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INTRODUCTION.

N the ordinary course of writing for The Spectator, Addifon determined upon a fummary expofition of Paradife Loft; intending in fome four or half a dozen papers, 'to give a general Idea of its Graces and Imperfections.' Though his fubject was a recent masterwork, it was then comparatively unknown and certainly inadequately appreciated. Addifon's purpose was to make Milton's great Epic popular. His fenfe of the indifference and prejudices to be overcome, may be gathered, not only from his, at first, guarded and argued praife of Milton; his large comparative criticism of Homer and Virgil, as if to make Milton the more acceptable; but also from his announcement, see page 25: where, under the cover of a Commentary on the great and acceptedly-great name of Aristotle, he endeavours to get a hearing for the unknown Milton.

In accordance with this intention, at the close of his fixth paper,† Addison announces the termination of the criticism on the following Saturday. The effays, however, had met with an unexpected fuccefs. So that their author -the subject growing easily under his hand-was induced, inftead of offering famples of the Beauties of the poem, in one effay, to give a separate paper to those in each of the twelve books of Paradife Loft. His caution however prevented him even then, from announcing his fresh purpose, until he was well on in his work; entering upon the confideration of the Fourth Book.§

Thefe conditions of production not only fhow the tentativeness of the criticism, but account in part for the treatment of the subject. In particular, for the repetition in expanded form in its later effays, of arguments, opinions, &c., epitomized in the earlier § p. 75

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ones. As, for instance; the impropriety of Allegory in Epic poetry.

Before the appearance of the laft of the Milton papers, Volume IV. of the fecond (firft collected) edition of The Spectator, which included the first ten essays, had probably been delivered to its fubfcribers. The text of this edition shows confiderable additions and corrections. So that Addison was revising the earlier, poffibly before he had written the later of these papers. The eight last papers formed part of Volume V. of the second edition, which was published in the following year, 1713.

Subfequently in the Author's lifetime-at leaft one important addition was made to the text†; but the scarcity of early editions of The Spectator has prevented any further collation. In this way the growing text grew into final form: that in which it has come down to us.

In the present work, the text is that of the original iffue, in folio. The variations and additions of the fecond edition, in 8vo, are inferted between []. Words in the first, omitted in the second edition are distinguished by having* affixed to them. Subsequent additions are inserted between { }; which also contain the English translations of the mottoes. These have been verified with those in the earliest edition in which I have found them, that of 1744. The reader can therefore watch not only the expansion of the criticism, but Addison's method of correcting his work.

These papers do not embody the writer's entire mind on the subject. Limited as he was in time, to a week; in space, to the three or four columns of the Saturday folio: he was ftill more limited by the capacity, taste, and patience of his readers. Addison shows not a little art in the way in which, meting out his thought with the measure of his readers' minds, he endeavours rather to awaken them from indifference than to exprefs his complete observations. The whole four months' leffon

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in criticism must be apprehended, as much with reference to those he was teaching to discriminate and appreciate, as to the fettered expreffion of the critic's own opinion.

The accepted standards in Epic poetry were Homer and Virgil. All that Addison tries to do is to persuade his countrymen to put Milton by their fide.

Paganism could not furnish out a real Action for a Fable greater than that of the Iliad or Eneid, and therefore an Heathen could not form a higher Notion of a Poem than one of that kind, which they call an Heroic. Whether Milton's is not of a fublimer Nature I will not prefume to determine, it is fufficient that I fhew there is in Paradife Loft all the Greatness of Plan, Regularity of Design, and masterly Beauties which we discover in Homer and Virgil.†

Poffibly it is owing to the then absence of an equal acknowledgment in England of Dante, Addison's confequent limitation of purpose, and the conditions of the production of this criticism, that there is no recognition therein of the great Italian Epic poet.

These papers constitute a Primer to Paradife Loft. Most skilfully constructed both to interest and instruct, but ftill a Primer. As the excellent fetting may the better display the gem of incalculable value: so may Addifon's thought help us to understand Milton's 'greatness of Soul, which furnished him with fuch glorious Conceptions.' Let us not stop at the Primer, but pafs on to a perfonal apprehenfion of the great English Epic; in the perfuafion, that in no fpeech under heaven, is there a poem of more Sublimity, Delight, and Instruction than that which Milton was maturing for a quarter of a century: and that there is nothing human more wonderful and at the fame time more true, than thofe vifions of 'the whole System of the intellectual World, the Chaos and the Creation; Heaven, Earth, and Hell' over which-in the deep darkness of his blindness-Milton's fpirit fo long brooded, and which at length he revealed to Earth in his astonishing Poem.

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ADDISON'S CRITICISM ON MILTON'S 'PARADISE LOST.'

* Editions not seen.

The various editions of The Spectator are omitted, for want of space, because the scarcity of its early issues, prevents an exact list being given. See note on the three earliest issues, at p. 10.

1719. London.

(a) Essues in the Author's lifetime.

I. As a separate publication.

Notes on the Twelve Books of Paradise Lost, ColI vol. 12mo. lected from the SPECTATOR. Written by Mr.Addison.

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(b) Issues since the Author's death.

6 vols. 8vo.

1811. London. 1819. London.

6 vols. 8vo.

7 vols. 8vo.

1826. London. 1849. London.

6 vols. 8vo.

2 vols. 8vo.

1856. New York. 1856. London.

6 vols. 8vo.

6 vols. 8vo.

I. As a separate publication.

English Reprints: see title at p. I.

II. With other works.

Addison's works [Ed: with Life by T. TICKELL.] The criticism occupies iii. 268-382.

Baskerville edition. Addison's works. The criticism occupies iii. 246-355.

A familiar Exposition of the Poetical Works of Milton. To which is prefixed Mr. Addison's Criticism on 'Paradise Lost.' With a preface by the Rev. Mr. DODD. The criticism occupies pp. 1-144.

Papers in the Tatler, Spectator, Guardian, and Freeholder, together with his Treatise on the Christian Religion, &c. Watt.

The Poetical works of John Milton. Ed. by REV.
H. J. TODD, M.A. The criticism occupies i. 24-194.
Selections from the Spectator, Tatler, Guardian, and
Freeholder. With a preliminary Essay by ANNA
LETITIA BARBAULD. The criticism occupies ii. 38—170.
Addison's works. Collected by Mr. TICKELL. The
criticism occupies ii. 83-221.
Addison's works. With notes by Bp. HURD. The
criticism occupies iv. 78-208.
Second edition of No. 6.

1-153.

The criticism occupies L

Third edition of No. 6. The criticism, without quotations, occupies ii. vii.-xcviii.

A new edition of No. 7. The criticism occupies ii. 169-184.

Addison's works. Ed. by G. W. GREENE. The criticism occupies vi. 24-168.

Bohn's British Classics. Addison's works. A new edition of No. 9. The criticism occupies iii. 170-283.

Joseph Addison,

CRITICISM

ON

Milton's

PARADISE LOST.

FROM THE SPECTATOR.'

Three Poets, in three diftant Ages born,
Greece, Italy, and England did adorn.
The First in loftinejs of thought Surpafs'd,
The Next in Majefty; in both the Laft.
The force of Nature cou'd no farther goe:
To make a Third fhe joynd the former two.

DRYDEN. Under Milton's picture in Tonfon's folio
(the fourth) edition of Paradife Loft, &c. 1688.

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