by T. S. Eliot
Dedication] not AraVP ‖ TO | JEAN VERDENAL | 1889–1915 1917, US 1920 ‖ For Jean Verdenal, 1889–1915. | mort aux Dardanelles. 1925 ‖ the same without the full stops 1932+ (The preposition was changed in 1925 because the volume itself was dedicated “to | HENRY WARE ELIOT | 1843–1919”, as was 1932.) 1889–1915] correctly 1890–1915 (see Commentary)
[Poems I 3–28 · Commentary I 363–454]
Volume epigraph] not 1917, US 1920, Sesame ‖ before the post-1917 poems (beginning with “Gerontion”) at front of volume, AraVP ‖ on “Prufrock and Other Observations” section-title 1925+. Capital first letter for each full line in all editions prior to Sel Poems 1954 and in imps. of 1936 prior to pbk (1958). To R. W. Chapman, 7 Sept 1948: “I must some day seize the opportunity of a new impression to clear up several slips in this volume. You do not mention what I discovered for myself—a quotation from Dante which accompanies the dedication to Jean Verdenal is also incorrect. In this case the error was not pure ignorance but quoting from memory.” The epigraph was retyped, presumably by TSE, on the proof of Sel Poems 1954, with the final line beginning slightly to the left, as in the Temple edition of Dante, being the first line of a tercet. Sel Poems 1954 did not observe this, though it did print the words correctly for the first time. Other errors appeared in 1936 pbk (1958) and 1936 17th imp. (1959) and 18th imp. (1961). Noting that the quotation was “incorrectly given”, TSE typed the four lines on an undated leaf now in Valerie Eliot’s collection. Marking up Washington copy 1954, he wrote out the epigraph in black ink, beginning with two extra words, then apparently added a further word before those, in pencil (and underlined each line). Unfortunately, 1963 printed the epigraph with each line centred, as did 1974 and the resetting in 2002 of both Collected Poems and Sel Poems.
[1] Or puoi la] US 1952, Sel Poems 1954, Washington copy 1954 2nd emendation, 1936 17th imp. (1959), 1963+ ‖ Or puoi, la AraVP ‖ la 1925, 1936 prior to 17th imp. ‖ puoi la Washington copy 1954 1st emendation, 1936 18th imp. (1961)
[2] comprender] AraVP, US 1952, Sel Poems 1954, Washington copy 1954, 1936 17th imp. (1959)+ ‖ Puote veder 1925, 1936 prior to 17th imp., Guild, Penguin (see Commentary) dell’amor] AraVP, US 1952, Sel Poems 1954, Washington copy 1954 emendation, 1936 17th imp. (1959)+ ‖ del amor 1925, 1936 prior to 17th imp. ch’a] AraVP, US 1952, Sel Poems 1954, Washington copy 1954 emendation, 1936 17th imp. (1959)+ ‖ che a 1925, 1936 prior to 17th imp., Guild, Penguin
[3] vanitate,] Sel Poems 1954, Washington copy 1954 emendation, 1963+ ‖ vanitate printings prior to 1936, 1936 (all imps.)
Acknowledgement] Certain of these poems appeared first in Poetry and Others 1917, verso of dedication ‖ not AraVP, 1925+‖ Certain of these poems first appeared in Poetry, Blast, Others, The Little Review, and Art and Letters. US 1920, recto before “Table of Contents”
[Poems I 3–28 · Commentary I 363–454]
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Published in Poetry June 1915; then Cath Anth, 1917+.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 28–31. Undated, but appearing between Suite Clownesque IV, which is dated Oct 1910, and Entretien dans un parc, dated Feb 1911. Includes, after 69, Prufrock’s Pervigilium, an additional passage first published in March Hare. In that transcription, Prufrock’s Pervigilium was longer by six lines, because it was taken as including 73–74 (“I should have been a pair of ragged claws | Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.”) and the four deleted lines 74 ^ 75 from ms1. The present edition treats those four lines as a separate variant, owing something to Prufrock’s Pervigilium [29–32], which had perhaps already been deleted.
ts1 (U. Maryland): four leaves of “Falcon Bond” typing paper, with text closely following ms1. Typed for Conrad Aiken on a Blickensderfer italic typewriter with a very uncertain left margin. (Only indents that appear intentional are recorded.) Pencilled at the head is the address of a friend of Aiken’s: “c/o M. D. Armstrong | 37 Great Ormond Street | WC”. Facsimile of first leaf in Modern Literature auction catalogue of Sotheby Parke Bernet, NY, 31 Oct 1972. Rainey 198 assigns this and ts2 to July 1914. For Aiken’s attempts to place the poem with British publishers, see volume headnote. For other typescript and manuscript poems owned by Aiken, see headnotes to Oh little voices of the throats of men, The Love Song of St. Sebastian, Afternoon and The Little Passion: From “An Agony in the Garret”.
