T. S. Eliot the Poems, Volume 2
Page 66
I 19 ^ 20] Summer beyond sense, the inapprehensible ts1 (last word over una), ts2~ts12, NEW. A possible ghost of this line appears in the final ts, ts13, where “Zero” is typed over “S” (see Commentary).
I 20, 39] second part of each of these lines much more deeply indented, the two being horizontally aligned NEW
I 20 Zero] underlined with “X” by Hayward ts3b summer? ^ If] two-line space 1963+ ‖ stepped with single line space ts1~ts12 ‖ instruction to printer: “wide space” and, ringed, “2 lines blank” ts13 ‖ stepped without line space, with arrow by printer to move two lines of space from 20 ^ 21 NEW 1st proof ‖ 1½-line space LG, US 1943, 1944 ‖ single line space US 1952, 1969, Mardersteig, 1974, 1979, 1995, Rampant Lions ‖ end of page but with line space evident 1959 pbk ‖ stepped without line space Valerie’s Own Book. See East Coker Textual History note to I 23.
I 20 ^ 21, as also 45 ^ 46, 68 ^ 69, 91 ^ 92, 117 ^ 118, 143 ^ 144, 190 ^ 191] instruction to printer at foot of page: “no space” ts13
I 21 route] road Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading would be] are ts2 1st reading
I 22 come] start ts1~ts12, NEW, Valerie’s Own Book from,] from ts1
I 24 sweetness.] sweetness, ts1 1st reading
[Poem I 201 · Commentary I 998–1000]
I 24 ^ 25] In the may time, the play time of the wakened senses, ts1, ts2 without final comma, ts3, ts4 1st reading ‖ with “X” by Hayward ts3b ‖ with play time underlined and “X” ts5. Hayward to TSE, 1 Aug 1941: “this is a rather dangerous conjunction, maytime and playtime (cf. Baby & Maybe) being a favourite stand-by in Tin Pan Alley. I should feel happier if this jingle were omitted.” TSE, 5 Aug: “I agree about the playtime jingle: I wanted the Children hint again: but perhaps it is too close to the Playbox Annual.” See also I 41.
I 25] There is human joy, but no greater glory. ts1 with glory del and rejoicing / rapture alts journey,] journey. ts2–ts4 1st reading, ts4b, ts5
I 26 at] by ts1, ts2
I 27 day] day, ts1 not knowing] and knew ts1 1st reading
I 28 when you leave the rough road] where you leave the rough road ts1 ‖ at the end of the journey ts5 1st reading (error, copying 25, typed over)
I 29 pig-sty] pig-stye ts1~ts13, NEW (emended on final proof, perhaps retrospectively, and on pages from NEW sent to Morley), LG proof 1st reading façade] facade ts12
I 32 which the] the the ts1 1st reading breaks] breaks, ts1, ts2 1st reading when it is fulfilled] when it is summoned, ts1, ts2 ‖ underlined with “X” ts4a
I 33 Either] Whether ts4 1st reading (typed over), ts9 1st reading (typed over)
I 35 fulfilment] fulfillment ts13 1st reading
I 36 sea jaws] sea’s jaw ts1
I 37 in a desert or] or dominating ts1 1st reading ‖ concealed in ts1 2nd reading ‖ within ts1 3rd reading (uncertain)
I 38 nearest] underlined with “to what?” by Hayward ts3b. Hayward to TSE, 1 Aug 1941: “nearest to what, or to whom? I think I understand you, but I am puzzled to know what an American reader would make of it.”
