I had not read the Areopagitica before, but I am grateful for the impetus to do so. The arguments made in an old and settled controversy can still be informative about our current debates, not least because they show where some of our current principles came from.
I noticed some themes that came up in your earlier discussion of Herbert: "I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary but slinks out of the race, where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat." Ideas like this have had me thinking about how Christianity can give permission to take risks. Where meritocracy and social climbing might require flawless straight As, the pursuit of a richer and more difficult Good can give permission to struggle and to innovate. There's freedom here.
Finally, I'm in awe of the beauty of some of this rhetoric. "We boast our light; but if we look not wisely on the sun itself, it smites us into darkness. Who can discern those planets that are oft combust, and those stars of brightest magnitude that rise and set with the sun, until the opposite motion of their orbs bring them to such a place in the firmament, where they may be seen evening or morning? The light which we have gained was given us, not to be ever staring on, but by it to discover onward things more remote from our knowledge." As a former student of the sciences, how could I not see the poetry in this?
I love the connections you make with Herbert! And the quotes you share are some of my favorites.
Milton has so much to teach us as Christians that we seem to have lost in today’s fearful, polarized culture. Thank you for seeing that and affirming it!
Milton is not above a little flattery, telling Parliament he is sure they are reasonable men, like the cultured ancients of the classical world, not like the northern barbarians. Genetically, most English Parliamentarians would have been more closely related to the northern barbarians than the southern Greeks and Romans; but this was, after all, after the Renaissance, and its revival of the study of the classics and the denigration of medieval learning and thought. Milton is hinting that book licensing might send England back into the Dark Ages.
I am so glad I listened— 1) because of the train and 2) because your passion for the subject makes me want to begin again. This was a tough read for me, I think I made it about 1/3 of the way through before I said to myself “Let me see what Karen has to say about it.” I will press on.
I’m sitting here at work, listening to this, loving the sound of the train… catching up on The Priory posts I’ve missed. So thankful for you, Karen. You’ve been in my prayers with the loss of your mom.
My engineering education was unfortunately weak in exploring the arts, so I've enjoyed reading Herbert and now this work by Milton. His knowledge of literature, his convincing rhetoric, and the beauty of his writing are impressive. I do have a question, though. Since you say this wasn't actually a speech, and I would assume this had to be published in some way in order to be read and debated by Parliament, how did it make it into print given the laws he is objecting to? Is it possible that by calling it a speech he found a loophole to the licensing law, or is there some other explanation?
I had not read the Areopagitica before, but I am grateful for the impetus to do so. The arguments made in an old and settled controversy can still be informative about our current debates, not least because they show where some of our current principles came from.
I noticed some themes that came up in your earlier discussion of Herbert: "I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary but slinks out of the race, where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat." Ideas like this have had me thinking about how Christianity can give permission to take risks. Where meritocracy and social climbing might require flawless straight As, the pursuit of a richer and more difficult Good can give permission to struggle and to innovate. There's freedom here.
Finally, I'm in awe of the beauty of some of this rhetoric. "We boast our light; but if we look not wisely on the sun itself, it smites us into darkness. Who can discern those planets that are oft combust, and those stars of brightest magnitude that rise and set with the sun, until the opposite motion of their orbs bring them to such a place in the firmament, where they may be seen evening or morning? The light which we have gained was given us, not to be ever staring on, but by it to discover onward things more remote from our knowledge." As a former student of the sciences, how could I not see the poetry in this?
I love the connections you make with Herbert! And the quotes you share are some of my favorites.
Milton has so much to teach us as Christians that we seem to have lost in today’s fearful, polarized culture. Thank you for seeing that and affirming it!
Milton is not above a little flattery, telling Parliament he is sure they are reasonable men, like the cultured ancients of the classical world, not like the northern barbarians. Genetically, most English Parliamentarians would have been more closely related to the northern barbarians than the southern Greeks and Romans; but this was, after all, after the Renaissance, and its revival of the study of the classics and the denigration of medieval learning and thought. Milton is hinting that book licensing might send England back into the Dark Ages.
That is a brilliant insight, Holly.
Milton is a sharp rhetorician in every way.
I am so glad I listened— 1) because of the train and 2) because your passion for the subject makes me want to begin again. This was a tough read for me, I think I made it about 1/3 of the way through before I said to myself “Let me see what Karen has to say about it.” I will press on.
It is a tough read. Especially the beginning. (And other parts, haha!). Thanks for hanging in there. And for listening. 🤗
I’m sitting here at work, listening to this, loving the sound of the train… catching up on The Priory posts I’ve missed. So thankful for you, Karen. You’ve been in my prayers with the loss of your mom.
Thank you so much, Sheila. And I’m glad you are enjoying the sound of the trains.
My engineering education was unfortunately weak in exploring the arts, so I've enjoyed reading Herbert and now this work by Milton. His knowledge of literature, his convincing rhetoric, and the beauty of his writing are impressive. I do have a question, though. Since you say this wasn't actually a speech, and I would assume this had to be published in some way in order to be read and debated by Parliament, how did it make it into print given the laws he is objecting to? Is it possible that by calling it a speech he found a loophole to the licensing law, or is there some other explanation?
Charlie, I am grateful to help make up for some lack of exposure in the arts.
Not only that, but your question is so good that I sidelined this coming post to cover an answer to you. Look for it tomorrow! :)
A little political humor fitting for this post 🤭
https://x.com/jackmanneil/status/1856842817789706555?s=46&t=GVs8lp1MsmsQPjdGT-bITg