by T. S. Eliot
Highbury bore me. Richmond Kew
Undid me. At Kew we had tea.
[10]
At Richmond on the river, at last I raised my knees
Stretched on the floor of a perilous canoe.
ms2 1st draft, del by TSE but with Pound’s “Type | out | this | anyhow” (bracketed) and “= O.K.”
[3] We] Mine 2nd reading
[6] anxious] uncertain providing] whi provided 1st reading
[7] Shanklin] Bognor 2nd reading
[9] At Kew we had tea.] del
[10] At Richmond on the river, at last] Near Richmond on the river, at last 2nd reading, then del I raised my knees] ringed to move below [11]
[11] Stretched on] On 2nd reading
[Poem I 65, 339 · Commentary I 677–78]
[III] 292] “Trams] Trams Hogarth proof ‖ “Trains Collected Poems (2002), Sel Poems (2002) (optical scanning error, later corrected)
[III] 293] last line of verso (18) Hogarth proof ‖ first line of recto (19) Hogarth
[III] 294 = 457 By] Beyond ms2 2nd draft 1st reading
[III] 295 = 458 Supine] Stretched ms2 2nd draft narrow] perilous ms2 2nd draft, with slashes added around the word canoe.”] Boni+ ‖ canoe”. ms2 2nd draft, Q
[III] 295 ^ 296] new page so line spacing indeterminate 1925 ‖ no line space 1932 proof (added TSE)
[III] 296 = 459 “My] My T/W, ms1960 are] were ms2 2nd draft 1st reading
461 promised] offere ms2 2nd draft 1st reading ‘a new start.’] originally with double quotation marks, emended by TSE ms2 2nd draft (because this is speech within quoted speech) ‖ ‘a new start’. Q, T/W, Sesame, Penguin, Mardersteig, 1971B
[III] 299 = 462 comment.] outcry: ms2 2nd draft 1st reading ‖ comment: ms2 2nd draft 2nd reading What] what ms2 2nd draft should] shd ms2 2nd draft I] I (italicised by underlining) ms2 2nd draft resent?”] resent? Hogarth proof ‖ resent” Hogarth (probably a proof correction error)
[III] 299 ^ 300 = 462 ^ 463] new page so line spacing indeterminate ms2, Q, 1932 ‖ no line space T 1st reading, W ‖ no line space Boni ‖ half-line space 1936 ‖ two-line space Valerie’s Own Book, ms1960
[III] 300–303 = 463–66] ms2 1st draft:
“I was to be grateful. On Margate sands
There were many others. I can connect
Nothing with nothing. He had
I still feel the pressure of dirty hand
with loop around I can connect | Nothing with nothing. and finally all del
[III] 300 “On] On ms1960 Sands.] Sands, Criterion
[III] 303 = 466 fingernails] finger nails ms2 ‖ finger-nails Dial, Criterion
[III] 304 = 467 humble] are plain ms2 1st reading people] people, ms2
[III] 305 = 468 Nothing.”] nothing”. ms2 1st reading ‖ Nothing”. ms2 2nd reading, Q, T/W
[III] 305 ^ 306 = 468 ^ 469] no line space Q, Boni+ ‖ line space ms2, T/W, Dial ‖ no line space but leaded 1971B
[III] 306 = 469 la la] la la ms2, T/W
[III] 306 ^ 307 = 469 ^ 470] new page so line spacing indeterminate Criterion ‖ no line space Mardersteig (overlooking the line space at the foot of page in Sesame, used as setting copy)
[III] 307 = 470 came] came. ms2
[III] 308 = 471 Burning burning burning burning] without extra word spacing T/W, Boni, Dial, Criterion, Hogarth, 1932+, Valerie’s Own Book, WLFacs, 1971B ‖ Burning, burning, burning burning 1925 (the two commas removed in 2nd imp., but without extra word spacing). To P. M. Jack, 19 Jan 1927: “there are two commas to be deleted and I intended the four ‘burnings’ to be printed with double spacing between each.”