ts2 (U. Chicago): ribbon copy on six leaves of typing paper, sent to Poetry, Chicago. Facsimile in Famous Verse Manuscripts: Facsimiles of Original Manuscripts as submitted to “Poetry” (Modern Poetry Association, 1954). Rainey 198 assigns this and ts1 to July 1914. Several layers of emendation cannot be distinguished with certainty. Neat emendations in black ink (commas added at 4, 113 and 130, colon at 49 and asterisks 74 ^ 75) are almost certainly authorial, since TSE signed his name in ink (over an erasure) at the foot of the poem. The punctuation at the end of many other lines is in pencil and may be authorial but appears more likely to be editorial. Although the evidence is unclear, ts2 apparently shows TSE removing some of the line-end punctuation present in ms1, and submitting poems to Poetry with very light pointing, only to have the editors add line-end punctuation of their own, in which TSE generally acquiesced in subsequent printings. Numerous final readings are accordingly shown as “(not by TSE?)”. Each page of ts2 has at foot, circled, an editorial line count, including spaces. At the head of first page is a calculation with the initials of Harriet Monroe and Henry B. Fuller, “28) 165/168 lines (6 pps HM HBF”. This may have been added once a galley proof had been set, for the line count of 165 includes not only line spaces but turned lines. The magazine’s page was 28 lines deep, which over six pages gave available space of 168 lines. When printed, the poem occupied pages 130–35. TSE’s typing occasionally strays over the left margin, but this was marked editorially for alignment. Where a line space is called for, the editor put a partial rule with “sp”. TSE repeatedly fails to leave a space after typed commas. The indents and insettings of TSE’s typing are recorded below, but not those of the editors.
[Poem I 5–9 · Commentary I 373–399]
Valerie’s Own Book: fair copy (eight pages).
Title] Prufrock AraVP contents Love Song] Love-Song ts1
Subtitle] (Prufrock among the Women). ms1
Running headline] Love Song of J. A. Prufrock Cath Anth ‖ The Love Song of Prufrock 1917 ‖ not AraVP+
Epigraph] not ts1 ‖ roman in ts2 but braced by editor with “It. 8-pt”. Apostrophes and accents added by hand to ts2, except that the apostrophe in the last line is typed. Each line begins with a capital in ts2 and in print until corrected by TSE in Washington copy 1954 (black ink, with which he also corrected credesse to credessi) and thence in 1936 18th imp. (1961). The capitals continued to appear in Sel Poems for many years and were copied in Valerie’s Own Book. Insetting of the second and third lines of the terza rima not observed in ts2 (although this had equivalent line space [3 ^ 4]) or in printings prior to this edition or in Valerie’s Own Book.
[1–6] not ms1 1st reading ‖
“Sovegna vos al temps de mon dolor”—
Poi s’ascose nel foco che gli affina.
ms add, squeezed between title and first line, with arrow from left margin
[1] credessi] ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth, Washington copy 1954 emendation (black ink), 1936 18th imp. (1961)+ ‖ credesse printings 1917–59
[3] più] ts2, Sel Poems 1954 (accent added by TSE in proof), Washington copy 1954 emendation (pencil), 1936 17th imp. (1959)+ ‖ piú Poetry, Cath Anth ‖ piu 1917, AraVP, US 1920, 1925, 1936 imps. prior to 1959
[3 ^ 4] line space ts2
[4] per ciò che] Sel Poems 1954 (so emended by TSE in proof), 1963+ ‖ perchiocche ts2 1st reading ‖ perciocchè ts2 2nd reading, Poetry, Cath Anth ‖ perciocche 1917, AraVP, US 1920, 1925, 1936
[5] tornò] Poetry, Cath Anth, Sel Poems 1954 (accent added by TSE in proof), Washington copy 1954 emendation (accent added in pencil), 1936 17th imp. (1959)+ ‖ torno 1917, AraVP, US 1920, 1925, 1936
imps. prior to 1959 alcun] alcum Poetry (corrected by TSE in copy at University College, Oxford)
[6] ^ 1] four asterisks ts2 (del by ed.)
1 Let] … Let ms1 I,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ I ms1, ts2 1st reading
3 Like] —Like ms1 1st reading etherised] ms1, tss, 1925+ ‖ etherized printings prior to 1925 table;] table— ms1 1st reading ‖ table ms1 2nd reading. (The punctuation at the beginning and end of the line which March Hare erroneously records as # consists of dashes struck through by TSE to delete.)
