by John Milton
PSALM 114
Date: end of Nov. 1634; from reference, apparently to this paraphrase, in a letter to Alexander Gill, dated Dec. 4.
Texts: 1645*, 1673.
1673.
1673.
1673.
PHILOSOPHUS AD REGEM…
Date: Dec. 1634 ?; perhaps close to Ps. 114 which it follows in 1645.
Texts: 1645*, 1673.
Title insontem / in tem 1673, two lines, son apparently cut off by right margin during printing.
1673.
1673
1673.
1673
1673.
ON TIME
Date: 1633–1637 ?; see textual note for Solemn Musick.
Texts: 1645, 1673, TM*; Bodleian MS, Ashmole 36, 37, f. 22r.
Title (To be) set on a clock case TM, deleted, replaced by present title, Vpon a Clocke Case, or Dyall BMS. (2) stepping / sleepeinge BMS. (17) the / your BMS. (18) t’whose / whose BMS. (19–22) Shall heape our days with everlastinge store | When death and Chance, and thou O tyme shalbee noe more. BMS.
UPON THE CIRCUMCISION
Date: 1633–37 ?; see textual note for Solemn Musick.
Texts: 1645, 1673, TM*.
(1) not indented 1645, 1673, TM. (14) double indentation 1645, 1673. (15) not indented 1645, 1673. (27) not indented 1673. (28) double indentation 1645, 1673.
AT A SOLEMN MUSICK
Date: 1637. Date depends on when TM was begun, since the ode was worked out in it shortly afterward. Recent argument has suggested its first use in autumn 1637 (see Shawcross, “Speculations”). All previously dated in the early 1630’s, On Time and Upon the Circumcision precede Solemn Musick in composition but lie apparently close to it. Unlike the early sonnets, the three odes evidence Italian prosody drawn directly from Tuscan poetry, as Prince shows (pp. 59–65); here Milton developed the “disciplined improvisation” which is basic to Lycidas.
Texts: 1645, 1673, TM 4*. There are two preliminary drafts of the full poem (TM 1, TM 2) and an additional revision (TM 3) of ll. 17–28; since they are superseded by TM 4, they are not collated. A correction in Milton’s hand is found in the Bodleian Library copy of 1645 (catalogued 80 M168 Art, but kept as Arch G.f.17): l. 6, “content” changed to “concent”.
(6) concent / content, 1645. (28) not indented 1645, 1673; with him, and sing 1645 / and sing with him TM 4.
LYCIDAS
Date: Nov. 1637; date given in TM.
Texts: Justa Edovardo King naufrago (1638), 1645*, 1673, TM*. Corrections in Milton’s hand occur in the Cambridge University copy of 1638 and in British Museum copy C.21.c.42: (10) he knew / he well knew CM, BM. (51) lord / lov’d CM, BM. (53) the old / your old CM. (67) do, / use CM, BM. (157) humming / whelming CM, BM. (175) oazie / oozie CM; oosie also in margin of CM. (177) in the blest kingdom[s meeke] of Joy, and Love. added CM without comma and period, BM with bracketed section torn off. A scrap of proof for p. 21 of 1638, ll. 23–58, was found pasted on the inner side of the back cover of De Literis & Lingua Getarum, 1597, in the Cambridge University Library (facsimile in Scolar ed.). Corrections, etc., are: (25, 27, 28, 29, 31, 41, 49) corrections of letters. (26) eye-lids hyphen inserted. (27) a-field, hyphen inserted. (31) wheel. period inserted. (32, 37, 52) realignment of type. Alterations made to the TM after 1640 are not, of course, found in 1638.
Headnote missing 1638 And … height. / missing TM. (10) he well knew / he knew 1638, 1645, 1673. (15) not indented British Museum copy 1077.d.51 of 1638. (25) not indented 1638. (26) opening / glimmering 1638. (30) Oft till the ev’n-starre bright 1638; in / at 1645, 1673. (31) westring / burnisht 1638. (50) not indented 1638. (51) lov’d / lord 1638. (53) your / the 1638. (56) Ay / Ah 1638. (64) not indented 1638; incessant / uncessant 1638, 1645, 1673. (65) tend / end 1673. (66) strictly / stridly 1638. (67) use, / do, 1638. (69) Or with / Hid in 1638. (73) when / where 1638. (85) not indented 1638. (103) not indented 1638. (105) Inwraught / Inwrought 1638, 1645, 1673. (114) Anow / Enough 1638, anough TM. (129) little / nothing 1645, 1673, not reinstated in TM. (131) smite / smites 1638. (149) beauties / beauty 1638, 1645, 1673. (157) whelming / humming 1638, TM. (177) omitted 1638.
