BASKERVILLE'S MILTON

MILTON (John). Paradise Lost. A Poem, in Twelve Books, together with, Paradise Regain'd. A Poem, in Four Books. To which is added Samson Agonistes: and Poems upon Several Occasions, 2 vols. 8vo. (9.5"x6.5") contemporary lightly mottled calf gilt, skilfully rebacked, marbled edges. 

Birmingham, Printed by John Baskerville for J. and R. Tonson in London. 1758

This is Baskerville's first edition of Milton; and the preface contains 'the only real statement of his aims and purpose he ever made.' (F.E. Pardoe, John Baskerville of Birmingham).

Among the subscribers to this edition were William Blackstone, Sir Francis Dashwood, Erasmus Darwin, Abraham Darby, Ben Franklin, William Shenstone, Horace Walpole, Johnson's intimates Topham Beauclerk and Bennet Langton and Boswell's friend George Dempster.

Bound without the initial blank leaf in each volume; the 'Life' that appears in volume 2 is here also bound-into volume 1, as Gaskell notes is sometimes the case; fly-title to 'Samson Agonistes' misbound, closed-tear into 2 leaves in volume 1 (with no loss),  3 pages with previous owner stamp (see photos), light sporadic foxing with occasional heavier foxing, otherwise a good sound copy in a sympathetically rebacked contemporary calf binding that has pleasantly weighty boards.