by T. S. Eliot
Qu Book proof (BL): galley proof of Queen’s Book, stamped “30 Oct 1939 Rev. 12”. At the head is pencilled “NB They have altered your punctuation on the copy Oh, dear, etc” in an unknown hand. As Queen’s Book except where stated.
Qu Book proof 2 (Pierpont Morgan): revised galley proof, printed on both sides, with pencil ticks against each stanza.
[Poems I 302–303 · Commentary I 1206–1208]
Valerie’s Own Book: fair copy (three pages, with corrections facing). No indents.
Text from Qu Book.
before 1] ts1:
My name it is little Tom Pollicle,
And wha maun meddle wi’ me?
1 nation,] nation— ts1
3] del Valerie’s Own Book 2nd reading Dalmatian] Alsatian ts1, Valerie’s Own Book
4–5] omitted Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading. (Supplying these lines on the facing page, TSE braced them, with two arrows, for insertion 3 ^ 6. Probably he then noticed the repetition of “Alsatian” in 3 and 5, causing him to delete 3 entirely.)
4 Spain;] Spain. ts1, Valerie’s Own Book
5 Alsatian] ts1 1st reading, ts2+ ‖ Dalmatian ts1 2nd reading
7 And] Well ts1 that] who ts1, Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading frisky and] fresh and too ts1
8 plain:] plain—] ts3
9 as also 19, 29, 39 Little] little ts1, Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading
11 curious,] curious. ts1
12 drowsy] sleepy ts1, ts2 1st reading, Qu Book proof 1st reading emended TSE
15 frantic] barky ts1 furious—] furious, ts1
16 of] to ts1
17] There are dogs that are rough and too rollicle: ts1
18 plain:] plain. ts1
19 Pollicle—] Pollicle. Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading
20 ^ 21] beginning a new page and a new stanza, TSE wrote 21, 24 and all but the last word of 25 before noticing the omission of 22–23. Deleting the three lines, he began again with 21.
22 freaky] weakly ts1 frail;] frail. ts1, ts2 1st reading
24 puny] sickly ts1
25 scrumpious,] mumpious, ts1 ‖ scrumpious ts2 1st reading
27 amphibolical] amphibolical, ts1
28 plain] plain, ts1
31 still] not ts1 cave canem—] recte et fortiter— ts1
32 cry] word ts1, Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading Clan,] Clan. ts1, ts2 1st reading
33–36] ts1:
We will bark it at every auditor,
We will bark at dog, devil or man.
We will bark at defamer or laudator,
We will bark just as long as we can.
with loud ? as alt for long in Tandy carbon
[Poem I 303–304 · Commentary I 1208]
36 man.] man, Qu Book proof with comma changed to stop TSE
37 ye] you ts1, Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading
38 be—] be: ts1
39 Pollicle,] Pollicle— ts1 ‖ Pollicle ts2 1st reading
40] capitals for small capitals tss And] AND Valerie’s Own Book MAUN] DAUR ts3 2nd reading ‖ DAUR Valerie’s Own Book
Billy M’Caw: The Remarkable Parrot
Published in The Queen’s Book of the Red Cross (1939) with The Marching Song of the Pollicle Dogs. To this text, the present edition adds 5 from ts2 (apparently lost during retyping), and restores the deliberate spelling error in 38.
The text in Cats: The Book of the Musical (1981) was significantly rearranged (not collated here).
ts1 (Valerie Eliot collection): two leaves, with no indents, using the spellings “parret” and “Sattaday”.
ts2 (Houghton): from correspondence with Mary Trevelyan. Undated but c. 1946 (perhaps enclosed with the postcard postmarked 15 Aug 1946 which reads simply “Here it is”). The form is close to ms1. No indents, and with “parrot” and “Saturday” properly spelt.
ts3 (BL): sent to the Tandy family. With indents only at the broken lines, and spelling “Bar” with a capital on every occasion.
ts4 (Houghton): two-page top copy, with title underlined in red and first word ringed by printer as for a drop capital (matching ts3 of The Marching Song of the Pollicle Dogs).