[Poem I 65–66, 339 · Commentary I 678–80]
[III] 309 = 472 Thou] thou ms2, Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading
[III] 310 = 473 Thou] thou ms2, Hogarth
[III] 310 ^ 311] no line space but leaded 1971B
IV. DEATH BY WATER
The two drafts of Part IV are ms5 (WLFacs 54–61), which is given in WLComposite, and ts4 (WLFacs 62–69). On ms5 Pound wrote “Bad—but cant attack until I get typescript”, after which TSE typed ts4. The published poem resumes at [IV] 312 = 557.
475–86] braced twice Pound ts4
475 The] repeated after a false start ts4 attentive to the chart or to the sheets.] del Pound ts4
476] del Pound who additionally del against ts4
477 Retains,] Retains., ts4 ‖ moved to end of line by Pound ts4 even] del Pound ts4
478 clean, and] del Pound ts4
479 Even the] del Pound ts4 ruffian who] del Pound ts4
480 backstreet] del Pound ts4 to] thence to Pound ts4
482 comic] del Pound ts4 gonorrhea] gonnohrha ts4 1st reading
483 From] Yet from ts4 and snow, as they] del Pound ts4
484 Are, he is, with] del Pound ts4 endured,”] endured”, ts4
485] del Pound ts4
486 ^ 487] no asterisks, four-line space ts4
487 “Kingfisher weather] Kingfisher weather ts4 del Pound
488] del Pound ts4
489 and laid our course] del Pound ts4
490 to the eastern banks.] del Pound ts4
491 upon] on Pound ts4 phosphorescent] del Pound ts4
492] del Pound ts4
493–94] del Pound ts4
495–524] left margin accidentally ragged (ts4 2nd leaf)
495–96] del Pound ts4
496 wrong.] wrong, ts4
497 A water cask was opened] ms5 ‖ Opened a water-cask Pound transposition ts4 water cask] ms5 ‖ watercask WLFacs transcription of ms5 ‖ water-cask ts4
498 Another brackish.] del Pound ts4 Then the main gaffjaws] The the main gaff jaws del Pound ts4
499–500 del Pound with first and last words also individually del ts4
501 And then the] The Pound ts4 garboard-strake] garboard strake ts4
502 baked] del Pound ts4 only a putrid] del Pound ts4
503 one cut his hand.] del Pound ts4
[Poem I 66, 339–41 · Commentary I 680–83]
504–505] del Pound ts4
505 Was over] Took lo ms5 1st reading over time] overtime ts4 justified] justified, ts4
506 Extenuated thus:] del Pound ts4
507 eat—] eat, ts4
508 “For] For ts4
509 “From] From del Pound ts4 every biscuit,] del Pound ts4 there’s] theres ts4
510 injurious] del Pound ts4
510–11 So · · · the ship.] del Pound ts4
511 windward,”] windward”, ts4
512] del Pound ts4 among] amongst ms5 2nd reading, ts4
513 coffin,] ci ts4 1st reading ‖ coffin ts4 2nd reading
514 “With] With ts4 Hell] hell ts4
515 “This] This ts4 windward.”] windward”. ts4
516 So the crew moaned;] So the crew moaned, ts4 1st reading ‖ So the crew moaned. ts4 2nd reading then del Pound voices] woices ts4 (voices WLFacs)
516–17 the sea · · · moon,] del Pound ts4
518–19] del Pound ts4
520 at last. The] at last, the ts4 del Pound northern] ms5 1st reading, ts4 del Pound ‖ eastern ms5 2nd reading banks] seas ms5 1st reading, ts4 del Pound
521 Had] del Pound ts4
523 home,] home ts4 dollars,] dollars ts4
525–32] del Pound ts4
527 us] me WLFacs transcription of ms5 (corrected in the copy Valerie Eliot sent to I. A. Richards, now Magdalene, and in later printings)
530 stars] stars. ts4
533] five chevrons through line and five after by Pound ts4
534–37] del Pound ts4
534 islands] islands, ts4
535 ate slept drank] perhaps with extra word spacing (for punctuation) ms5
539 us.] us,” (quotation marks and comma superimposed) ts4
539–41 One night · · · white hair.] del Pound ts4
540 cross-trees] cross trees ts4
541 women] women with w ms5 1st reading ‖ women with white hair ts4 1st reading
542 three-sided glyph Π Po
und in ts4. (Perhaps half of a transposition mark, drawing attention to the awkwardness of “white hair · · · who”.)