I 39 Now and in England.] Tragedy and glory. ts1 1st reading ‖ Tragedy transcending ts1 alt with Now in England added in margin England. ^ If] stepped with single line space ts5, 1944+ ‖ overhanging step with single line space Valerie’s Own Book ‖ stepped without line space ts1–ts4, ts9~ts13, LG ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate NEW (1st proof has two lines of space and printer’s instruction to turn second part of line to new page) way,] way ts1, ts2
I 41 At any time or at any season,] ts4a 2nd reading+ ‖ ts1–ts5:
At any time, the day time or the dark time,
Or at any season, the dead time or the may time,
with “X” by Hayward against each line ts3b ‖ with all but the first of the five occurrences of time underlined by TSE with “X” ts4a ‖ Geoffrey Faber’s notes: “a little jingly?” Hayward to TSE, 1 Aug 1941: “There is just a faint suggestion here, I think, of your parodying yourself. (v. supra Hayward on Jingles).” See I 24 ^ 25.
I 42 same: you] same. You ts1 1st reading
I 43 verify,] verify ts5
[Poem I 201–202 · Commentary I 1000–1001]
I 44 Instruct] Inform ts1–ts3 inform] cancel ts1–ts3, underlined with “δ T.S.E.” Hayward ts3b ‖ instruct ts3a 2nd reading. To Hayward, 14 July 1941: “You will observe that I have had to remove ‘cancel’ from Part I, because I wanted the word further on” (the first stanza of IV then ended “Or cancelled by the Paraclete”).
I 45–46] Or carry report. And prayer is more ts1
I 46 has] hads ts2 1st reading
I 47 an order of words] the meaning of the words learnt ts1 ‖ an order of the words, or ts3 1st reading
I 48 mind] soul ts2 praying.] praying, ts5 1st reading ‖ praying; ts5 2nd reading
I 51 is tongued with fire beyond] exceeds ts1 1st reading ‖ does not speak in ts1 2nd reading tongued] touched ts2 1st reading ‖ fringed / tongued ts2 alts
I 51 ^ 52] ts1:
And the speech of the living is wind in dry grass
And the living have no communication with each other
ts2–ts5, finally del ts4a:
The words of the living are wind in dry grass,
[2]
The communion of the dead is flame beyond on the wind:
[2] flame on the wind:] underlined with “X” ts4a ‖ flame on the heart ts4a alt
I 51 ^ 52] “< 2 lines omitted” added in margin by Hayward ts9b
I 52 Here,] And ts1
I 53 nowhere.] nowhere: ts1 2nd reading Never and always.] Nowhere and always Valerie’s Own Book
II
msA fols. 85–86 (which have been separated when binding) contain the first verse draft of the lyric section of Part II.
II 1–2] braced with “?” ts5
II 1 Ash] Dust msA, ts2 1st reading an old man’s] alt msA ‖ a threadbare msA 1st reading
II 2] with “X” Hayward ts3b all] del in msA ash] dust msA, ts2 1st reading burnt] not msA 1st reading
II 4 story] msA alt ‖ history msA 1st reading
II 5 was] is msA, ts2 1st reading house—] house: msA, ts2 1st reading
II 6 wainscot] wainscote msA ‖ wainscoat Valerie’s Own Book mouse.] mouse, msA, ts2 1st reading
II 7 despair,] despair— msA ‖ despair. ts2 1st reading
II 8 air.] ‖ air Valerie’s Own Book
II 8 ^ 9, as also 16 ^ 17, 24 ^ 25 two-line space Valerie’s Own Book
II 9 There] Here msA alt, ts2 are] ts12a 2nd reading+ ‖ is msA~ts12 drouth] drouth: msA
II 10 Over] On msA 1st reading mouth,] mouth msA ‖ mouth. ts2–ts4
II 12 Contending] Competing msA, ts2 hand.] hand msA
[Poem I 202–203 · Commentary I 1001–1003]
II 13 parched] scorched msA~ts5 ‖ scorched underlined with parched by Hayward ts3b ‖ annealed ts9 eviscerate soil] and unemployable soil msA~ts5 ‖ and unemployable soil with each “o” underlined by Hayward, with “X” (as again in ts9b) and acarpous / unavailing / unserviceable Hayward ts3b ‖ and unemployable soil with and bracketed and fruitless / emasculate / sexless / eviscerate ts9a alts. Upside down on the verso of the final leaf of ts12a is written eviscerate dusk. Hayward to TSE, 1 Aug 1941: “‘unemployable soil’: this sounds ugly when read aloud to my ear. (Possibilities: acarpous, unavailing, unserviceable).” TSE, 5 Aug: “I like ‘unemployable’ because the word has a special significance in contrast to ‘unemployed’ in relation to ‘derelict areas’ and I wanted the assimilation of the soil to the human material.”