4 streets,] ts2 2nd reading (comma in ink, presumably by TSE as at 130) ‖ streets ms1, ts2 1st reading
6 one-night] one night March Hare (TSE’s pen did not leave the paper) hotels] hotels, ts1
[Poem I 5 · Commentary I 374–79]
7 sawdust] saw-dust ts1 oyster-shells] oyster shells ms1, ts1
8 follow] join ms1 like] tlike ts1 1st reading (as if about to type “tedious”?)
10 question …] Poetry, Cath Anth, 1925 ltd ed. and later imps., 1932+ ‖ question. ts1 ‖ question…. 1917, AraVP, US 1920, 1925 1st imp.
10 ^ 11] line space ms1, tss, Poetry, Cath Anth ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate 1917 ‖ no line space AraVP+, Valerie’s Own Book
11 Oh,] Oh ms1, ts1, ts2 1st reading ask, “What] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ ask “what ms1 ‖ ask: “What (run together) ts1 ‖ ask“what (run together) ts2 1st reading
12 ^ 13] new page so line spacing indeterminate Cath Anth, 1932, Valerie’s Own Book
14, as also 36 Michelangelo] Michaelangelo ts1
14 ^ 15] new page so line spacing indeterminate 1925 ‖ no line space 1932 proof, with “wider space” TSE
15 window-panes,] ts1, 1917+ ‖ window panes ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ window panes, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, Cath Anth
16 muzzle] back ts1 window-panes,] ts1, 1917, AraVP, 1963+ ‖ window panes ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ window panes, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, Cath Anth ‖ window-panes US 1920 and printings prior to 1963, Valerie’s Own Book 2nd reading
17 evening,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ evening ms1, ts2 1st reading
18 drains,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ drains; ts1 ‖ drains ms1, ts2 1st reading, Valerie’s Own Book
19 soot] spot Poetry, Cath Anth. The error was caused by faint typing. In a copy of Poetry now at University Coll., Oxford, TSE wrote: “damn! soot” (Macbeth V i: “Out damned spot”). He corrected the error in the copy of Cath Anth he sent to his mother (Houghton). chimneys,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ chimneys; ms1 ‖ chimneys ts2 1st reading
20 leap,] ms1, ts1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ leap ts2 1st reading
21 And] And, ts1 night,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ night ms1, ts1, ts2 1st reading
22 ^ 23] new page so line spacing indeterminate ts2, AraVP, 1936 (not US 1936), US 1963
24 street] street, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?), printings prior to 1936, US 1936, US 1952. The comma was probably an editorial addition in Poetry, but was adopted by TSE. In 1932 it was under-inked so the compositor of 1936 overlooked it and it was lost from British editions. The compositor of US 1936 included it, so the American text diverged until it was brought to conform with the British for US 1963. TSE tacitly accepted the line both with and without a comma, so the last lifetime text, with no comma, is followed in the present edition.
25 window-panes;] 1917, 1925+ ‖ window panes; ms1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, Cath Anth, US 1920 ‖ window-panee; ts1 1st reading ‖ window panes ts2 1st reading
26] excessive spacing above and below line, with braces indicating that this was inadvertent ts1 time] time, ts1
[Poem I 5–6 · Commentary I 379–82]
30 plate;] 1917+ ‖ plate: ms1, tss, Poetry, Cath Anth
32 indecisions,] ts1, ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ indecisions ms1, ts2 1st reading
33 revisions,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ revisions ms1, ts1, ts2 1st reading
34 Before] Between ms1 1st reading, ts1
34 ^ 35] new page so line spacing indeterminate ms1
38 wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”] 1917+ ‖ wonder “Do I dare?” and “Do I dare?” ms1 ‖ wonder: Do I dare? and Do I dare? ts1 ‖ wonder “do I dare?” and “do I dare?” ts2 1st reading ‖ wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”— ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?), Poetry, Cath Anth
39 descend] the s obscured by an ink blot ts1 stair,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ stair ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ stsir ts1
40 a] my ts1 hair—] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ hair ms1, ts1, ts2 1st reading
41 as also 44, 64, 82] square not round brackets in printings 1936–61. In Washington copy 1954 TSE wrote “to printer: parentheses, not brackets, throughout”. Both 1936 and US 1936 had substituted square for round brackets in this poem, and they were followed by Sesame, Penguin and Sel Poems 1954. Round brackets were reinstated in 1963 and US 1963.
