Other editions of book Areopagitica: A Defense of Free Speech - Includes Reproduction of the First Page of the Original 1644 Edition

They; who to states and governors of the Commonwealth direct their speech; High Court of Parliament; or; wanting such access in a private condition; write that which they foresee may advance the public good; I suppose them; as at the beginning of no mean endeavour; not a little altered and moved inwardly in their minds: some with doubt of what will be the success; others with fear of what will be the censure; some with hope; others with confidence of what they have to speak. And me perhaps each of these dispositions; as the subject was whereon I entered; may have at other times variously affected; and likely might in these foremost expressions now also disclose which of them swayed most; but that the very attempt of this address thus made; and the thought of whom it hath recourse to; hath got the power within me to a passion; far more welcome than incidental to a preface.

"Areopagitica; A speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England" is a 1644 prose polemic by the English poet, scholar, and polemical author John Milton opposing licensing and censorship.John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, man of letters, and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell.

Areopagitica; A speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England is a 1644 prose polemic by the English poet, scholar, and polemical author John Milton opposing licensing and censorship. Areopagitica is among history's most influential and impassioned philosophical defences of the principle of a right to freedom of speech and expression. Many of its expressed principles have formed the basis for modern justifications.

Areopagitica; A speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc'd Printing, to the Parlament of England is a 1644 prose polemic by the English poet, scholar, and polemical author John Milton opposing licensing and censorship. John Milton was an English poet and intellectual who served as a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell.

Areopagitica; A speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc'd Printing, to the Parlament of England is a 1644 prose polemic by the English poet, scholar, and polemical author John Milton opposing licensing and censorship. John Milton was an English poet and intellectual who served as a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell.

Areopagitica; A speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc'd Printing, to the Parlament of England is a 1644 prose polemic by the English poet, scholar, and polemical author John Milton opposing licensing and censorship. John Milton was an English poet and intellectual who served as a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell.

Areopagitica; A speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc'd Printing, to the Parlament of England is a 1644 prose polemic by the English poet, scholar, and polemical author John Milton opposing licensing and censorship. John Milton was an English poet and intellectual who served as a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell.

Areopagitica; A speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc'd Printing, to the Parlament of England is a 1644 prose polemic by the English poet, scholar, and polemical author John Milton opposing licensing and censorship.[1][clarification needed] Areopagitica is among history's most influential and impassioned philosophical defences of the principle of a right to freedom of speech and expression. Many of its expressed principles have formed the basis for modern justifications.

For college bookstore bulk discount, apply to bandanna@cox.net for discount code before ordering. John Milton's Areopagitica (named after a hill in Athens) is the foundation of the modern idea of freedom of the press. Milton's broad education in Latin and Greek sources allowed him to present a convincing case of the detrimental effects throughout history of censorship in any form. Milton, a child prodigy, aimed to be the best Latin poet in Europe. He made many friends on a trip to Italy, but he was warned by Galileo himself, then under house arrest, not to let censorship happen in England as it had in Italy. This may have led Milton, on his return, to turn his pamphleteering skills from the Divorce question to the issue then before the Long Parliament — government licensing of all printed materials. Shortly after Areopagitica was published, Oliver Cromwell appointed Milton his Latin secretary. Teachers— a Supplement Edition: Areopagitica filled with background information is available in print format at http://www.createspace.com/3674947. This provides the same text, with the same page numbering, as the student edition, with a wealth of information organized around typical student questions, plus a glossary. Here are the questions: Preface for Teachers Why is Areopagitica important? Who was John Milton? Who was in Milton's family? What was his childhood like? What happened during Milton's college career? How did Milton prepare himself after college? What happened on Milton's trip to Italy? Did Milton change on returning to England? Did Milton marry? What was he writing at this time? Why did Milton use this title? Why did he write Areopagitica? What was the public reaction to Areopagitica? What did the early critics say about Milton? Why was England in a turmoil in the 1640s? What did King Charles expect to achieve? What was the Long Parliament? How did Cromwell rise to prominence? How had the press been restricted? What points does Milton make? Who states the other side of the argument? What is special about printing? How many people could read? Is freedom of the press the same as freedom of speech? Is freedom of the press a dead issue? What books were in Milton's library? Is Milton's style important? What do modern critics say? Was Milton borne out by history? What was the printing history of Areopagitica? What happened in Milton's later life? Bibiography Notes to the text Glossary