THE PUBLICK is here prefented with a complete edition of the Poetical Works of Milton, accompanied with notes of various authors. To this undertaking I was invited, and encouraged, at the close of the year 1798. Without this previous declaration, I might have been accused of intrufion into the present office. Senfible that the task would have been better executed by many recent annotators on Milton, I would not indeed have liftened to the unexpected application of engaging in an employment fo important, if fome literary friends had not promised their affiftance. I therefore undertook to arrange my materials; and continued my inquiries till the clofe of the year 1799, when the edition began to be printed; at which time, nearly half a century had elapfed fince the publication of the Poetical Works entire, with illuftrations. And my attention to the progrefs and completion of the work in 1801, was conftant and unwearied. Of thofe criticks and annotators, whofe obfervations were selected in 1749, &c. by Dr. Newton; as well as of those, with whose subsequent remarks the following pages are enriched; fome account may be thought neceffary. The firft annotator on the poet was Patrick Hume, a Scotchman. He published, in 1695, a copious commentary on the Paradife Loft; "to which fome of his fucceffours in the fame province," fays Mr. Warton, "apprehending no danger of detection from This is the Preface to my first edition of Milton's Poetical Works, with fuch alterations and additions, as on account of unintentional mistake or omiffion, new materials, and other cir cumftances, are requifite. H. J. T. a Preface to his edition of Milton's Smaller Poems. VOL. I. d с a work rarely inspected, and too pedantick and cumberfome to attract many readers, have been often amply indebted, without even the most diftant hint of acknowledgement." His illuftrations in these volumes will be rarely found uninterefting. To him fucceeded the elegant Addifon, by whofe "blandishments of gentlenefs and facility, Milton has been made an univerfal favourite, with whom readers of every clafs think it neceffary to be acquainted." His effays on the Paradife Loft are here printed as a Preliminary Differtation; the remarks on each particular book not being detached from the general obfervations on the Poem, because the author himself was defirous that the reader fhould not neglect to view the whole extent of his criticifm. By the fame critick Comus and L'Allegro had been before commended. In 1732, Dr. Bentley published a fplendid edition of the Paradife Loft, by which he acquired no honour. His fpecious pretences of an interpolated text, and his arbitrary method of emendation, were received with derifion and disgust. Yet there are fome notes, in the edition, which befpeak the unvitiated tafte of this eminent fcholar, and to which the claffical reader will always thankfully fubfcribe. Immediately after the publication of this edition, the admirers of Milton were gratified by Dr. Pearce's mafterly and candid refutation of the editor's chimerical corrections: And the Review of the Text of Paradife Loft furnished abundant annotations, at once inftructive and delightful. In 1734, the two Richardfons published their Expla P. 18. Dr. Johnfon's Life of Addifon. See the Prolegomena in the fecond volume of this edition, Dr. Johnfon alfo wrote his Effay on Milton's Verfification, in order to ferve as a continuation of this criticifm. See the Proleg. in the fecond vol. pp. 152, 156. Tatler, No. 98. Nov. 24, 1709. Spectator, No. 249. Dec. 15, 1711. natory Notes on the Paradife Loft. Soon afterwards, Dr. Warburton communicated to the world fome remarks upon the fame poem. An Essay upon Milton's imitations of the Ancients, faid to be written by a gentleman of North Britain, whose name, it is believed, has not been divulged; the Letters concerning poetical Tranflations, afcribed to Auditor Benfon; and the Critical Obfervations on Shakspeare, in which are interfperfed remarks upon Milton, by Mr. Upton; were the next publications, from which Dr. Newton profeffes to have derived affiftance. But, befides the flower of those which had been already published, he added many new obfervations both of others and his own. He was indebted, for feveral ingenious illuftrations of Paradife Loft to his relation, Dr. Greenwood. He was alfo obliged by the ufe of Dr. Heylin's manufcript remarks on the fame poem; which had been before communicated to Bentley, and of which the greater part (according to his account) had been difingenuously adopted, f" I cannot," if I may employ Milton's