by T. S. Eliot
ts1 (U. Chicago): ribbon copy, with no indents. After the publication of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock in Poetry, Pound made two further submissions of poems by TSE. (For the second submission, see headnote to The “Boston Evening Transcript”.) This poem was one of the five, each on a separate leaf, that constituted the third submission, sent 29 May 1916: “Here are five poems by Eliot. I am sending off the mss. of his book to the publisher by the same post so there wont be unlimited time for printing these. (I should think three months.)” Four poems were printed in Sept 1916, and ribbon copies of these survive, with pencil numbers in corresponding order, at the head of each, possibly in TSE’s hand: (1) Conversation Galante; (2) La Figlia Che Piange; (4) Mr. Apollinax; (5) Morning at the Window. Along with them is a violet carbon (apparently from the same typewriter) of the other poem, numbered (3), The Death of Saint Narcissus. Together with this is a galley proof of this poem alone (see headnote to it in Commentary). At the head of Conversation Galante, Harriet Monroe’s assistant Henry B. Fuller has pencilled “The first 3 are unusual H. B. F.”, beside which is a note of reminder about the deadline Pound had set: “Only three months time from June 15”.
[Poems I 20–21 · Commentary I 423–26]
ts Virginia (U. Virginia): later typing not by TSE but endorsed in his late hand (together with typings of Eyes that last I saw in tears and The wind sprang up at four o’clock and poems by Conrad Aiken). As these have no independent authority, they are not collated here. See also tss of The “Boston Evening Transcript”.
1 as also 5] indent added ts1 (not by TSE?) ‖ indent Poetry
1 in] at ts1 1st reading basement] basements ts1 1st reading (deletion of “s” not by TSE?) kitchens,] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ kitchens ms1, ts1 1st reading, AraVP
4 Sprouting] Hanging ms1, ts1 2nd reading, Poetry ‖ Handing ts1 1st reading
6 street,] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ street ms1, ts1 1st reading
7 passer-by] passerby ts1, Poetry ‖ no clear hyphen but words linked ms1
8 An] And ms1 1st reading (error)
The “Boston Evening Transcript”
Published in Poetry Oct 1915, then Cath Anth, then 1917+.
After The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock appeared in Poetry, Pound submitted two further batches of TSE’s poems. The first, sent in July or Aug 1915, comprised four items. The “Boston Evening Transcript”, Aunt Helen and Cousin Nancy were published in the magazine under the heading “Three Poems” in Oct 1915, but no typescripts survive. Although Donald Gallup, John Hayward and Valerie Eliot believed that the fourth item was The Death of Saint Narcissus, this was part of the third submission (see headnote above to Morning at the Window). The fourth item may instead have been Hysteria (see headnote to The Death of Saint Narcissus in Commentary).
Texas and U. Virginia each have a ts of the poem signed by TSE on “13. iv. 61”. The Texas copy was signed again on “2. i. 62” for William Turner Levy. Although Sackton (F1) claims that TSE was “making a gift of an early typescript”, the watermark is not among those listed in Rainey, and neither ts was made by TSE. Not collated here.
Title The “Boston Evening Transcript”] 1936 Contents, 1963 Contents, 1974+ poem heading and Contents ‖ The Boston Evening Transcript printings prior to US 1920, 1936, 1963, 1969 ‖ The Boston Evening Transcript US 1920 ‖ The Boston Evening Transcript 1925, US 1936+. The masthead title of the paper was Boston Evening Transcript. (This summary standardises all-capital titles to upper and lower case; italic to roman, and quotation marks from single to double. Where the general style was to italicise titles and a distinction was made by the occasional use of roman, this summary reverses the two.)
1 as also 5, 9] title all roman Cath Anth
3 street,] street Cath Anth
4 some] some, Cath Anth
6 steps] stairs AraVP
[Poems I 21–22 · Commentary I 426–29]
7 nod] say Cath Anth La Rochefoucauld,] Washington copy 1954 emendation, 1963+ ‖ Rochefoucauld Cath Anth ‖ Rochefoucauld, printings other than Cath Anth prior to 1963 (see Commentary)
8 time] Time Poetry, Cath Anth street,] street. 1925 (broken comma?) ‖ street 1925 ltd edn. and 2nd imp. (1926). The comma was restored in 1925 3rd imp. (1928), though not present or marked in the printer’s proof (McCue collection) and despite a Faber memo to the printer, 22 June 1928, specifying that corrections “are confined to the title page and to the matter on the reverse of the title page”.
Aunt Helen
Published in Poetry Oct 1915, then Cath Anth, then 1917+. No drafts known (see headnote to The “Boston Evening Transcript”).