543–46] del Pound ts4
[Poem I 67, 341–42 · Commentary I 638–84]
546 dream.] dream, ts4
546 ^ 547] line space ts4 ‖ new leaf so line spacing indeterminate ms5
547 —Something] Something ts4
551 A wall, a barrier,] Toward which we ms5 1st reading towards] last letter apparently a second thought ms5
552–54] del Pound ts4
552 there’s] theres ts4
553 chance.] chance, ts4
554 Where’s] Wheres ts4 here’s] heres ts4
555] not ts4, which has a two-line space
556 Another] Another ts4
557 ^ 558] no asterisks, three-line space ts4
Published poem resumes
[IV] 312 = 558 Phoenician] Phœnician Criterion
[IV] 313 = 559 deep sea] deep-sea ms5, Criterion ‖ sea Penguin 2nd and 3rd imps. (1951, 1952) swell] swell, Criterion
[IV] 315 as also 319] ranged right Dial, Hogarth
[IV] 317 stages] stage T 1st reading, W
[IV] 318 ^ 319] line space Criterion
[IV] 319 = 565 Jew] Jew, ms5, ts4, Criterion
V. WHAT THE THUNDER SAID
The two drafts of Part V are ms6 (WLFacs 70–81), which is given in WLComposite, and ts5 (WLFacs 82–89).
Part title] not ms6 ‖ repeated on succeeding line, where it is more deeply indented T/W said] Said Valerie’s Own Book, ms1960 1st reading
above [V] 322 = 568] “OK” (green crayon) then “OK from here on I think” Pound ms6
[V] 322 = 568] see After the turning of the inspired days 6–7: “After the judges and the advocates and wardens | And the torchlight red on sweaty faces”.
[V] 322] indent 1963 (not 1963 proof, US 1963) faces] faces, ts5
[V] 323 = 569 gardens] gardens, ts5 with last letter and comma ringed by Pound
[V] 324 = 570 places] places, ts5
[V] 325 = 571 crying] crying, ts5
[V] 326 = 572 Prison] Gardens ms6 1st reading ‖ Prisons ms6 2nd reading palace] palaces ms6 1st reading ‖ Palace T 1st reading, W ‖ place 1971B (later corrected) reverberation] Reverberation T 1st reading, W
[V] 327 = 573 over] of ms6 1st reading distant] the ms6 1st reading mountains] mountains; ts5
[Poem I 67–68, 342–43 · Commentary I 684–88]
[V] 328 = 574 He who was] He was ts5, with who added Pound dead] dead, ms6, ts5
[V] 333 = 579 above] ahead ms6 1st reading
[V] 335] If there were only water amongst the rock Dial (eye-skip to [V] 338) and drink] or think T 1st reading, W (eye-skip to [V] 336)
[V] 336 = 582 Amongst] Among ms6 1st reading
[V] 337 = 583 Sweat] The sweat ms6, ts5 ringed Pound feet] the feet ms6, ts7 ringed Pound are in the sand] cannot stop ms6 1st reading
[V] 338 = 584 amongst] 2nd & final readings ms6, ts5+ ‖ among 1st & 3rd readings ms6
[V] 338 ^ 339] line space 1936 proof, removed by TSE
[V] 339 = 585 mountain] mount in Boni later copies, Boni 2nd imp. (1923), (corrected 3rd and 4th printings, 1928, 1930) ‖ mountian 1932 proof, corrected TSE. (TSE to Elizabeth Manwaring, 21 Jan 1936: “if you found the word ‘mountain’ spelt without an ‘a’ it must be a misprint. I am glad that they did not put a ‘g’ on the end as well.”) of] with ms6 1st reading carious] rotten ms6 2nd reading ‖ not Hogarth proof
[V] 340 = 586 nor lie nor] or lie or ts5 1st reading, emended Pound
[V] 341 = 587 in] among ts5 1st reading ‖ on 1932 proof, corrected TSE mountains] last letter boxed Pound ts5
[V] 342 = 588] But red sullen faces sneer and snarl Guild (eye-skip to [V] 344) without] and no ms6
[V] 343 = 589 the] these ms6