II 15 Laughs] And laughing msA 1st reading ‖ underlined with Smiles by Hayward ts3b ‖ underlined with Grins by Hayward ts9b. Hayward to TSE, 1 Aug 1941: “I should prefer ‘smiles’. It is easier, I think, to conceive of a smile without mirth than a laugh without mirth, for all that people speak of a hollow laugh &c. And it’s easier and more convincing, I feel, to imagine the soil as smiling than as laughing. An inanimate object can appear to be smiling; it can hardly be thought o
f as laughing. In any case, you can’t gape and laugh at the same time—I’ve just tried to in the mirror—and you can gape and smile without mirth at the same time.”
II 16 ^ 17] no line space Folio Soc
II 18 weed.] weed msA ‖ weed; ts2
II 20 sacrifice that] scarred foundations msA, ts2 1st reading ‖ marred foundations ts2 2nd reading ‖ skeletons that ts2 final reading (transposed from II 22), ts3–ts5 denied.] denied msA
II 21 shall rot] win by lot msA 1st reading
II 22 marred foundations] skeletons that msA, ts2 1st reading (transposed from II 20) ‖ deep foundations ts5 forgot,] forgot msA ‖ forgot— ts2~ts9, with dash changed to comma in ts9a
II 23] The broken or entire msA ‖ The maimed or the entire msA alt ‖ The broken or entire. ts2–ts4 ‖ The crumbled or entire. ts4a 2nd reading, ts5~ts9 ‖ Of chantry and choir. ts9a alt, changed to The chantry and the choir. ‖ Of sanctuary and choir. ts9a 2nd alt+
II 24 ^ 25] msA, ts2:
Fire without and fire within
[2]
Shall purge the unidentified sin.
This is the place where we begin.
inset as preceding lines in ts2 then del
[2] Shall purge] Purge msA ‖ Expel msA alt sin.] sin msA
II 24 ^ 25 line space] two-line space ts2 1st reading ‖ new leaf so line spacing indeterminate ts3 ‖ two-line space ts4, ts5, ts12
msA fols. 87–89 contain the first verse draft of II 25–63.
II 25–96] line of space after each tercet with no indents msA, ts2 ‖ slight leading between tercets NEW (introduced on 2nd proof to fill the page) ‖ line space after each tercet Valerie’s Own Book
[Poem I 203 · Commentary I 1004–1006]
II 25–27] tercet inset US 1952
II 25–26] with “X” Hayward ts13b
II 25 In] At msA, ts10 hour] moment msA before the morning ts9, ts10, with the? inserted between the words and “(cf before the morning watch)” by Hayward ts10b (referring to The Dry Salvages I 44)
II 26–29] underlining by Hayward ts3b: ending · · · interminable · · · incredible end · · · unending · · · dark · · · incomprehensible and with incomprehensible descension separately underlined with “X”. Hayward to TSE, 1 Aug 1941: “I don’t like the mouthful (and earful) ‘incomprehensible descension’.” TSE, 5 Aug: “I had been particularly unhappy about Part II. As for ‘incomprehensible’, I think that can be bettered: re-reading the poem in the train yesterday · · · I noticed too many IBLES at the beginning. ‘Descension’ I mean to clong to cling to: for it means the disappearance of a star or planet below the horizon (the American freshwater college sleuth would here discover some innuendo about Spender & Connolly, but none intended) O.E.D. But I still think that this Part needs some sharpening of personal poignancy: a line or two might do it.” A year later, 27 Aug 1942: “I was sorry to surrender the word ‘descension’ which you will discover from the O.E.D. is an astronomical term but I do think a simpler line at this point is desirable. I hope I have got rid of the unpleasant terminations without any sacrifice of sense.”