Title] Miss Helen Slingsby Cath Anth
1 aunt,] aunt Cath Anth
2 square] square, TSE’s emendation in Morley’s US 1920
6 feet—] feet: Cath Anth
10 mantelpiece,] mantel- | piece (broken across line) Cath Anth, 1925
11 dining-table] 1917+ ‖ dining table Poetry, Cath Anth
12 housemaid] house-maid AraVP knees—] knees Cath Anth
Cousin Nancy
Published in Poetry Oct 1915, reprinted in the New York Times Book Review 17 Oct 1915, “at random from the current number of Poetry”, and without attribution, as an example of vers libre; then 1917+. No known drafts (see headnote to The “Boston Evening Transcript”), and no published variants.
Mr. Apollinax
Published in Poetry Sept 1916, then 1917+.
ms1 (Berg) = A in March Hare: leaf of laid Excelsior typing paper accompanying Notebook. Pencil. First draft.
ms2 (Berg) = B in March Hare: leaf of blind-ruled laid paper accompanying Notebook. Fair copy in black ink. Paper and writing match The Engine ms2. With a rule at head, as though separating this from previous writing.
ts1 (U. Chicago): ribbon copy sent to Poetry (see headnote to Morning at the Window).
[Poems I 22–25 · Commentary I 429–43]
Title] not mss ‖ Mr Appolinax AraVP (error; correct in Contents) ‖ Mr. Appollinax US 1927, US 1929 (correct in Contents of both)
Epigraph] Rodker’s 1917 (added by TSE), AraVP (as one line), 1932+ ‖ not mss, ts1, Poetry, 1917, US 1920, 1925, 1932 proof, but added in the last by TSE. In Washington copy 1954, TSE wrote beside the Greek “106–11?” παραδοξολογίας] παραδοξογίας AraVP, corrected by TSE in copies for Edgar Jepson, 5 Feb 1920 and John Quinn, 23 Sept 1920 (both Beinecke) and Emily Hale, 5 Sept 1923 (Gekoski). εὐμήχανος] εὐμή- | χανος Rodker’s 1917 (hyphenated across the line-end) LUCIAN] 1936+ ‖ not Rodker’s 1917, AraVP, 1932
Both mss use superscript for Mr and Mrs. The stops after Mr and Mrs in 1, 6, 13 and 21 in ts1 appear to be editorial additions.
1] indent added editorially ts1 ‖ indent Poetry Mr. Apollinax] Mr Apollonax ms1 ‖ Mr Apollinax ms2
2] not ms1 1st reading among] across mss
3 I] We ms1 1st reading birch-trees,] 1917+ ‖ birch trees ms1, ts1 1st reading ‖ birch trees, ms2, ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry
4 Priapus] Priapus, terra cotta ms1 1st reading (comma not del)
5 the swing] a swing ms1 1st reading
6 In] At ms1 Phlaccus,] Phlaccus, again ms1 1st reading Cheetah’s] Cheetah’s, ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)
7] not Poetry (see Commentary) fœtus] foetus mss, ts1 1st reading, Guild ‖ fetus ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)
8–9] ms1 1st reading:
His laughter was submarine and profound
Without sound
Like the old man of the seas
ms1 2nd reading:
[1]
And his laughter was submarine and profound
[2]
He sometimes laughed
[3]
Without sound
[4]
Like the old man of the seas
with the lines braced and numbered apparently so as to run [2], [3], [4], [1], and finally [2], [3], [1], [4]
[1] And] not March Hare (error)
8 profound]
profound: ms2
9 sea’s] seas ms1, ms2 2nd reading
9 ^ 10] Under a rock in the green silence ms1 del
10 islands] islands, ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), although Poetry has no comma
11–12] as one line mss, ts1, Poetry Where] While ms1 1st reading not del worried] the desperate ms1 1st reading ‖ the worried ms1 down] by ms1 alt del ‖ down under the surf last three words added then del ms1
12 ^ 13] You must listen under the surf ms1 add del
12 ^ 13] line space 1963+ (apparently moved here from 13 ^ 14 for the sense: see McCue 2012, Proposal 12) ‖ no line space prior to 1963
[Poem I 25 · Commentary I 436–42]
13 I] And I ms1 1st reading Mr. Apollinax] Mr Apollonax mss, ts1 1st reading under] un 1925 3rd & 4th imps. (1928, 1930, error) chair] mss, ts1 1st reading, US 1920+ ‖ chair, ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, 1917, AraVP ‖ chair. US 1952 (see McCue 2012, Proposal 15)
13 ^ 14] no line space prior to 1932, 1963+ ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate 1932 ‖ line space 1936, US 1952
14 grinning] grinning inanely ms1
15 ^ 16] no line space in printed texts, although 1917 is indeterminate because of a new page ‖ line space mss, ts1
16 centaurs’] ms2, ts1 2nd reading, Poetry, 1917, AraVP ‖ centaur’s ms1, ts1 1st reading, US 1920+ (see Commentary) hard] soft ms1, ms2 1st reading
18–20] ms1:
“He is a charming man.”—“But his pointed ears—he must be unbalanced.”
