A second edition, with notes from various authors by Thomas Newton, published by Tonson, Draper and others, London in 1753.
Bound as one thick octavo … First Volume – Paradise Regain’d over 203 pages after preliminaries; Samson Agonistes pages 207-325; Second Volume – Poems upon Several Occasions 386 pages plus “Index of the less common words occasionally explained and illustrated in the Notes”.
Contemporary full leather binding rebacked at an early date, raised bands to spine with later in period title and author labels to the second and third compartments. Four copper engraved plates by Grignion from drawings by Hayman. Very little ageing or foxing a pretty clean set
For those unfamiliar, Milton was hugely praised for his earlier work Paradise Lost. It is suggested that Quaker Ellwood had put to him “but what about Paradise Found” and from that suggestion Milton produced Paradise Regain’d which was first published in 1671. About one fifth of the length of Paradise Lost it is largely based on the temptations of Christ as recorded in the Gospel of St Luke.
Samson Agonistes (Greek “the Champion) was published at the same time bound together as here. A tragedy that Milton never intended to be “played” … Samson the betrayal of Delila, losing his hair and consequently his strength and his sight (Milton was losing his at this time) and the destruction of the Temple. Handel based his famous oratorio on Milton’s work … the oft quoted expression “Eyeless in Gaza” was used by Aldous Huxley to title his novel of that name.
The many poems include The Passion, On Time, Upon the Circumcision, At a Solemn Music, Song … On May Morning, On Shakespear [then spelling], A Mask. Sonnets include … To the Nightingale, On his being arriv’d to the age of 23, When the assault was intended to the City, To a virtuous young Lady, to the Lady Margaret Ley etc Psalms … numerous and in Latin
Carries the bookplate of Robert Barker who was a tutor, Censor Philosophicus, Dean of Chapel at Queens’ College Cambridge at the time of publication. He was personal tutor to the Polish Prince Poniatowski.
Mid 18th century Milton in full leather period binding