This week in Christian history: Pope Nicholas elected, Joan of Arc victorious, ‘Paradise Lost’ sold
John Milton sells ‘Paradise Lost’ copyright – April 27, 1667
This week marks the anniversary of when John Milton, famed Puritan poet, sold the rights to his widely read and influential work Paradise Lost to printer Samuel Simmons for 10 pounds.
Milton, who by this point had gone blind, signed the agreement by proxy, in which Simmons agreed to pay him £5 at once, then another £5 after 1,300 copies were sold, which happened two years later.
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Paradise Lost is considered one of the most influential English language works in history, with one BBC culture story from 2017 documenting its extensive influence.
"Paradise Lost inspired Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, while Wordsworth began his famous sonnet London, 1802 with a plea: 'Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee,'" noted the BBC culture story.
"Malcolm X read Paradise Lost in prison, sympathizing with Satan, while AE Housman quipped that 'malt does more than Milton can / To reconcile God's ways to man.'"