—“There was something he said which I might have challenged”.
(the first and third dashes being additions), with What did he mean? added between these two lines, then ringed to move above 18, and with But And after all, what does he mean? also added between the lines
18 man”—“But] 1917+ ‖ man”—“but ms2, ts1 1st reading ‖ man”, “but ts1 2nd reading (possibly not by TSE?) ‖ man”, “But Poetry after all] ts1 2nd reading (possibly not by TSE?)+ ‖ after his ms2 1st reading ‖ after all, ms2, ts1 1st reading mean?”—] mean?” ms2, ts1, Poetry
19 ears … He] US 1920+‖ ears—he mss, ts1, Poetry ‖ ears … he 1917, AraVP unbalanced.”—] 1963+ ‖ unbalanced”. ms1 ‖ unbalanced”, ms2, ts1, Poetry ‖ unbalanced,”— printings 1917–61
20 “There] —“There ms1 2nd reading that] which mss, ts1, Poetry
22 a slice of lemon,] lemon in the cup, ms1 1st reading bitten] bitter 1936 proof (corrected in Hayward’s 1936 proof)
Hysteria
Published Cath Anth, then 1917+. Line-ends vary between editions since this prose poem is set across different measures. The arrangement of 1917 is given here because it has no line-end hyphenations, whereas 1963 has the presumably fortuitous “teeth only acci-dental”. For TSE on verse and prose as different systems of punctuation, see headnote in Commentary.
No known drafts.
saying: “If] saying: “if Cath Anth stopped,] stopped Cath Anth
[Poems I 25–26 · Commentary I 442–47]
Conversation Galante
Published in Poetry Sept 1916, then 1917+.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 1; blue ink.
ts1 (U. Chicago): ribbon copy sent to Poetry (see headnote to Morning at the Window). Assigned to May 1916 by Rainey 198.
Title] Short Romance ms1 1st reading
1 Our] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ our ms1, ts1 1st reading
2 Or] —Or ms1 2nd reading
3 Prester] ms1 1st reading del then rewritten ‖ simply ms1 alt del balloon] balloon, ms1 1st reading ‖ balloon— ts1 2nd reading
6 then:] then; AraVP How] ms1, ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ how ts1 1st reading
7 Someone] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, 1925+ ‖ someone ms1, ts1 1st reading ‖ Some one 1917, AraVP, US 1920
8 nocturne,] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ nocturne ms1 ‖ noctourne, ts1 1st reading
9 moonshine;] moonshine: ms1 ‖ moonlight ts1 1st reading which] that ms1 1st reading
10 forth] out ms1 own] not US 1920 (but added in Morley’s copy), 1925, 1932 proof, but added in the last by TSE
12] no indent ts1, Poetry inane.”] 1917+ ‖ inane”. ts1 1st reading ‖ inane. ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry
13 madam] ts1 2nd reading (not TSE?)+ ‖ madame ms1, ts1 1st reading humorist,] 1917+ ‖ humourist, ms1 ‖ humourist ts1 1st reading ‖ humorist ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry
15 twist!] twist!— ms1
16 air] ms1, ts1, 1917, 1936+ ‖ aid US 1920 (corrected by TSE in Morley and Virginia Woolf’s copies), 1925, 1932
17 confute—”] confute. ts1 1st reading
18 Are] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ are ms1, ts1 1st reading
La Figlia Che Piange
Published in Poetry Sept 1916, then 1917+. Reprinted in An Anthology of Modern Verse, ed. AM [Algernon Methuen] (1921) with extended epigraph.
For five words which Valerie Eliot suggested might have been an outline for La Figlia Che Piange, see The Death of the Duchess Textual History.
[Poems I 27–28 · Commentary I 447–50]
ts Aiken (untraced): Conrad Aiken twice claimed to have had a copy which he was unable to persuade editors in London to print (March & Tambimuttu ed. and Ezra Pound Perspectives: Essays in Honour of His Eightieth Birthday ed. Noel Stock, 1965).
ts1 (U. Chicago): ribbon copy sent to Poetry (see headnote to Morning at the Window). Assigned to May 1916 by Rainey 198.
ms Quinn (Beinecke): fair copy by TSE on the last page of Quinn’s AraVP, where it is signed by TSE, with a wax seal.
