EMBELLISHED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS BY JOHN THOMPSON, NEW EDITION. WITH AN INDEX, AND A SELECTION OF EXPLANATORY NOTES BY HENRY G. BOHN. LONDON: HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. Geant. 8286 2-28-1923 English • Hanford. 2 vols., LONDON: CLAY, SON, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, BREAD STREET HILL. 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, has been thought advisable to dispense with them here. it * 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. 418730 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. HENRY G. BOHN. March 28th, 1861. |