by T. S. Eliot
And when the evening woke and stared into its blindness
[5]
I heard the children whimpering in corners
Where women took the air, standing in entries—
Women, spilling out of corsets, stood in entries
Where the draughty gas-jet flickered
And the oil cloth curled up stairs.
[10]
And when the evening fought itself awake
And the world was peeling oranges and reading evening papers
And boys were smoking cigarettes, drifted helplessly together
In the fan of light spread out by the drug store on the corner
Then I have gone at night through narrow streets,
[15]
Where evil houses leaning all together
Pointed a ribald finger at me in the darkness
Whispering all together, chuckled at me in the darkness.
And when the midnight turned and writhed in fever
I tossed the blankets back, to watch the darkness
[20]
Crawling among the papers on the table
It leapt to the floor and made a sudden hiss
And darted stealthily across the wall
Flattened itself upon the ceiling overhead
Stretched out its tentacles, prepared to leap
[25]
And when the dawn at length had realized itself
And turned with a sense of nausea, to see what it had stirred:
The eyes and feet of men—
I fumbled to the window to experience the world
And to hear my Madness singing, sitting on the kerbstone
[30]
[A blind old drunken man who sings and mutters,
With broken boot heels stained in many gutters]
And as he sang the world began to fall apart …
[1] gone] walked 1st reading
[13] drug store] drugstore March Hare (error)
[14] narrow] vacant 1st reading
[15] all together] altogether 1st reading
[17 ^ 18] new page so line spacing indeterminate
[30–31] alignment shows square brackets were not a later addition
Published text resumes
70 Shall I say,] Shall I say: ts1 dusk] night ts1 streets] ts2 1st reading, 1917+ ‖ streets, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, Cath Anth
[Poem I 7 · Commentary I 385–89]
71 watched] seen ms1, ts1
72 shirt-sleeves] shirtsleeves ms1, ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth, AraVP ‖ shirt sleeves Valerie’s Own Book windows? …] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+‖ windows … ts1, ts2 1st reading ‖ windows? Valerie’s Own Book
72 ^ 73] two-line space ts1 ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate Penguin, Valerie’s Own Book
73 I] ms1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ … I ts2 1st reading
74] slight indent ts2 (aligning with first word of 73 after the ellipsis) across] along ts1 seas.] seas … ms1
74 ^ 75] two blank lines then new page with four lines, del:
—I have seen the darkness creep along the wall
I have heard my Madness chatter before day
I have seen the world roll up into a ball
Then suddenly dissolve and fall away.
ms1 with “P.T.O.”, then blank verso before poem resumes below a flourish ‖ two-line space ts1 ‖ three asterisks added in ink (probably TSE) but del by editor with “Row of dots” ts2 ‖ six dots Poetry, Cath Anth ‖ four asterisks 1917 ‖ three asterisks, AraVP ‖ eight dots US 1920 ‖ five dots 1925+ ‖ series of dashes Valerie’s Own Book
76 Smoothed] Soothed ts1 fingers,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ fingers; ms1, ts1 (where last letter is inked over indecipherable character) ‖ fingers ts2 1st reading
77 malingers,] malingerd ts1 1st reading ‖ malingers ts1
78 here beside] here between ms1 ‖ stretched between ms1 alt added, ts1
79 Should] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ —Should ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ Shouls ts1 1st reading tea and] so many ms1, ts1 ices,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ ices ms1, ts1, ts2 1st reading
81 prayed,] prayed; ms1
82 head (grown slightly bald)] head, grown slightly bald, ts1 platter,] ms1, ts1 2nd reading, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ platger ts1 1st reading ‖ platter ts2 1st reading
83 prophet—] prophet, ts1 here’s] that’s ms1 matter;] matter: ms1
84 flicker,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ flicker ms1, ts2 1st reading
85 I have seen] I seen ms1 1st reading (given as seen in March Hare in error) Footman] FOOTMAN ms1 coat,] coat ts1 snicker,] snicker— ms1
86] no indent ts1, 1917+ ‖ double indent ms1, ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth And in short,] And—in short— ts1
86 ^ 87] two-line space Valerie’s Own Book
88 cups] toast ts1
90 while,] while ms1, tss, Poetry, Cath Anth
91 smile,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ smile ms1, ts1, ts2 1st reading
92 To] Or ts1
93 roll] have rolled ts1 towards] Cath Anth, 1963 proof, 1963 ‖ toward
[Poem I 7–8 · Commentary I 389–93]
ms1, tss, printings prior to 1963, some later printings, Valerie’s Own Book (see Commentary) question,] question— ms1, ts1
94 say:] say ms1 ‖ have said: ts1 “I] I ts1 dead,] ts1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ dead ms1, ts2 1st reading
