John Milton was born in London on December 9, 1608, and studied at the University of Cambridge. He originally planned to become a clergyman, but abandoned those ambitions to become a poet. Political in his writings, he served a government post during the time of the Commonwealth. In 1651, he went completely blind but he continued to write, finishing Paradise Lost in 1667, and Paradise Regained in 1671. He died in 1674.

• The Portable Milton - Edited by Douglas Bush IntroductionBibliographyChronologyI. Early Poems, 1628-1640Editor's NoteAt a Vacation Exercise in the College (extract)Elegy V: On the Coming of SpringSong: On May MorningElegy VI: To Charles Diodati, Visiting in the CountryOn the Morning of Christ's NativityOn ShakespeareL'AllegroIn PenserosoArcadesSonnet VII: How soon hath TimeComusLycidasLament for DamonII. Prose Works and Sonnets, 1642-1658Editor's NoteThe Reason of Church Government Urged against Prelaty (extract)An Apology for Smectymnuus (extract)Of EducationAreopagiticaSecond Defence of the English People (extract)SonnetsVIII. When the Assault Was Intended to the CityX. To the Lady Margaret LeyXI. On the Detraction Which Followed upon My Writing Certain TreatisesXII. On the Same ("I did but prompt the age")On the New Forcers of Conscience under the Long ParliamentXIII. To Mr. H. Lawes, on His AirsXV. On the Lord General Fairfax at the Siege of ColchesterXIX. When I consider how my light is spentXVI. To the Lord General CromwellXVII. To Sir Henry Vane the YoungerXVIII. On the Late Massacre in PiemontXX. Lawrence, of virtuous father virtuous sonXXI. Cyriack, whose grandsire on the royal benchXXII. To Mr. Cyriack Skinner upon His BlindnessXXIII. Methought I saw my late espoused saintIII. The Major PoemsEditor's NoteParadise LostParadise RegainedSamson AgonistesGlossary of Words and Proper Names