of promoting them are taken away? For what are the means of promoting them, but the liberty of writing and publishing, without running any rifque but that of being refuted or ridiculed, where any thing advanced chances to labour under the juft imputation of falfhood or abfurdity? AREOPAGITICA; ASPEECH of Mr. JOHN MILTON, For the Liberty of unlicenc'd Printing. HEY who to States and Gover THE nours of the Commonwealth direct their Speech, High Court of Parlament, or wanting fuch acceffe in a private condition, write that which they foresee may advance the publick good; I suppose them as at the beginning of no meane endeavour, not a little alter'd and mov'd inwardly in their mindes: Some with doubt of what will be the fucceffe, others with feare of what will be the cenfure; fome with hope, others with confidence of what they have to fpeake. And me perhaps each of these difpofitions, as the fubject was whereon I enter'd, may have at other times varioufly affected; and likely might in sthefe formoft expreffions now also difeclofe which of them sway'd most, but that the very attempt of this addreffe thus made, and the thought of whom it hath recourfe to, hath got the power within me to a paffion, farre more welcome then incidental to a Preface.. Which though I ftay not to confeffe ere any afke, I fhall be blameleffe, if it be no other, then the joy and gratulation which it brings to all who with and pro mote their Countries liberty; whereof this whole difcourfe propos'd will be a certaine certaine teftimony, if not a Trophey. For this is not the liberty which wee can hope, that no grievance ever fhould arife in the Commonwealth, that let no man in this World expect; but when complaints are freely heard, deeply confider'd, and speedily reform'd, then is the utmoft bound of civil liberty attain'd, that wife men looke for. To which if I now manifeft by the very found of this which I fhall utter, that wee are already. in good part arriv'd, and yet from fuch a fteepe difadvantage of tyranny and fuperftition grounded into our principles as was beyond the manhood of a Roman recovery, it will bee attributed firft, as is moft due, to the ftrong affiftance of GOD our deliverer, next to your faithfull guidance |