II 26 Near the ending] In the final stillness msA, ts2 1st reading ‖ Toward the ending ts2 2nd reading, ts3–ts5 ‖ Towards the ending ts7~ts12 interminable] the restless msA
II 27 recurrent] incredible msA~ts8 and underlined, with recurrent alt and marginal line ts9a
II 28 dark] black msA
II 29] Had made his incomprehensible revelation msA ‖ Had made his incomprehensible descension ts2~ts9, with incomprehensible underlined and inexplicable / indescribable by Hayward ts9b (marked “X” by TSE, who then underlined incomprehensible in ts9a) below] ts10a 2nd reading+ ‖ beyond ts10, underlined with below and “(cf descension)” Hayward ts10b
II 31 asphalt] asphalte msA~ts12, with asphalte with “no (e) ασφαλτος – cf form origin” Hayward ts12b where] whence ts12a alt del was] came ts12a alt del
II 32] wavy underline with “?” ts4 districts] angles msA–ts5 ‖ corners ts7
II 33 and] but ts2 loitering and hurried] hurried yet unhurried msA ‖ loitering and unhurried ts4
II 34 As if blown towards me] But more as if blown, msA towards] toward ts2, ts5
II 35 urban] little msA, ts2 1st reading dawn] ringed, as also at II 38, with “morn (cf morne)” Hayward ts9b unresisting.] unresisting msA
II 36–38] braced, with rule and “X” after dawn, Hayward ts3b ‖ msA~ts8:
And as I scrutinised the downturned face
[2]
With the pointed narrowness of observation
By which we greet the first-met stranger at dawn,
[1] indented ts3~ts8 downturned] down-turned ts8
[Poem I 203–204 · Commentary I 1006–1009]
[1 ^ 2] no line space ts3~ts8
[2] the] that ts2 2nd reading, ts3~ts8
[3] indented ts3~ts8 By which we greet] Which we turn upon ts2 1st reading ‖ We turn upon ts2 2nd reading, ts3~ts7 ‖ With which we meet ts8 1st reading (typed over We t) ‖ With which we face ts8 2nd reading first-met] first met msA dawn,] dawn msA, ts7
ts9, ts10:
And as I scrutinised the down-turned face
[2]
With that pointed narrowness of observation
We bear upon the first-met stranger at dawn
[1–2] And as I peered into the … With that pointed scrutiny … Hayward ts10b (his ellipses)
[1] And as I scrutinised] And as I bent upon ts9a alt, ts10, with bent underlined with “bend a scrutiny?” and scrutinized by Hayward ts10b ‖ As I directed to ts10a 2nd reading down-turned] underlined with down-cast? by Hayward ts9b (see Commentary)
[2] That pointed narrowness of observation ts9a 2nd reading ‖ That pointed scrutiny w. wh we challenge ts9a 2nd reading alt ‖ That pointed scrutiny with which we challenge ts10 with a loop from scrutiny to “Is this O.K? only since 1798 (F. Burney) C. Bronte” ts10a
[3] We bear upon the] We bend upon the ts9a 2nd reading ‖ With which we greet the ts9a 2nd reading alt ‖ with bear underlined and turn Hayward ts9b ‖ The ts10 at dawn] with dawn ringed by Hayward ts9b ‖ in the first faint light ts10, with daybreak and “X” Hayward ts10b. (To Hayward, 2 Sept 1942: “I see yr points about daybreak and waves but can think of nothing which would not overstress.” Again, 7 Sept: “I cannot yet improve the daybreak.” Probably “waves” refers to the gesture, rather than “waves of the sea” V 38.)