AD PATREM
Date: Mar. 1638 ?; probably written about the time of publication of Mask (c, Feb.–Mar. 1638 ?), perhaps to accompany a gift copy. The poem may have been provoked by opposition to Milton’s travelling abroad in preparation for a literary career. H. A. Barnett (MLN, LXXIII [1958], 82–83) has shown that the time of year of composition may be around Mar.
Texts: 1645*, 1673.
(8) possint / possunt 1673.
AD SALSILLUM
Date: Nov. ? 1638; during first visit to Rome since it precedes Mansus in 1645.
Texts: 1645*, 1673.
MANSUS
Date: Dec. 1638; written and sent to Manso when Milton was in Naples.
Texts: 1645*, 1673.
(62) Peneium / Peceium 1645 Fletcher. (82) Aut / Ant 1673. (83) adsit) / ad sit) 1645, 1673.
AD LEONORAM ROMÆ CANENTEM
Date: Feb. ? 1639; composed apparently during second visit to Rome.
Texts: 1645*, 1673.
AD EANDEM: “Another Leonora captured …”
Date: Feb. ? 1639; composed apparently during second visit to Rome.
Texts: 1645*, 1673.
(5) canentem / canentam 1673, erratum corrects. (8) desipuisset / desipuiiset 1645, desipulisset 1673, erratum corrects.
AD EANDEM: “Why, credulous Naples, …”
Date: Feb. ? 1639; composed apparently during second visit to Rome.
Texts: 1645*, 1673.
EPITAPHIUM DAMONIS
Date: autumn 1639; see headnote and ll. 58–61, 64, the notably rainy season of England being Oct.–Nov. and the poem being written around harvest time.
Texts: 1640 (?), 1645*, 1673. At conclusion 1640 has: “Londini”. Headnote oriundus, / onundus, 1640.
SONNET 8
Date: before Nov. 13, 1642, the date on which the Royalist army would have reached London.
Texts: 1645, 1673, TM* (scribe).
Title On his dore when ye Citty expected an assault TM, scribe, deleted, When the assault was intended to ye Citty 1642 TM, Milton, date deleted. (3) If deed of honour did thee ever please, 1673.
SONNET 9
Date: 1643–45; position in TM.
Texts: 1645, 1673, TM*.
(5) with Ruth / the Ruth, 1645. (13) of night, 1645 / () night TM.
SONNET 10
Date: 1643–45; position in TM.
Texts: 1645, 1673, TM*.
Title To ye Lady Margaret Ley TM.
IN EFFIGIEI EJUS SCULPTOREM
Date: 1645; written to accompany portrait, drawn in 1645 for the first collected edition, though apparently based also on the Onslow portrait of 1629. In Pro se defensio (p. 84) Milton indicates the execution of the portrait for the edition of the poems.
Texts: 1645*, 1673. Given under portrait (frontispiece) in 1645, without title. 2 1673.
SONNET 11
Date: autumn 1645 ?; traditional dating is 1646 ? since the poem follows Son. 13 in TM; however, its numbering and l. 3 suggest an earlier date of composition.
Texts: 1673, TM* 1 (Milton), TM 2 (scribe).
Numbered eleven by Milton and scribe, but transposed with Son. 12 by 1673 printer and erroneously titled to achieve topic reference.
Title On the same. 1673, On the detraction wch follow’d upon my writing certain treatises TM 1, deleted; TM 2. (4) cuckoes, TM 2 / buzzards, TM 1.
SONNET 13
Date: c. Feb. 9, 1646; from TM.
Texts: Choice Psalmes put into Musick For Three Voices (1648), 1673, TM 2* (Milton), TM 3 (scribe). A first draft (TM 1) in Milton’s hand, being superseded by TM 2, is not collated except for its title, source of the 1648 title. Present lines 6 and 8 are not found in TM 1.
Title To my Friend Mr. Henry Lawes. 1648, To Mr. H. Lawes, on his Aires. 1673, TM 3 (as result of deletions), To my friend Mr Hen. Laws Feb. 9. 1645 TM 1, To Mr: Hen:
Laws on the publishing of his Aires TM 2 (scribe, in reference to 1653 publication), TM 3 (deleted to 1673 form with alteration to Lawes). (9) lend / send 1673. (11) story. / *story. 1648, which has four lines in left margin: “The story of Ariadne set by him in Music.”
SONNET 14
Date: Dec. 1646; from TM.