[V] 344 ^ 345 = 590 ^ 591] new page so line spacing indeterminate Q, T/W ‖ line space Criterion, Valerie’s Own Book
[V] 345 = 591, 592
no medial line space] Boni, Dial, Hogarth+ ‖ medial line space ms6, ts5, Criterion, Valerie’s Own Book, ms1960 ‖ new leaf so line spacing indeterminate Q, T/W
overhanging step] Criterion, 1925, 1936, 1963 ‖ new line, inset ms6 ‖ stepped ts5, Q, T/W, Dial ‖ overhanging step with second part ranged right Boni, Valerie’s Own Book, ms1960 ‖ stepped with second part reaching right margin Hogarth
[Poem I 68, 343 · Commentary I 689–90]
numbered as one line] Boni, 1936, 1963 ‖ unnumbered ms6, ts5, T/W, Dial, Criterion Hogarth, Valerie’s Own Book, ms1960 ‖ numbered as two lines Q, 1925, US 1952, US 1963, some later British printings. The words “From doors · · · water” have been counted in some printings as one line, in some as two. Neither adjudication can be definitive. The present edition counts them as one so as to conform to the line numbering of most of the important lifetime editions, including the first, Boni, and the last, 1963. In addition, TSE counted only one line when numbering by hand the ts of Menasce’s French translation. Of the four original settings, only Boni had line numbering, and it counted one line here (unlike similar dubieties at 314–15 and 422–23). Unfortunately, 1925 and The Faber Book of Modern Verse attempted to count two here while maintaining the same total number of lines in the poem, with the result that too many lines appear between the marginal numbers 350 and 360. After that, 1936 and 1963 reverted to counting one stepped line. For some reason, US 1952 made the same mistake as 1925, again with an extra line between 350 and 360. This was rectified in US 1963 not by counting one stepped line here, but by adjusting the marginal numbering from here on, adding one to the total, and adjusting the numbering in the Notes from 401 onwards (but neglecting the Notes to 357, 360 and 366–76). British and American line-counts then differed until the counting of an extra line was adopted by Faber in 2002 when resetting Collected Poems 1909–1962 and Selected Poems, although the original numbering remained in reprints of Sesame.
“From doors of mudcracked houses” is the last line of the first leaf of the manuscript (ms6), with a line of space beneath. The first fourteen lines on the second leaf, beginning “If there were water”, are evenly inset. In the typescript (ts5), “If there were water” is stepped down from the end of “From doors of mudcracked houses”, although with a line space between them. The subsequent lines are not inset. The nineteen-page typescript from Quinn’s office (Q) also has such a step. Although not used as setting copy for the poem, Q (like T/W) may here preserve the pagination of the lost typing by TSE in July 1922, with indeterminate line spacing because “If there were water” begins a new leaf. Boni and Dial have no line space (and nor have Hogarth, 1925 and 1936 which derive from Boni) but a line space is present in Criterion. TSE left a line space in both Valerie’s Own Book and ms1960 when copying out the poem, over-riding the reading of the late impression of 1936 from which he was copying (see also the spelling of “aetherial”, [V] 415 = 661).