95 all”—] all;” ms1 ‖ all, ts1
96 If] —If ms1 one,] ms1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ one ts2 1st reading head,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ head ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ heqd, ts1
97] no indent ts1 say:] say, ms1 “That] This ts1 over uncertain reading meant] meant, ms1, ts1, Valerie’s Own Book all.] ms1, 1936+ ‖ all; ts1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?), printings prior to 1936 ‖ all, ts2 1st reading, AraVP, Valerie’s Own Book
98] single indent 1917+ ‖ no indent ts1 ‖ double indent ms1, ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth That] This ts1 all.”] all. ts1 ‖ all”. ms1, ts2
98 ^ 99] two-line space Valerie’s Own Book
99 been] not ts2 1st reading all,] ms1, ts1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ all ts2 1st reading
100 while,] ts2 2nd reading ‖ while ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ ehile ts1
101 streets,] ts1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ streets ms1, ts2 1st reading
102 after the teacups, after] and the tea-cups, and ts1 floor—] floor, ms1, ts1
103 more?—] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ more ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ more— ts1
104 It] —It ms1
104 ^ 105] Perhaps it will make you wonder and smile: ms1 (originally ending with a comma?), ts1 (without punctuation)
105 magic lantern] magic-lantern ts1 a screen:] a screen ts1 ‖ the floor Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading (the words then underlined before deletion) ‖ a screen; Valerie’s Own Book
107 one,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ one ts1, ts2 1st reading pillow] pillow, ms1 (probable reading, not recorded in March Hare) shawl,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ shawl ms1, ts1 2nd reading, ts2 1st reading ‖ shawm ts1 1st reading
108–10] ts1:
Should say: This is not what I meant, at all,
This is not it, at all.
108–109] two lines 1917+ ‖ one line ms1, tss, Poetry, Cath Anth
108 say:] say ms1
109 it at all,] it, at all; ms1
110] double indent ms1, ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth all.”] all”. ms1, ts2, Valerie’s Own Book
110 ^ 111] five dots 1925+‖ two-line space ms1, ts1 ‖ four asterisks ts2, 1917 ‖ six dots Poetry, Cath Anth ‖ three asterisks, AraVP ‖ eight dots US 1920 ‖ series of dashes Valerie’s Own Book.
111 Prince] not ms1 was] am ms1 be;] Poetry+ ‖ be. ms1 ‖ be, ts2
112 attendant] attendent ts2 lord,] lord— ms1
[Poem I 8–9 · Commentary I 393–95]
113 two,] two ts2 1st reading
114 prince; no doubt,] 1917+ ‖ prince; withal, ts1 ‖ prince—withal,
ts2 1st reading ‖ prince: withal, ms1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, Cath Anth tool,] tool; ms1, ts1
116 meticulous;] meticulous, ms1, ts1
118 indeed, almost] indeed, appear ms1, ts1 ridiculous—] ridiculous; ms1
119] indented ms1 Fool] fool ts1
119 ^ 120] two-line space US 1952, Valerie’s Own Book
120 ^ 121] accidental line space ts1
121 shall] will ms1 2nd reading (before reverting to shall) bottoms] bottom AraVP trousers] 1917+ ‖ trowsers ms1, tss, Poetry, Cath Anth (see Commentary)
121 ^ 122] two-line space Valerie’s Own Book
122] no indent ts2 1st reading, 1917+ ‖ indent ms1, ts2 2nd reading (editorial), Poetry, Cath Anth, Penguin, 1963 (not 1963 proof, US 1963) ‖ indent indeterminate ts1 dare to] dare 1974 (often reprinted)
123 shall] will ms1 wear] over illegible mistyping ts1 trousers,] 1917+ ‖ trowsers, ms1, ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth ‖ trowsers ts1
124 each.] each, ms1
124 ^ 125] new leaf so line spacing indeterminate ts2 ‖ no line space Poetry (but in copy now at University Coll., Oxford, TSE added caret marks with “space”), Cath Anth, 1932 proof, with “space wider” TSE ‖ two-line space Valerie’s Own Book
125 ^ 126] two-line space Valerie’s Own Book
126 waves] tss, 1917+ ‖ waves, ms1, Poetry, Cath Anth
128 ^ 129] two-line space Valerie’s Own Book
130 sea-girls] 1917+ ‖ seamaids ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ mermaids ts1 ‖ seagirls ts2 2nd reading, Poetry, Cath Anth brown] ts1, ts2 1st reading, Cath Anth+ ‖ brown, ms1, ts2 2nd reading (comma inked by TSE), Poetry
131 Till] Til ts1 1st reading us] up ms1 1st reading (error)
after 131] Flourish and then “July–August 1911” ms1 ‖ five pairs of asterisks then, in manuscript, T. S. Eliot ts2 1st reading ‖ asterisks del with “Row of dots” (editor) ts2 2nd reading ‖ six dots then author’s name Poetry ‖ six dots Cath Anth
Portrait of a Lady
Published in Others Sept 1915, then Cath Anth (London, Nov 1915), Others Anth (NY, Mar 1916; following Others except where specified) and The New Poetry: An Anthology ed. Harriet Monroe and Alice Corbin Henderson (NY, Feb 1917), then 1917, AraVP, US 1920+. An edition of the poem separately in 40 copies was printed by Marlborough College Press in 1941.