Texts: 1673, TM 2* (Milton), TM 3 (scribe). A first draft (TM 1) in Milton’s hand, being superseded by TM 2, is not collated except for its unique title.
Title On ye religious memorie of Mrs Catharine Thomason my christian freind deceas’d 16 Decem. 1646 TM 1, deleted (16, separately deleted, apparently was a false start of year). (1) thee / the TM 3. (12) in / on 1673, TM 3.
AD JOANNEM ROÜSIUM
Date: Jan. 1647; printed date, perhaps of delivery, is Jan. 23.
Texts: 1673; Bodleian Library MS, Lat. misc. d. 77* (scribe, with a one-word correction by Milton).
Title Ode. / Ode. Joannis Miltonj MS.
THE FIFTH ODE OF HORACE. BOOK 1.
Date: 1646–48 ?; conjectural; appears before Forcers of Conscience in 1673, except for incorrectly placed Vacation Exercise. Dated by others from 1626 to 1655, but specific Latin text may not have been published before 1636.
Text: 1673*. All variants from 1673.
English Text: Title Book / Lib.
Latin Text: Three differences from modern versions are found: “munditie” and “quoties” in l. 5, and “Intentata” in l. 13. The text published by Milton, including these variants and not evidencing differences, is found in Quinti Horatii Flacci poëmata scholiis siva annotationibus a I. Bond illustrate (Amsterodami: G. J. Blaeuw, 1636).
SONNET 12
Date: Jan. 1647 ?; from position in TM.
Texts: 1673, TM 1* (Milton with revisions by scribe), TM 2 (scribe).
Numbered twelve by Milton and scribe, but transposed with Son. 11 by 1673 printer. (8) is it harder, / is harder 1673, erratum adds it. (9) Colkitto, / Coliktto, 1673, corrected by erratum.
ON THE FORCERS OF CONSCIENCE
Date: early 1647 ?; conjectured from intended position in TM. Two notes—one by Milton, one by a scribe—both place the poem between Son. 12 and Son. 15.
Texts: 1673, TM* (scribe, revisions by second scribe).
Title On the new forcers of Conscience under the Long PARLIAMENT. 1673. (1) off / of 1673. (17) bauk / bank 1673, changed by erratum.
PSALMS 80–88
Date: Apr. 1648; published note.
Text: 1673*. All variants from 1673.
Ps. 80: (77) verse number omitted. Ps. 81: margin (29) *Besether / *Be Sether; (66) flour / flowr. Ps. 83: (8) high / hie.
SONNET 15
Date: Aug. 1648; on basis of TM title, before news of capture of Colchester (Aug. 27) reached London.
Texts: Letters of State (1694), TM*.
No lines are indented in 1694. In l. 8 TM reads “their” but the editor believes Milton’s “her” was altered by an unknown hand; see note to ll. 7–8. “Warrs” in l. 10 has been mistranscribed as “Warr,” in other editions.
Title To my Lord FAIRFAX. 1694, On ye Lord Gen. Fairfax at ye seige of Colchester TM, deleted. (2) Filling each mouth / And fills all Mouths 1694. (4) that / which 1694. (5) vertue / Valour 1694. (6) though / while 1694. (8) her / their TM. (10) Warrs / War, 1694; endless / Acts of 1694. (11) Truth, and Right / injur’d Truth 1694. (12) cleard from the shamefull brand / be rescu’d from the Brand 1694. (14) share / shares 1694.
VERSE FROM PRO POPULO ANGLICANO DEFENSIO
Date: 1650; ordered to answer Salmasius, Jan. 8, 1650, and Defensio prima published in Feb. 1651.
Texts: Madan #1 (1651)*, p. 154; Madan #2 (1651), p. 202; Madan #9 (1651), p. 249; Madan #13 (1652), p. 212; Madan #14 (1658), p. 127. See F. F. Madan, The Library, Ser. 4, IV (1923–24), 119–45, and Ser. 5, IX (1954), 112–21. The poem appears in Chapter 8.
SONNET 16
Date: May 1652; from TM.
Texts: Letters of State (1694), TM* (scribe, revisions by second scribe). No lines are indented in 1694.
Title To Oliver Cromwell. 1694, To the Lord Generall Cromwell May 1652 On the proposalls of certaine ministers at ye Commtee for Propagation of the Gospell TM, deleted. (1) who / that 1694; cloud / Croud, 1694. (2) detractions / distractions 1694. (5) omitted 1694. (6) Hast reard Gods Trophies / And Fought God’s Battels, 1694. (7) stream / Streams 1694. (8) resounds / resound 1694. (11) renown’d then / than those of 1694. (12) with / in 1694.
