"An entry from a sales catalogue pasted onto the front cover records studies of Lady Hamilton as Eve and Titania, although it is not clear which sketches are being referred to in this context.
A number of sketches in this album depict scenes from Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, a subject that seems to have greatly interested Romney in the early 1790’s when he was battling with illness and depression. According to Marcia Pointon, it is likely that this type of work was unknown to his contemporaries, as it differed greatly in comparison to his public style. Although the drawings in this sketchbook bear no individual inscription for each individual drawing, it is assumed that many are depicting scenes from Milton’s 'Paradise Lost' based on other similar sketches by Romney. The sketchbook is also inscribed 'Milton' on the front album cover with the date ‘July 1792’, when Romney was indeed producing these works."
A number of sketches in this album depict scenes from Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, a subject that seems to have greatly interested Romney in the early 1790’s when he was battling with illness and depression. According to Marcia Pointon, it is likely that this type of work was unknown to his contemporaries, as it differed greatly in comparison to his public style. Although the drawings in this sketchbook bear no individual inscription for each individual drawing, it is assumed that many are depicting scenes from Milton’s 'Paradise Lost' based on other similar sketches by Romney. The sketchbook is also inscribed 'Milton' on the front album cover with the date ‘July 1792’, when Romney was indeed producing these works."