expreffions, "think" Bentley "fo to feek, or fo unprincipled in" criticifm's" book," as to be guilty of this meannefs. I have been lately favoured, by the Rev. J. Mitford, (in whofe poffeffion this literary curiofity now is,) with the examination of Tonfon's quarto edition of Paradife Loft, 1720, containing Bentley's alterations of the text, as well as various memoranda for notes. These are probably the first expreflions and remarks of the great critick, in regard to the labour which he had undertaken. It may be acceptable to the curious reader, (and it is evident that they do not minutely accord with Bentley's edition,) if I prefent him with fpecimens from the beginning and end of the poem. B. i. ver. 5. facred top. ver. 13. adventurous wing. ver. 15. I purfue. ver. 16. verse, (5, 15.) then fong. ver. 18. ver. 26. th' heart upright. (221. 2, 72.) to Man. ver. 28. deep gulph. ver. 34. whofe wile. (646. 9, 85. And note at the bottom, Ephef. vi. 11. Wile, craft, guile, fraud.) by that critick, without acknowledgement. By the manuscript communications of Richardfon, Jortin, and Warburton; and more particularly by thofe of the modeft and liberal Mr. Thyer; his commentary on Paradife Loft was confiderably enlarged. To the fame learned coadjutors, with the addition of fuch refpectable names as Sympfon, and Seward, the editors of Beaumont and Fletcher; of the Rev. Mr. Meadowcourt,rebendary of Worcester; of the Rev. Mr. Calton of Lincolnshire; and of Mr. Peck, the antiquary; Dr. Newton's fubfequent edition of Paradife Regained, Samfon Agonistes, and the Smaller Poems, was alfo gratefully indebted. In the year after the publication of Dr. Newton's edition of Paradife Loft, there was published at Glasgow the firft Book of that poem with a large and very learned commentary; from which fome notes are selected in this edition. They, who are acquainted with this commentary, will concur with me in wifhing that the annotator had continued his ingenious and elaborate criticisms on the whole poem. That annotator, I find, was Mr. Callander. And fince the publication of my firft edition of these B. i. ver. 36. Thee mother, &c. ver. 39. God's Son. (5. 660. And at the bottom, To place in glory above the Son of God.) ver. 46. ruin and confufion. ver. 48. circling. (2. 647. And at the bottom, B. xii. ver. 599. ver. 603. Inchain'd with adamant rock and circling fire. Alfo, over circling is written folid.) her first to know. with caufe Humbled for evils paft ver. 610. Whither thou went't, and whence return'ft — ver. 648. Then wearied, afterwards carefull, next focial, and laftly with focial steps their way Through Eden took, with hope and promife chear'd. And for hope and promife is alfo given heav'nly favour. volumes, I have been favoured, by the learned Malcolm Laing, Efq. with a fmall interleaved Copy of Paradife Loft, containing memoranda of Mr. Čallander for notes on the whole poem, and a few remarks completed. In a letter from the late Mr. Mafon to Dodsley, the bookfeHer, dated May 31, 1747, which was in the poffeffion of my friend, the late Ifaac Reed, Efq. an editorial intention is announced; which, though not accomplished, it may not be improper here to notice; as it coincides with the opinion of him, who has fo ably illuftrated the picturefque description, and romantick imagery, of the poems which Mr. Mafon mentions; and to whose illustrations the editor muft next express his obligations. "I could wish to know," fays Mr. Malon, "whether Tonfon or any other Bookfeller has a property in the fecond volume of Milton. I have often thought it a great pity that many of the beautiful pieces it contains fhould be fo little read as they certainly are. I fancy this has arisen from the bad thing they are tack'd to. I want vastly to have a feparate edition of the Tragedy, Mafk, Lycidas, L'Allegro, &c. And I fancy I fhall fome time or other undertake it myself; but, if you think that it' would fell at prefent, I would willingly give you my affiftance either for a preface, or notes, or any thing that thould be thought neceffary; and this merely for the fake of the incomparable poet, whom I am not content with having confidered and praised as the Author of Paradife Loft alone." What Mr. Mafon might have intended, the late Mr. Warton effected. In 1785 the Publick was prefented with Lycidas, L'Allegro, Il Penferofo, Arcades, Comus, Odes, Sonnets, &c. accompanied with Mr. Warton's critical and explanatory notes; of which a fecond edition, with many alterations and large additions, was published in 1791, foon after his lamented death: In whom Poetry and Antiquity loft |