[Poems I 9-14 · Commentary I 396–402]
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 22–23, 41–45; pencil and black ink. An additional excised leaf (Beinecke) supplies draft of I 37–40, plus two additional lines and the succeeding epigraph (from Laforgue). Also in pencil and black ink, this leaf has on the verso The Columbiad st. 6 and 7.
ms frag (Beinecke): verso of a torn leaf with pencil first draft of III 31–41. The recto has The Columbiad st. 17 and 18 and Fragments from the Ballad of Harmony Court (see Balls to you said Mrs. Sonnenschien). Not being excised from Notebook, this leaf was not available to the editor of March Hare.
ts Smart Set (untraced): Ezra Pound to H. L. Mencken, co-editor of The Smart Set (NY), 3 Oct 1914: “I enclose a poem by the last intelligent man I’ve found—a young American, T. S. Eliot · · · I think him worth watching—mind ‘not primitive.’ His ‘Lady’ is very nicely drawn.”
ts Pound (untraced): TSE to Ezra Pound, 2 Feb 1915: “I enclose a copy of the Lady”. Pound appears to have sent this ts to Wyndham Lewis for Blast, some time before July 1915, writing: “I think that this thing of Eliot’s would probably be more advantageous than anything of Rodker’s admitting that it is a bit archaic · · · if you want to use this Portrait you’ll have to get his permission. = or I will have to.” This may also have been the ts sent to Others, where the poem was published.
TSE inscribed I 29–33 (ending with a full-stop) in a copy of Journey of the Magi for Edwin Sly (illustrated in Quill & Brush catalogue of the Thomas Shelton collection, 2002, item 43).
Epigraph] Others+ ‖ I have caught an everlasting cold:—The White Devil. ms1 (where the published epigraph heads Part II) ‖ no epigraph New Poetry [1] Thou] “Thou Others committed—] committed—” Others ‖ committed Cath Anth [2] Fornication] “Fornication Others [3] dead.] dead.” Others
I
Numeral] not ms1
I 1 smoke and fog] fog and smoke ms1
I 3 With] With an ms1 (written over [illegible]) have saved] designed ms1 1st reading you”;] you” ms1, Others
I 4 room,] room ms1, Others
I 5 overhead,] overhead ms1, Others ‖ overhead: New Poetry
I 6 tomb] Others, New Poetry, 1917+ ‖ tomb— ms1 ‖ tomb, Cath Anth, TSE’s emendation in Morley’s US 1920
I 7] And all the disturbing things that are left unsaid ms1 1st reading
I 7 ^ 8] no line space 1917+ (where 8 is the last line on the page in 1917) ‖ line space ms1, Others, Cath Anth, New Poetry
I 9 Transmit] rewritten (probably to clarify the word, although March Hare suggests over another word, perhaps Translate) ms1 Preludes] Preludes ms1 finger-tips] Others, AraVP, US 1920, 1936+ ‖ finger tips ms1 ‖ finger-|tips broken across line Cath Anth, Others Anth, 1917, 1925, 1932
I 11 friends] friends— New Poetry ‖ friends, TSE’s emendation in Morley’s US 1920
[Poem I 10 · Commentary I 400–404]
I 13 room.”] room” ms1
I 14 —And] And ms1 2nd reading, Cath Anth
I 15 regrets] ms1, Others, 1917+ ‖ regrets, Cath Anth, New Poetry, TSE’s emendation in Morley’s US 1920
I 16 Through] Through mod ms1
I 18] And begins. 1917+ ‖ And begins— ms1 1st reading ‖ And then begins— ms1 2nd reading ‖ And begins Others ‖ And begins: Cath Anth, New Poetry
I 18 ^ 19] no line space ms1, Others Anth, New Poetry, 1925+ ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate Others, US 1920, US 1936 ‖ line space Cath Anth, 1917, AraVP, US 1963
I 19 friends,] friends ms1 ‖ friends; New Poetry
I 21 odds] ways ms1 1st reading ends,] 1917+ ‖ ends ms1, Others, Cath Anth ‖ ends— New Poetry
I 22–23] square not round brackets in printings 1936–61
