Sonetti Cinqu[=a]nta.
Dedicati al' III'mo Signore et Padrone Oss'mo Signor Giovanni Milton,
Nobil' Inghilese."
It seems that this MS. had been presented, together with Milton's works,
to the Academy della Crusca, by Mr. Brand Hollis, but had by some chance
again found its way to England, and was sold by auction at Evans's some
short time before Mr. Todd published this second edition of Milton's
Life.
I know not if there has been any further notice of this MS., which is
interesting as a monument of the respect and attention our great poet
received from the most distinguished literary men of Italy at the time
of his visit, and I should be glad if any of your correspondents can
indicate its existence, {147} and the place where it is now preserved.
When it was on sale, I had permission to copy the title and a few of the
sonnets, which were such as we could not imagine would have given
pleasure to the chaste mind of Milton; each of them containing, as the
title indicates, an _equivoque_, which would bear an obscene sense, yet
very ingeniously wrapped up.
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