SONNET 17
Date: June ? 1652; according to a statement in 1662 (p. 93), the sonnet was sent to Vane on July 3.
Texts: Life and Death of Sir Henry Vane (1662), Letters of State (1694), TM* (scribe).
Only l. 9 is indented in 1694. Title To Sir HENRY VANE. 1694, To Sr Henry Vane the younger TM, deleted. (7) best, / best be 1694. (8) Move / Mann’d 1694. (10) power / omitted 1694. (11) severs / serves 1694. (13) firm / Right 1694. (14) And reckons thee in chief her Eldest Son. 1694.
PSALMS 1–8
Dates: Aug. 7–14, 1653; published note.
Text: 1673*.
Ps. 4; (14) apart / a part 1673.
VERSE FROM DEFENSIO SECUNDA
Date: 1654 ?; Defensio secunda was published in May 1654.
Texts: Ed. 1* (London, 1654), pp. 38–39; Ed. 2 (Hague, 1654), p. 28; Ed. 3 (Hague, 1654), p. 28.
(2) algentes / algentis Edd. 2, 3. (4) amicire / amiciri Ed. 3.
SONNET 18
Date: May ? 1655; date of state letters.
Text: 1673*.
Title On the late Massacher in Piemont. 1673. (10) sow / so 1673, erratum corrects.
SONNET 19
Date: Oct. ? 1655; position in 1673 edition. Date of composition is frequently given as 1652 because of l. 2 and the date of Milton’s blindness; however, see n. to that line.
Text: 1673*.
(12) indented 1673.
SONNET 20
Date: Oct.–Nov. 1655; position in 1673 and ll. 2–5.
Text: 1673*.
SONNET 21
Date: Oct.–Nov. 1655; position in TM and 1673.
Texts: 1673*, TM*, ll. 5–14 (scribe). Lines 1–4 are missing in TM.
(2) with / with with 1673. (8) intends / intend, 1673.
SONNET 22
Date: Dec. 1655; position in TM and reference in l. 1 to total blindness (around beginning of 1652).
Texts: Letters of State (1694), TM* (scribe).
No lines are indented in 1694. Title To Mr. Cyriac Skinner Upon his Blindness. 1694. (3) light / Sight, 1694. (4) sight / day 1694. (5) Of / Or 1694. (7) a / one 1694. (12) talks / rings 1694. (13) the / this 1694. (14) better / other 1694.
SONNET 23
Date: 1656–58 ?; date of composition may depend on the wife intended; however, the scribe is not known to have been employed by Milton before Jan. 1658.
Texts: 1673, TM* (scribe).
PARADISE LOST
Date: 1642 ?–1665 ?; early drafts probably date c. 1640, and Edward Phillips (Darbishire, pp. 72–73) read IV, 32–41, c. 1642.
Texts: 1667 (arguments, verse discussion, and errata added in reissues of 1668, 1669), 1674*; MS of I in Morgan Library (scribe, with corrections by various hands). Two different title pages exist for each issue of the first edition, the preliminary material being added with the second title page of 1668. There are two states of the first page of the first printing of this material: “The Printer to the Reader” appears in a four-line form and a six-line form. A second printing of the preliminary material, of sig. Z (VII.1–238), and of sig. Vv (X.1424–1541) was made at the time that the second title page of 1669 was produced. Two or three states exist in a number of signatures of 1667, two in the second printing of the verse, and three in the second printing of sig. Vv. The second edition of 1674 shows two states in sigs. A–D (Books I–II), alterations of three page numbers in later signatures, and a change of one word in the argument to X. A copy of this edition with a 1675 title page is found in the Univ. of Illinois Library; the copy shows a State 2 printing except
for the recto of the B sig. in State 1. The MS apparently was the copy text for the first edition.
VERSE
and of Virgil / and Virgil 1669 printing.
BOOK I
(Argument) This / The 1668, 1669 printings. (25) Eternal / th’Eternal 1667, corrected by erratum. (159) aught MS / ought 1667, 1674. (173) The / This MS. (377) thir / the 1667, 1674, MS. (432) these MS / those 1667, 1674. (504) th’hospitable dore / hospitable Dores 1667, MS. (505) Expos’d a Matron to avoid / Yielded thir Matrons to prevent 1667, MS. (530) fainting / fainted 1667, MS. (603) courage, / valour, MS. (703) founded MS, 1667 / found out 1674. (756) Capitol MS, changed / Capital 1667, 1674, MS. (758) Band and / and Band 1667, reversed by erratum.