I 22] (Indeed I am not social—you knew it? ah, I knew you were not blind! ms1 1st reading ‖ (For indeed I do not love it—you knew? you were not blind! ms1 2nd reading
I 24 To] —To ms1 these qualities,] those qualities ms1, recording (1955)
I 24 ^ 25] So rare and strange and so unvalued too ms1
I 26 lives.] lives ms1 ‖ lives: New Poetry
I 27 you—] you! ms1
I 28 life,] life— ms1 what] ms1 1st and final reading+ ‖ quel ms1 2nd reading
I 28 ^ 29] line space ms1, Cath Anth, New Poetry, 1936+ ‖ four-line space Others ‖ no line space 1917 (where 29 is last on page), AraVP, US 1920, 1925 ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate 1932
I 31 cracked] our ms1 1st reading ‖ shrill ms1 2nd reading cornets] cornetts ms1 1st reading ‖ cornets, Cath Anth, New Poetry
I 32 a] an ms1 1st reading dull] ms1 final reading+ ‖ droll ms1 1st reading (uncertain) ‖ strong ms1 2nd reading ‖ rude ms1 3rd reading
I 33 Absurdly hammering] Hammering ms1 1st reading own,] own ms1 ‖ own— New Poetry
I 34 monotone] monotone . . ms1
I 35 note.”] note”. ms1, Others, AraVP, Penguin
I 36 —Let] Let Cath Anth, New Poetry
I 37–41] inset March Hare (new page begins at 38 in ms1)
I 37 monuments,] Others, Cath Anth, New Poetry, 1925+ ‖ monuments ms1, 1917, AraVP, US 1920 (comma added by TSE in Morley’s US 1920)
I 38 events,] events ms1
I 39 clocks.] clocks; New Poetry ‖ clocks March Hare (error in transcription of ms1)
I 40 for half an hour] down for a time ms1 1st reading (omitted in error by March Hare) bocks.] bocks ms after I 40] ms1 (from Laforgue, Locutions des Pierrots XVI 1–2, 9–10):
[Poem I 10–11 · Commentary I 404–406]
And pay our reckoning and go home again
They are lighting up the lamps, and it begins to rain.
III
; [3]
Je ne suis qu’un viveur lunaire
Qui fait des ronds dans les bassins
— — — — — — — — — —
[5]
Devenez un legendaire
Au seuil des siècles charlatans! … Pierrots.
Numeral] TSE wrote III despite the position between I and II.
[1] And] Then 1st reading
[3] lunaire] Lunaire March Hare (error in transcription of ms1)
II
Numeral] Part II with epigraph: “Thou hast committed—” | “Fornication—but that was in another country | And besides, the wench is dead”: Jew of Malta ms1
II 1 bloom] bloom, TSE’s emendation in Morley’s US 1920
II 3 one] them AraVP she talks.] we talk ms1 2nd reading
II 4 Ah,] Ah Others, New Poetry
II 5 life] Life ms1 who] should US 1920, 1925, 1936 proof hands”;] hands;” ms1, AraVP ‖ hands;—” Others ‖ hands—” New Poetry
II 6 (Slowly] Slowly ms1 stalks)] stalks— ms1 1st reading ‖ stalk— 2nd reading ‖ stalks); New Poetry
II 7 “You] You AraVP (error) it · · · it] if · · · if 1932 (overlooked by TSE in 1932 proof; corrected in a new printing for the US, Sept 1932. See headnote to Textual History, 3. KEY TO EDITIONS) flow,] flow ms1, AraVP
II 8 And] “And ms1 no remorse] no remorse, New Poetry ‖ no more remorse 1969, 1974 (each corrected in later printings)
II 9 And] “And ms1 cannot see.”] does not see”— ms1
II 10 course,] course ms1
II 11 ^ 12] no line space printings prior to 1936, 1963 proof ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate 1936, US 1963 ‖ new page with II 12 erroneously indented 1963 ‖ line space with II 12 erroneously indented 1969, some printings of Sel Poems later than 1963
II 13 Spring,] spring— ms1 ‖ spring, New Poetry
II 15 ^ 16] with line spaces before and after these lines, ms1:
Oh, spare these reminiscences!
How you prolong the pose!
These emotional concupiscences
Tinctured attar of rose.
[5]
(The need for self-expression
Will pardon this digression).