422 THE LIFE OF MILTON. The fecond edition was printed in a (mall oaavo, and was correaed by the author himfelf, and the number of books was augmented from ten to twelve, with the addition of fome few verfes : and this alteration was made with great judgment, not for the fake of fuch a fanciful beauty as refembling the number of books in the Aneid, but for the more regular difpofition of the poem, becaufe the feventh and tenth books were before too long, and are more fitly divided each into two. The third edition was publifhed in 1678 : and it appears that Milton had left his remaining right in the copy to his widow, and The agreed with Simmons the printer to accept eight pounds in full ofall demands, and her receipt for the money is dated December 21, r680. But a little before this Simmons had covenanted to aka the whole right ofcopy to Brabazon Aylmer the bookfeller for twenty five pounds ; and Aylmer afterwards fold it to old Jacob Tonfon at two different times, one half on the 17th of Auguff 1683, and the other half on the 24th of March 169o, with a confiderable advance of the price : and except one fourth of it which has been afligned to feveral perfons, his family have enjoyed the right of copy ever fince. By the Taft allignment it appears, that the book was growing into repute and riling in valuation ; and to what perverfenefs could it be owing that it was not better received at firft ? We conceive there were principally two reafons ; the prejudices againfl the author on ac- count of his principles and party ; and many no doubt were offended with the novelty of a poem that was not in rime. Rymer, who was a redoubred critic in thole days, would not fo much as allow it to be a poem on this account ; and declared war againfi Milton as well as againft Shakefpear ; and threatened that he would write refleecions upon the Paradife Loft, which fame (fays he*) are pleated to call a poem, and would affert rime againft the flender fopl iary wherewith the author attacks it. And, fuch a man as bifhop Burnet maketh it a fort of objeCtion to Milton, that he affeaed to write in blank verfe without rime. And the fame reafon induced :Dryden to turn the principal parts of Paradife Loft into rime in his Opera 4. See Rymer's Tragedies of the la"! age carfider'd, p. 143.
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