Title Che Piange] che piange ms Quinn ‖ Che Pianga US 1920 Contents (corrected by TSE in Morley and Virginia Woolf’s copies)
Epigraph] Rodker’s 1917 (added by TSE), AraVP+ ‖ not ts1, Poetry, 1917 ‖ O quam te memorem virgo … O dea certe! Methuen Anthology
1 stair—] ts1 final reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ stair ts1 1st reading ‖ stair, ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)
2 urn—] ts1 final reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ urn ts1 1st reading ‖ urn, ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)
3 Weave, weave] Weave, weave, weave ts1, Poetry hair—] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ hair ts1 1st reading
4 surprise—] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, 1917, US 1920+ ‖ surprise ts1 1st reading, AraVP
6 eyes:] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ eyes ts1 1st reading ‖ eyes; Methuen Anthology
7 weave, weave] weave, weave, ms Quinn
8 leave,] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ leave ts1 1st reading
9 grieve,] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ grieve ts1 1st reading
11 bruised,] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ bruised ts1 1st reading
14 deft,] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, 1917, US 1920+ ‖ deft ts1 1st reading ‖ deft. AraVP
15 understand,] ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ understand ts1 1st reading
18 days,] 1917+ ‖ days ts1 1st reading ‖ days— ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry
20 flowers.] 1917+ ‖ flowers ts1 1st reading ‖ flowers— ts1 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry
22 lost] a lost Poetry
[Poem I 28 · Commentary I 450–54]
Poems (1920)
The poetry volumes published by TSE in Britain and America in 1920 have slightly different contents, with AraVP including Ode (“Tired. | Subterrene”) but not Hysteria, whereas US 1920 has Hysteria but not Ode. Both volumes print all the new poems in front of those from Prufrock, but they are differently ordered and there is no evidence as to why. Seven of the poems had appeared in a Hogarth Press pamphlet, Poems (1919).
In the table below, a chevron indicates a printing of a quatrain poem with alternate lines indented. The order of original appearance of seven of the poems in journals is given—as 1st to 7th—in square brackets. The poem entitled Le Spectateur in 1919 and AraVP is listed by its final title, Le Directeur.
Poems (1919) Ara Vos Prec Poems (1920)
Sweeney Among the Nightingales
[2nd]
The Hippopotamus
[1st]
Mr. Eliot’s Sunday Morning Service
[4th]
Whispers of Immortality
[3rd]
Le Directeur
Mélange Adultère de Tout
Lune de Miel
Gerontion
>Burbank with a Baedeker: Bleistein with a Cigar
[>6th]
>Sweeney Among the Nightingales
>Sweeney Erect
[>7th]
>Mr. Eliot’s Sunday Morning Service
>Whispers of Immortality
>The Hippopotamus
>A Cooking Egg
[5th]
Lune de Miel
Dans le Restaurant
Le Directeur
Mélange Adultère de Tout
Ode (“Tired. | Subterrene”)
followed by:
Prufrock and Other Observations excluding Hysteria
Gerontion
>Burbank with a Baedeker: Bleistein with a Cigar
>Sweeney Erect
>A Cooking Egg
Le Directeur
Mélange Adultère de Tout
Lune de Miel
The Hippopotamus
Dans le Restaurant
Whispers of Immortality
Mr. Eliot’s Sunday Morning Service
Sweeney Among the Nightingales
followed by:
Prufrock and Other Observations including Hysteria
[Poems I 29–52 · Commentary I 455–546]
Printing and binding of the Hogarth Press Poems (1919) varies between copies. Gallup: “The first ones printed have two misprints on page [13] · · · which were corrected in later copies” (see Textual History of Lune de Miel). TSE to Donald Friede, 22 Sept 1930: “I am ashamed to be unable to enlighten you at the moment on my bibliography, as I don’t collect my own first editions or anybody else’s. And I have no copy of that Hogarth Press edition in question [1919]. I can only tell you this, that the first copies bound and those which I saw were bound in the wallpaper, described by Fry. I think that there were seven short poems in the volume, and I am sure that THE HIPPOPOTOMOS was in the first edition. To the best of my knowledge and belief only one edition was printed by the Hogarth Press, but it is quite possible that later copies of the same edition were bound in a different paper. I seem to remember that objections were raised by some purchaser to the wallpaper cover, which might account for it. The whole edition has been out of print for over six years, I believe.”