ts12:
As I directed to the down-turned face
[2]
That pointed scrutiny with which we challenge
The first-met stranger in the first faint light
[1–2] As · · · scrutiny] with And as I turned upon | The lowered face the enquiring look Hayward ts12b
[1] As I directed to] And as I fixed upon ts12a 2nd reading
[2] That] The ts12a 2nd reading before reinstatement of That
[3] first faint] underlined ts12a in the first faint light] after lantern-time / after lantern-end / after lantern-out (ticked) ts12a 2nd reading alts ‖ with faint half-light Hayward ts12b
[3] line and alts ringed and redrafted: A stranger in the antelucan hour ts12a 3rd reading ‖ The stranger at the antelucan hour ts12a 4th reading with dark / dusk / dark
(See Commentary for TSE’s discussions with Hayward.)
[Poem I 203–204 · Commentary I 1009–11]
II 39 caught] met msA, ts2 1st reading ‖ drew ts2 2nd reading, ts3–ts5 some dead master] the dead masters msA ‖ with some ringed with “X” and a lost ts4a
II 40 forgotten,] forgotten msA half recalled] and recalled msA ‖ half-recalled, ts2–ts5 ‖ half-recalled ts7–ts10 ‖ half recalled, NEW
II 41 many;] many— msA ‖ many: ts2–ts5 the] those msA brown baked] scorched brown msA ‖ brown scarred ts2 1st reading
II 42] no indent 1969 (error) ‖ The remoteness of a vague familiar ghost msA a] some ts2~ts8 1st reading ghost] ghost, ts2–ts5
II 43] indent 1969 (error) ‖ The very near, and very inaccissible ms
A ‖ Both] The ts2–ts4 1st reading, ts5 ‖ Both? ts4a 2nd reading ‖ intimate] very near ts2–ts5 ‖ unidentifiable] wholly inaccessible ts2–ts4 ‖ not identifiable / unidentifiable ts4a alts
II 44] And I becoming other, so I cried msA (with becoming written over beg) ‖ And I, becoming other and many, cried ts2–ts5 ‖ And I, becoming also many, cried ts7 So I] I too ts13, with “too” in margin and again at II 51 Hayward ts13b (pointing to repetition), LG proof 1st reading a double] another ts8
II 45–93] single quotation marks US 1943, despite double quotation marks in The Dry Salvages III (with single quotation marks within)
II 45 And heard another’s voice cry: “What! are you here?”] ts12+ ‖
And heard my voice: “Are you here, Ser Brunetto?” msA ‖
And heard my voice: Are you here, Ser Brunetto? ts2, ts3 ‖
And heard my voice: “are you here, Ser Brunetto?” ts4, ts5, ts7 1st reading (with Andheard run together) ‖
And heard my altered voice exclaim: you too? ts7 2nd reading (with question as alt for exclaim) ‖
And heard my altered voice question: “are you here?” ts7 final reading ‖
Hearing another’s voice cry: “What! are you here?” ts8 ‖
And heard another’s voice cry: “What! are you here?” ts9, with first word underlined with But and “(or Hearing …)” by Hayward, who also wrote “Ser Brunetto” after the line ts9b ‖
And heard another’s voice cry: “what! are you here?” ts10, with “w” underlined and “W” by Hayward ts10b
II 46 we were] it was msA still the same,] often dead, msA ‖ always dead, ts2~ts12 ‖ still the same ts13 1st reading, ts13b ‖ always dead NEW 1st proof 1st reading
II 47 Knowing myself yet being someone other—] ts13 2nd reading, LG+ ‖ Often revived, and always something other, msA ‖ Always revived, and always something other, ts2–ts5, with revived underlined ts4a ‖ And still alive, and always something other, ts7, ts10–ts12, NEW 1st proof 1st reading ‖ And still alive, and always someone other, ts8, ts9 ‖ Yet recognised myself as someone other— ts13 1st reading ‖ Knowing myself, yet being someone other, TSE’s revision of NEW 1st proof, NEW 2nd proof ‖ Knowing myself yet being someone other, NEW final proof, NEW