Areopagitica
WHETHER YOUR GOAL is to prepare for a career in Journalism, Law, Literature, Government, Philosophy, or History, this book will open a door to understanding one of the pillars of civil society: Freedom of the Press.
JOHN MILTON was uniquely qualified to write this definitive book. He was reading Greek at the age of three, and he soon absorbed most of the known writings in Latin and Greek. Then, on a trip to Italy, he chanced to visit Galileo. Galileo, then under house arrest, warned Milton directly not to let censorship destroy independent thinking in England as it had in Italy.
On his return to England, the Long Parliament, having recently dethroned Charles II, was about to consider a law for the licensing of printers. Alarm bells went off in Milton's head. Equipped with his extensive knowledge from Latin and Greek history, he published a pamphlet, in the form of a speech to Parliament (never actually delivered) — a lawyerly case of the detrimental effects of censorship throughout history, in order to prevent such a law being enacted.
SHORTLY AFTER Areopagitica was published, Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell appointed Milton his Latin secretary. His prose style was noted even then as persuasive, elevated, a model for the evolving modern English.
A CIVIL SOCIETY, as we know it today, is not possible without freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of the press — and we have Milton to thank for spelling out the consequences of failing to protect that right.
STUDENTS AND READERS: Order a copy of Areopagitica (ISBN 978-0-942208-04-7).
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