41 say:] say ms1 “How] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ How ts1 ‖ “how ts2 1st reading growing] getting ts1 1st reading thin!”)] thin! ts1 1st reading ‖ thin!) ts 2nd reading
41 ^ 42] excessive line space ts1 1st reading
42 chin,] chin ms1, ts2
43 and] Valerie’s Own Book
44 say:] say ms1 “But how] “How ts1 ‖ “but how ts2 thin!”)] thin”) ms1 ‖ thon”! ts1 1st reading ‖ thin”!) ts 2nd reading
45 dare] dare . . ms1
47–48] one line ts1
47 minute] moment ts2 1st reading (with minute typed over)
48 reverse.] reverse … ms1
48 ^ 49] two-line space ts1
49–52] first word (“For”) on its own line and underlined (as though introducing a performance), with other lines inset (then new page 52 ^ 53) ms1
49 them all already, known] ms1, ts2, 1917+ ‖ them already, known Poetry, Cath Anth (TSE added all in the copy he sent to his mother, now Houghton) all—] 1936 and later British printings, US 1963 and later US printings ‖ all ms1, ts1, ts2 1st reading ‖ all: ts2 2nd reading, printings prior to 1936 (colon changed to a dash by TSE in a copy of Poetry at University Coll., Oxford) ‖ all:— US 1936, US 1952 (probably misreading an attempt on the US 1936 proof to replicate a change from colon to dash made by TSE on the British proof)
50 Have] I have ts1 the evenings, mornings, afternoons,] ts1, ts2 3rd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ the evenings, mornings, afternoons ms1 ‖ them all ts2 1st reading ‖ the evenings mornings afternoons ts2 2nd reading
51 spoons;] spoons, ts1
[Poem I 6 · Commentary I 382–83]
53 Beneath] Among ms1, ts1
54] no indent ts1 ‖ double indent ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth
54 ^ 55] no line space ts1 (but indenting of 55 may indicate new paragraph)
55] no indent ms1, ts2 1st reading, 1917+ ‖ indent ts1, ts2 2nd reading (editorial), Poetry, Cath Anth, Penguin, 1963 (not 1963 proof, US 1963) eyes already, known] eyes, I have known ms1, ts1 all—] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ all ms1, ts2 1st reading ‖ all, ts1
56 fix] fit Cath Anth in] like ts2 1st reading phrase,] 1917+ ‖ phrase ms1, ts1 1st reading ‖ phrase; ts1 2nd reading ‖ phrase. ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth
57 formulated,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ formulated ms1 (uncertain), ts1, ts2 1st reading pin,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ pin ms1 (uncertain), ts1 1st reading, ts2 1st reading ‖ pin— ts1 2nd reading
58 wriggling] squirming ms1 1st reading wall,] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ wall ms1, ts1 1st reading, ts2 1st reading ‖ wall— ts1 2nd reading
59 begin] begin? ms1, ts1
60 To] —To ms1 butt-ends] butt ends ms1, ts1 days and ways?] ways and days? AraVP
61] no indent ts1 ‖ double indent ms1, ts2 ‖ single indent Poetry, Cath Anth And] But ms1, ts1
62 the arms already,] the arms, I have ms1 ‖ them all, I have ts1 all—] ts2 2nd reading (not by TSE?)+ ‖ all ms1, ts1, ts2 1st reading
63 braceleted] braceleted, ms1
64 But] But, ms1 lamplight,] lamp light ts1 hair!)] hair) ms1, Valerie’s Own Book ‖ hair). ts1
65–66] no insetting 1917+ ‖ inset to align with 61 ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth ‖
—Is it the skin, or perfume from a dress
That makes me so digress?—
ms1 (second line indented so)
65] Is it the skin or perfume on a dress ts1 with the changed to white
67 table,] cushion, ms1 2nd reading ‖ cushion ts1 wrap] wh Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading (uncertain) shawl.] shawl— ts1
68] no indent ts1 presume?] presume? … ms1, ts1 2nd reading
69] single indent ms1, 1917+ ‖ no indent ts1 ‖ double indent ts2, Poetry, Cath Anth begin?] begin? … ms1 ‖ presume? … ts1, where line is then del
Prufrock’s Pervigilium
after 69] line space and row of dots, then new page and title PRUFROCK’S PERVIGILIUM (over illegible erasure) with subtitle (Testimony of J. A. Prufrock) (first word uncertain) erased ms1 ‖ several lines of space and new leaf ts1 ‖ three asterisks del by editor with “Row of dots” ts2 ‖ six dots Poetry, Cath Anth ‖ four asterisks 1917, AraVP ‖ eight dots US 1920 ‖ five dots 1925+ ‖ series of dashes Valerie’s Own Book. The rows of dots here and elsewhere in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock followed house style at Poetry. Divisions by asterisks and dots are used in several of the 1920 Poems, for instance A Cooking Egg at a place where two stanzas were deleted. TSE uses a row of dots when quoting three stanzas of The Weeper in A Note on Richard Crashaw (1928), indicating that lines are omitted.
[Poem I 7 · Commentary I 383–85]
70–72] ms1 has these 32 lines, all of them del except [1–3], and with a line space after [32]:
Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets
And seen the smoke which rises from the pipes
Of lonely men in shirtsleeves, leaning out of windows.
