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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2020
If it were critically sound to interpret a verse or lines of verse apart from their context, lines 13–14 of Milton's Sonnet XX, “Lawrence of vertuous Father”, might present an unfortunate ambiguity; for if the verses,
He who of those delights can judge, and spare
To interpose them oft, is not unwise,
are examined alone, “spare” may seem to mean either “refrain” or “afford.” Both meanings have in fact been urged; Thomas Keightley and David Masson represent the opposed positions. The former wrote, “spare, sc. time.—interpose, i.e. place them in the intervals of his serious occupations.” Masson commented:
“spare to interpose them oft:” interpreted by Mr. Keightley to mean “spare time to interpose them oft”: but surely rather the opposite—-“refrain from interposing them oft.” Parcere in Latin with a verb following had this sense of “refraining from”, and “spare” in English was used in the same way.
1 Except as otherwise noted, references are to the Columbia edition of The Works of Milton, ed. F. A. Patterson et al. (New York, 1931–38), i, 67.
2 Poems of Milton (London, 1859), i, 160.
3 Poetical Works of Milton (London, 1874), iii, 294.
4 R. C. Browne, English Poems by Milton, 4th ed. (Oxford, 1878), i, 308; Mark Pattison, Sonnets (New York, 1883), p. 210; W. J. Rolfe, Minor Poems (New York, 1887), pp. 204–205; W. V. Moody, Complete Poetical Works (Boston, 1899), p. 398; W. Worrall, Minor Poems (Oxford, [n.d.]); A. W. Verity, Sonnets (Cambridge, 1916), pp. 56–57; J. S. Smart, Sonnets (Glasgow, 1921), p. 115; J. H. Hanford, Selections from the Prose and Poetry (Boston, 1923), p. 299; F. A. Patterson, “Notes on the Poetry”, The Student's Milton, rev. ed. (New York, 1936), p. 55; M. Y. Hughes, Paradise Regained, the Minor Poems, and Samson Agonistes (New York, 1937), p. 395.
5 Minor Poems, pp. 204–205.
6 Columbia Ed., xviii, 244.
7 (London, 1914), pp. 7–8.
8 Horace, Odes, ii, vii.
9 Milton's Poems (London, 1785), p. 362.
10 Smart, The Sonnets, p. 115; E. M. W. Tillyard, Milton (New York, 1930), p. 202.
11 E. g., Patterson, “Notes on the Poetry”, Student's Milton, p. 55.