Milton’s Epics, United: Paradise Lost, Samson Agonistes, Paradise Regain’d – 1695/1715 – Illustrated – Medina Plates
A rare and compelling triple Milton, nicely bound and beautifully preserved:
This 1695 small folio volume brings together three of John Milton's seminal works—Paradise Lost (Sixth Edition - Theo. Hodgkin for Jacob Tonson ~ 343 pp. plus the 3 pp. Table), Samson Agonistes (1715 - H.E. for John Whitlock ~ 57pp.), and Paradise Regain’d (1695 - H.E. for John Whitlock ~ 66pp.)—each with its own title page and pagination, all nicely bound in a late 18th-century half calf with marbled boards and a gilt spine label.
⭐ Paradise Lost is a close reprint of the landmark 1688 illustrated edition, complete with all 14 full-page engravings after John Baptiste de Medina—including R. White’s iconic frontispiece portrait of Milton, paired with Dryden’s epigram. The illustrations remain bright, clean, and correctly placed throughout.
💡 Unusual collation: Samson Agonistes has been bound before Paradise Regain’d—a bibliographic curiosity that may intrigue the discerning collector.
🖋 Provenance: From the Michael Freedman collection. Originally acquired from a private collection in Old Town Alexandria, VA.
📏 Size: Page dimensions 12¼ × 7 1/2 in. At some point the binder has trimmed the original pages to fit the binding. Condition: Expected wear to boards and joints, a split to the leather along the upper spine, armorial bookplate to front pastedown, mild toning to page edges, occasional soiling, and a few marginal tears—text completely intact.
A stunning volume that celebrates the legacy of one of the English language’s greatest poets—rich in history, illustration, and rarity.