Qu Book proof (BL): galley proof of Queen’s Book, with the proof of The Marching Song of the Pollicle Dogs, which is stamped “30 Oct 1939 Rev. 12”. As Queen’s Book except where stated.
Qu Book proof 2 (Pierpont Morgan): revised galley proof, printed on both sides, with pencil ticks against each stanza. Text from Queen’s Book.
ms1 (Valerie Eliot collection): fair copy, from 1950s, on rear blanks of Valerie Eliot’s first edition of Practical Cats (containing emendations B). No indents except at stepped lines and 19. Short rules between stanzas. The spellings and the omission of 13 suggests that this was copied from ts1.
Text from Qu Book.
Title] not ts2 Parrot] Parret ts1, ms1
1 as also 42 Oh,] Oh ts1, ts2, ts4 1st reading, ms1 ‖ O ts3 Bush,] Bush ts1–ts3, ts4 1st reading, ms1
2 night—] night, ts1 ‖ night; ts2, ms1
[Poems I 304 · Commentary I 1208–1209]
3 Where,] Where ts1, ts2, ms1 happened,] ’appened ts1 ‖ happened ts2, ms1 rush,] rush ts1 ‖ rush— ts3
4 he] ’e ts1 polite;] polite ts1 ‖ polite, ts2, ms1 ‖ polite. ts3
5] not ts3, ts4, Qu Book he] ’e ts1 have] ’ave ts1 anythink] ts1, ms1 ‖ anything ts2
6 Station] station ts1 being] bein’ ts1, ms1 ‖ bein ts3 near,] near ts1, ts2, ms1
7 what with the water] the water what sometimes ts1–ts3, ms1 into] in to ts2, ms1
8] line del ts1
9, as also 11 House] ’ouse ts1 ‖ house ts2, ts3, ms1
9 was] Was ts3 Oh] Oh, Qu Book proof with comma del TSE dear!] dear ts2, ts4 ‖ Dear! ts3 ‖ dear, Qu Book proof with comma emended to exclamation mark TSE
10 garret] garrett ts3
11 parret—] parret, ts1, ms1 ‖ parrot, ts2 ‖ parrott— ts3
12] indented ts4 1st reading parret, the parret] parrot, that parrot ts2 ‖ parrot, the parrot ts3 M’Caw,] M’Caw— ts1, ms1
13] not ts1, ms1
14] not ts2 Ah!] Ah, ts1, ms1 Life] life ts1 2nd reading, ts3, ms1 bar.] bar! ms1
15 Of] On ts1 1st reading night,] night ts1, ms1 feeling] feelin’ ts1, ms1 bright,] bright ts1, ms1 ‖ bright. ts4 1st reading
16 Rose—] Rose, ts1, ts2, ms1 Barmaid] barmaid ts1, ms1 was—] was, ts1, ts2, ms1
17 as also 28, 39] line not stepped ts1, ts2
18 bar!”] bar”. ts2, ms1
20 had] ’ad ts1 her] ’er ts1 head;] ’ead. ts1 ‖ head. ms1
21 have] ’ave ts1 no] ts4 1st and final reading ‖ no, ts4 2nd reading, Qu Book proof with comma del TSE that much] a word ts1, ts2
22 argument] argyment ts1, ms1 dispute,] dispute— ts3
23 She’d] She would ts3 boot] boot, ts2, with comma pencilled then erased ts4
24] indented with pencilled alignment query ts4 her] your ts1 1st reading
25 when we was thirsty] when we was tired ts1, ms1 ‖ if we was tired ts2
26 when] if ts2 happy] cheery ts1, ms1
27 had] ’ad ts1 ‖ had, ts3
28 M’Caw!] M’Caw! come give us a tune ts2 1st reading
29 Come] Go ts3 1st reading (uncertain), ts4 1st and final reading ‖ Come, ts4 2nd reading, Qu Book proof with comma del TSE flute!”] flute”— ts1 ‖ flute”. ts2
31 balmy] happy ts3 tear,] tear ms1
32 beer—] beer, ms1 ‖ beer; ts1 ‖ beer. ts2
[Poem I 304–305 · Commentary I 1209]
33–34] song titles underlined ts1, ms1
33, as also 36 Bird] bird ts1–ts3, ms1 Adairs,] Adairs ts1, ms1
34 in the] In The ts3 Wapping] Wappin’ ts1 Stairs,] Stairs ts1, ms1 ‖ Stairs ts4 1st reading ‖ Stairs— ts3
