What We Can Learn from Milton's Spelling

Editing Lycidas: The Authority of Minutiae

“…53 53 As Shawcross points out (“What We Can Learn” 352), TMS seems to distinguish “gone” (37), where it rhymes with “oregrowne,” from the “gon” of the echoing “now thou art gon” that opens the next line, and consequently he preserves this distinction in his edition. It may be, however, that by 1645 either the preferred spelling seemed more important to Milton or, more probably, the indicated change of pronunciation in a repeated phrase seemed mannered.…”

“…54 54 But “remorselesse” (50) merely loses ‐ e . As Shawcross points out (“What We Can Learn” 355; “Orthography” 127), Milton's preference for these spellings was short‐lived, from 1641 to c. 1646, presumably because they created awkward forms such as “haples” and ambiguities such as “needles.” …”