet is now adayes more vendible then the “ works of learnedeft men; but it is the love I have to our lan.

guage that hath made me diligent to collect, and set forth such

peeces both in prose and vers, as may renew the wonted honour and “ esteem of our English tongue : and it's the worth of these both “ English and Latin Poems, not the flourish of any prefixed encomions “that can invite thee to buy them, though these are not without the “highest commendations and applause of the learnedit Academicks, both “ domestick and forrein : And amongst thofe of our own counlrey, " the unparalleled attestation of that renowned provost of Eaton, Sir "Henry Wootton. I know not thy palat how it relishes such " dainties, nor how harmonious thy soul is; perhaps more trivial airs

may please thee better. But howsoever thy opinion is spent upon thesc, that encouragement I have already received from the moitin

“ genious

" genious men in their cicar and courteous entertainment of Mr Wal. “lers late choice peeces, hath once more made me adventure into the " world, presenting it with these ever-green, and not to be blasted “ Laurels. The authors more peculiar excellency in these studies,

was too well known to conceal his papers, or to keep me from at. “ tempting to follicit them from him. Let the event guide it self which

way it will, I fall deserve of the age, by bringing into the light

as true a birth, as the Muses have brought forth lince our famous “ Spencer wrote ; whose poems in thefe Englifh ones are as rarely “ imitated, as sweetly excelled. Reader, if thou art eagle-eied to cen“ sure their worth, I am not fearful to expose them io thy exadeft “ perusal. Thine to command HUMPH. Moseley.” After the ENG. Lish Poems there is a new title-page, “ Joannis Miltoni Londinensis “POEMATA. Quorum pleraque intra annum ætatis vigefinum « conscripsit. Nunc primum edita. Londini, Typis R. R. [Ruth Ra.

worth.) Prostant ad Insignia Principis in Cæmeterio D. Pauli, ayud “ Humphredum Moseley. 1645." In duodecimo. The author's Effiges, with a Greek infcription, is prefixed.

II. “Poems, &c. Upon several occasions. By John Milton. Both “English and Latin, &c. Composed at several times. With a so finall Tractate of Education To Mr. Hartlib. London, Prined “ for Tho. Dring at the White Lion next Chancery Lane end, in “ Fleet-itreet. 1673.” After the English Poems there is a second title-page, “ Joannis Miltoni Londinensis POEMATA. Quorum pe“raque intra annum ætatis vigefimum conscripsit. Nunc primum edia.

Londini, Excudebat W. R. Anno 1673." To the ENGLISH Poers in this edition were first added, 1. Ode on the death of a fair.infas. 2. At a Vacation exercise in the college. 3. On tbe new forcers of cascience under the long Parliament. 4. Horace to Pyrrha. 5. Nine So'nets. 6. All the English Psalms. To the LATIN Poems, 1. Apoilogus de Ruftico e Hero. 2. Ad Joannem Roufium, &c. In this editio, the Epiltle from sir H. Wootton, which stands before Comus in the laft, is omitted. In duodecimo. Milion was now living.

III. For Tonson, 1695. In folio. After Paradise Lost, PAR DISE REGAINED, and Samson AGONISTES. An exact repetition f the last. This is the first time that the greater and smaller poems wee printed together. The whole is in one volume. With Hume's nots on Paradise Lost. The smaller Poems, those, I mean, which cora pose this volume, make fixty pages.

IV. For Tonson, 1705. In octavo. With cuts, `After the greate Poems,

V. For Tonson, 1713. In octavo. Here are first added, from T. land and Philips, SONNETS, xv. xvi. xvii. xxii. With cuts, 1. Joanis Milloni effigies, by Vandergucht, copied from edition 1645. (Se above, p. 546.] 2. L'Allegro, or Mirth. 3. Il Penjeroso, or Melacholy. 4. Shakespearc. 5. Hobson the carrier. After the greatr Poems, which have also cuts.

VI. Fr

.

4 1 2

VI. For Tonson, 1720. In quarto. A Part of all Milton's poetical works, in two volumes. This publication was conducted by Tickell, who is said to have compiled the Index to Paradise Lost, of principal matters. With Cuts, both to the greater and smaller Poems.

VII. For Tonson, 1725. In duodecimo. After the greater Poems. Under the care of Fenton ; who prefixed to the Paradise Lost, a new Life of Milton. He endeavoured to correct the punctuation. This edition was reprinted in 1730, if not before. It retains the Leller to Hartlib.

VIII. For Tonson and Draper, 1752. In one quarto volume, to. gether with PARADISE REGAINED, and SAMSON AGONISTEs. Under the care of doctor Newton, with Notes. This volume is a sequel to the PARADISE Lost, with Notes, in two quarto volumes, published by the fame, in 1749". It was reprinted in two octavo volumes, 1753. Again, 1763. And afterwards. Here for the first time, not only the PARADISE REGAINED, and SAMSON AGONISTES, but our Smiller Poems appear with Notes. The editor added the Latin cpi. gran to Chriftina. But he omits the Translated Pragments, and three Lain epigrams on More and on Salmafius, all which were first collected in Tickell's edition.

X. At Edingburgh, 1752. In octavo, with a Glossary. A Part of all Milton's Poetical works, in two volumes.

1. At Birmingham, by Bakerville, 1758. In large octavo. With the greater Poems. The whole is in two volumes; and professedly a copy of Newton's edition of all Milton's poetical works, without the Nites.

Perhaps I have overlooked one or two reimpressions of very little casequence or authority.

A head is prefixed from Richardson's collection, engraved by Vertue, unlike every oth head of Milton. Aged 42. This is not repeated in the fublequent editions,

The plates, designed by Hayman, and engraved by Grignion, were given by lord Bh.

*** Speedily will be published,
The FOURTH and last Volume of
The HISTORY OF ENGLISH POETRY.