The Poetical Works of John Milton: Ed. With Memoir, Intr. [&c.] by D. Masson

This edition of John Milton's poetical works, edited by the historian and critic David Masson, emerged during the late 19th century as part of the Globe Edition series published by Macmillan. Masson was widely regarded as the preeminent Milton scholar of his era, and his exhaustive biographical and editorial work served to codify the definitive academic understanding of Milton's contributions to English literature. The series was designed to provide a comprehensive, scholarly, yet accessible text for a Victorian public increasingly interested in literary canonization and classical education.

Masson’s editorial approach prioritized a rigorous adherence to Milton’s original orthography and punctuation, a significant departure from earlier editions that had often modernized the text. This commitment to fidelity earned the work immense critical respect, establishing it as the standard reference for students and scholars alike for several decades. The design of the volume reflects the utilitarian and understated elegance typical of Victorian publishing, focusing on clarity of typography to allow the epic scale of works like Paradise Lost to remain the central focus for the reader.