RARE MILTON PAPERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 18

RARE MILTON PAPERS.

SYDNEY, July 25. The trustees of the Victorian Public Library have purchased for £4OO an exceedingly rare set of the. “Mercurius Politicos, a weekly paper published during the British Commonweatlh, and for some years edited by John Milton. In making this announcement the chief librarian (Mr D. R. Boys) said that the set was one of the most important source books for the political history of the Commonwealth from the Government point of view. It was bitterly assailed by the Royalists as the “weekly champion of the Commonwealth.” The Mercurius Politicus was published during the whole of the Commonwealth under the auspices of the Council of State. It was, according to tho biographer of Milton, Masson, “a very creditable paper and indubitably the most effective organ or the Commonwealth.” For most of tho time Milton was in close touch with its editor. For at least two years he was supervising editor and censor. The set is guaranteed perfect, with the exception of two numbers—the last and No. 12, which is in manuscript. The set will reach Melbourne in a few weeks.