John Milton - John Milton - Delphi Poets Series

John Milton

(16081674)

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Delphi Classics 2012

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John Milton

By Delphi Classics, 2012

John Milton - Delphi Poets Series

First published in the United Kingdom in 2015 by Delphi Classics.

Delphi Classics, 2015.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

ISBN: 9781908909541

Delphi Classics

is an imprint of

Delphi Publishing Ltd

Hastings, East Sussex

United Kingdom

Contact: sales@delphiclassics.com

www.delphiclassics.com

When reading poetry on an eReader, it is advisable to use a small font size, which will allow the lines of poetry to display correctly.

Bread Street, London Miltons birthplace

A plaque by the place where Milton was born

London in Miltons time

Portrait of John Milton in the National Portrait Gallery, c. 1629

Few collections of John Miltons poetry were published during his lifetime. His first printed poem was On Shakespear in 1630, which was anonymously included in the Second Folio edition of Shakespeares works:

ON SHAKESPEAR

WHAT needs my Shakespear for his honourd Bones,

The labour of an age in piled Stones,

Or that his hallowd reliques should be hid

Under a Star-ypointing Pyramid?

Dear son of memory, great heir of Fame,

What needst thou such weak witnes of thy name?

Thou in our wonder and astonishment

Hast built thy self a live-long Monument.

For whilst to thsharne of slow-endeavouring art,

Thy easie numbers flow, and that each heart

Hath from the Leaves of thy unvalud Book,

Those Delphick lines with deep impression took,

Then thou our fancy of it self bereaving,

Dost make us Marble with too much conceaving;

And so Sepulcherd in such pomp dost lie,

That Kings for such a Tomb would wish to die.

In 1645 Milton published Poems , a collection of poetic works divided into English and Latin sections. It comprises Miltons youthful poetry in a variety of genres, including notable works such as An Ode on the Morning of Christs Nativity , the famous masque Comus and the pastoral elegy Lycidas . The octavo volume was issued by the Royalist publisher Humphrey Moseley. At the time, Milton was a keen advocate of republican politics, but it is uncertain to what extent the collection adopted his views. Miltons publisher was known to support Royalist poets at the time, but the collection also contains praises of aristocrats and traditionally Royalist forms, such as the masque.

A year before his death, Milton released a revised edition of the Poems , which also included 32 new works.

The original titlepage

Milton, close to the time of publication

Composd 1629

I

This is the Month, and this the happy morn
Wherein the Son of Heavns eternal King,
Of wedded Maid, and Virgin Mother born,
Our great redemption from above did bring;
For so the holy sages once did sing, 5
That he our deadly forfeit should release,
And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.

II

That glorious Form, that Light unsufferable,
And that far-beaming blaze of Majesty,
Wherwith he wont at Heavns high Councel-Table, 10
To sit the midst of Trinal Unity,
He laid aside; and here with us to be,
Forsook the Courts of everlasting Day,
And chose with us a darksom House of mortal Clay.

III

Say Heavnly Muse, shall not thy sacred vein 15
Afford a present to the Infant God?
Hast thou no vers, no hymn, or solemn strein,
To welcom him to this his new abode,
Now while the Heavn by the Suns team untrod,
Hath took no print of the approching light, 20
And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons bright?

IV

See how from far upon the Eastern rode
The Star-led Wisards haste with odours sweet:
O run, prevent them with thy humble ode,
And lay it lowly at his blessed feet; 25
Have thou the honour first, thy Lord to greet,
And joyn thy voice unto the Angel Quire,