[Milton-L] A Milton quote

[Schwartz, Louis]

I believe that the quotation is a paraphrase of the following passage from An Apology Against a Pamphlet:

"And long it was not after, when I was confirmed in this opinion that he who would not be frustrate of his hope to write hearafter in laudable things, ought himself to be a true poem, that is, a composition and pattern of the best and honrablest things-not presuming to sing high praises of heroic men or famous cities, unless he have in himself the experience and practice of all that which is praiseworthy" (Hughes, 694).

At least I can't think of any place where Milton uses the exact language of the quotation, but I may just be forgetting something.

Louis

===========================
Louis Schwartz
Associate Professor of English
University of Richmond
Richmond, VA  23173
(804) 289-8315
lschwart at richmond.edu<mailto:lschwart at richmond.edu>



________________________________
From: milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu [mailto:milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu] On Behalf Of Nancy Charlton
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 1:12 AM
To: John Milton Discussion List
Subject: [Milton-L] A Milton quote

"Dr Mardy's Quotes of the Week" just came in, and I find a Milton quotation in it:

"Let him who would write heroic poems make his life a heroic poem."
         John Milton

I have no convenient way to find out where in Milton's oeuvre this is found. I find the idea intriguing though. Very Renaissance, echo of Jonson's poem where he dubs his son his best poem.

Nancy Charlton
http://groups.google.com/group/paradiselostdaily

. . . Till old experience do attain
To something like prophetic strain. (Il Penseroso)


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