[V] 346–58 = 593–605] not inset ts5, T/W, Dial, Criterion, Hogarth. (In ms6 this desert description is inset, apparently to match “The river sweats”: WLFacs 48–49, 72–73.)
[V] 347 = 594 rock] no rock T/W
[V] 353 = 600 cicada] cicada, and ms6
[V] 354 = 601 And dry] The dry ms6 1st reading ‖ Dry ms6
[V] 355 = 602 a] not ms6 1st reading
[V] 356 = 603 hermit-thrush] hermit thrush ms6, ts5, ms1960 sings] not ms6 1st reading pine trees] ts5, Q, Boni ‖ pines ms6 1st reading ‖ pinetrees ms6, Valerie’s Own Book ‖ pine tree T/W ‖ pine-trees Criterion
[V] 357 = 604] Drip-drop drop drop drop ms6 1st reading ‖ Drip-drop drip-drop drop drop drop ms6 (both with extra word spacing)
[V] 358 = 605 there] here ms6 1st reading
[V] 359 = 606 who] that ms6 always] not ms6 1st reading beside] besides ms6 1st reading
[V] 360 = 607 count,] count Hogarth there] it ts5 alt by Pound bracketed by TSE are] ts5 bracketed alt, Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖ is ms6, ts5
[V] 362 = 609 one] not ms6 1st reading walking] walking there ms6 2
nd reading
[V] 363 wrapt] wrapped Hogarth
[V] 364 = 611 or a] or ms6 1st reading
[V] 365 —But] But Criterion
[Poem I 68–69, 343–44 · Commentary I 690–93]
[V] 365 ^ 366 = 612 ^ 613] new page so line spacing indeterminate Boni, 1971B ‖ no line space Hogarth proof, where 366 is last line of page 22 (moved to page 23 in Hogarth) ‖ no line space but typed rule apparently as substitute T/W ‖ two-line space Valerie’s Own Book, ms1960
[V] 366–76 What is that sound · · · Unreal] in the copy of Boni given by TSE to Vivien, this passage is scored, probably by her.
[V] 366 the air] the air, Criterion ‖ air Valerie’s Own Book
[V] 369 = 616 endless] Polish ms6 1st reading ‖ perished ms6 2nd reading plains,] plains. ts5 1st reading ‖ plain, T/W
[V] 370 = 617 by] with ms6 ‖ iby ts5 emended by Pound to in by and then to by the flat horizon only] a flat horizon, only. ms6
[V] 370 ^ 371 = 617 ^ 618] new leaf so line spacing indeterminate Q, T/W ‖ line space Criterion. (If Q and T/W preserve the pagination of TSE’s lost typing of July 1922, the typesetter of Criterion may have inserted a line space where the ts leaf ended. See [V] 345 = 591, 592.)
[V] 372 = 619 and bursts] ms6 alt, ts5, Q, Boni+ ‖ and breaks ms6 ‖ not T/W
[V] 373 = 620 Falling] Tumbling ms6 1st reading
[V] 374 = 621 Jerusalem Athens] Jerusalem, Athens, ms6
[V] 375 = 622 Vienna London] Vienna, London. Unreal ms6 1st reading ‖ Vienna, London. ms6
[V] 376 = 623] not ms6 1st reading
[V] 376 ^ 377 = 623 ^ 624] no line space 1936, where [V] 377 is last on page, Guild, Penguin, Sel Poems 1954 (corrected long after) ‖ two-line space Valerie’s Own Book, ms1960. Clarabut’s Criterion contains a note dated 18 Nov 1942: “He states there is, correctly, a space here after ‘unreal’; in the collected edition this has been omitted, but he is still hoping to have it put right in the future—conversation with C. E. R. Clarabut”. In Washington copy 1954 TSE wrote “<” (pencil) and “space” (ballpoint) following which, in 1961, the final impression of 1936 was emended by reducing the leading of line spaces above to allow more space here. The space was consistently present in American eds.
[V] 377] indent US 1952, 1963 (not 1963 proof, US 1963)