MILTON’S DAY—DECEMBER 9.
“Truth is as impossible to be soiled by any outward touch as the sunbeam.”
Music.
Roll-call—Responses by quotations from Milton.
1. Essay—A Brief Sketch of the Life of Milton.
2. Recitation—Sonnet on his own Blindness.
3. Review of Milton’s Works.
[A brief outline of his principal works in both prose and poetry, including “Areopagitica,” “L’Allegro,” “Il Penseroso,” “Comus,” “Lycidas,” “Paradise Lost,” “Paradise Regained,” “Samson Agonistes,” given by different members of the circle, each member taking up only one production, and giving explanation and derivation of the name if necessary. In this way the whole class could acquire a good general idea of the field covered by Milton’s works. Each one might be provided with a note-book and take down leading items as the others read.]
Music.
4. Essay—Milton’s “History as connected with the Commonwealth and the Restoration.”
Selections from Taine on Milton’s “Adam and Eve.” See reference given.
[These selections will afford amusement, and add spice to the entertainment.]
Additional subjects for essays: Milton’s Early Home, Milton’s Daughters, Milton’s Wives, Milton on Divorce, Mary Milton, The Character of Milton, Milton’s Times.
The following references will be found useful in gathering materials for essays: “English Literature,” H. A. Taine, Vol. ii, page 240; the same, Vol. iii, page 249; Prose Writings, Vol. vi, p. 257; “Lives of Poets of Great Britain and Ireland,” by Dr. Sam Johnson, p. 1; “Modern British Essayists,” “Macaulay’s Miscellanies;” the same, “Milton and Cowley,” p. 116; Addison’s Works, Vol. i, p. 143, a poetical criticism; Addison’s Works, Vol. i, p. 39, Milton’s style imitated; Addison’s Works, Vol. vi, p. 168, admirable notice; “Life and Poetical Works of Milton,” published by Gregg, Philadelphia, Vol. ii; “English Literature,” by G. L. Craik, LL.D., Scribner, New York; “Chambers’s English Literature,” Vol. i, p. 396; Christian Examiner, Vol. iii, p. 29; American Church Repository, Vol. ii, p. 153; Contemporary Review, Vol. xxii, p. 427; Littel’s Living Age, Vol. cli, p. 323; Unitarian Review, Vol. xiv, p. 12; Western Review, Vol. v, p. 107; Potter’s American Monthly, Vol. xiii, p. 45; National Review, Vol. ix, p. 150; Congregational Magazine, Vol. xvi, p. 193; “Land We Love,” Vol. ii, p. 445; “Land We Love,” Vol. iii, p. 38; American Quarterly Observer, Vol. i, p. 115; American Quarterly Review, Vol. v, p. 301; United States Literary Gazette, Vol. iv, p. 278; Colburn’s New Monthly Magazine, Vol. cliii, p. 27; Analytical Magazine, Vol. xiv, p. 224; Penny Magazine, Vol. x, p. 97.