John Milton · Areopagitica, 1644
“…a good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.”
| Source | John Milton, Areopagitica (1644) |
| Date | 1644 — pamphlet to Parliament against press licensing |
| Wording | Exact — verified at Project Gutenberg #608 |
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About This Line
Areopagitica was Milton’s pamphlet to Parliament against licensing — the requirement that nothing be printed without government approval. This line is its beating heart: to kill a good book, he argues, is to spill the distilled life of the mind that made it.
Why We Carry This Line
Are you a book lover? If you are, no explanation necessary. Signed: another book lover.