35 eyes] eye ts1 would.] would: ts1, ts3, ms1
36 saying] sayin’ ts1
37 feeling] feelin’ ts1 tearful,] tearful ts1
38 say:] say ts2 “Now,] “Now ts1, ts3 somethink] ts1, ts3, ts4, ms1 ‖ some
thing ts2, Qu Book cheerful!] cheerful. ts2
39 M’Caw] M’CAW ts3 1st reading
40 Come] ts4 1st and final reading ‖ Come, ts4 2nd reading, Qu Book proof with comma del TSE guitar!”] guitar”. ts1, ts2
43 came] come ts1 far.] far; ms1
44 House. From] house, from ts1, ts2, ms1 ‖ house. From ts3 garret] garret: ts2
45 House] house ts2, ts3, ms1 Ah] Ah, ts1–ts3, Qu Book proof, ms1, with pencilled comma erased ts4 the] that ts2 parret] parrot ts2, ts3
46 The parret, the parret] The parrot, that parrot ts2 ‖ The parrot, the parrot ts3 M’Caw,] M’Caw ts2, ts4 1st reading, ms1
47 Who] That ts1–ts3, ms1
48 Ah,] Yes, ts1 ‖ Ah. ts3 ‖ Ah ts4 1st and final reading Life] pride ts1, ts2, ms1 bar.] Bar! ts3
Grizabella: The Glamour Cat
Published as part of a song of this title in Cats: The Book of the Musical (1981).
ts1 (BL): letter to Polly Tandy, 13 Feb 1940: “The Glamour Cat, I am sorry to say, is not turning out a suitable subject for edifying my juvenile audience; in fact, she came down in the world pretty far. The story is very sad, and also a bit sordid. For [“She haunted many a low resort …”] No, I fear that the story had better not be told.”
Valerie’s Own Book: below the title, TSE wrote: “(the last 8 lines, all that was ever written. The history of Grizabella was too sad to be told to the children).” In the Contents list at the back of the first exercise book, the lines are referred to as “Grizabella, the Glamour Cat (Fragment)”.
ts2 (Valerie Eliot collection): typescript following Valerie’s Own Book, with TSE’s typed initials but probably not by him.
Text from Valerie’s Own Book.
Title] untitled ts1 (but introduced as “The Glamour Cat” within the letter) the Pollicles] Pollicles Valerie’s Own Book Contents list 1st reading
[Poems I 305–306 · Commentary I 1209]
1 … She] She ts1
2] In the dingy Road of Tottenham Court. ts1
3 No Man’s Land] no man’s land ts1
4] From the Rising Sun to the Friend at Hand. ts1 ‖ From “The Rising Sun” to “The Friend at Hand”. ts2 ‖ From The Rising Sun to The Friend at Hand. 1981
5 scratched] shook ts1
6 really ha’ thought she’d] ha’ thought that cat ts1 dead—] dead 1981
7 that] underlined twice Valerie’s Own Book, ts2
8 Grizabella] Grizzabella ts1 Cat!”] Cat? ts1
In Respect of Felines
Published in Kenyon Review Summer 1984 (see Commentary).
ts1 (private collection): letter to Miss B. R. Skinker dated 1 June 1940, on Criterion paper with address deleted. Initials in manuscript. Bought by Gekoski at Bonhams, 28 Mar 2006.
LINES
Addressed to Geoffrey Faber Esquire, on his Return from a
Voyage to the Bahamas, and the Parts about New Spain
ts1 (King’s): carbon on pink paper.
ts2 (Valerie Eliot collection): revised typescript, with one line emended in autograph, sent to Hayward (acknowledged 22 Aug 1943).
Title on ^ his] the Occasion of not ts1 a Voyage to] not ts1
2 hell;] hell, ts1
3 people,] people ts1
4 frolicks] frolics ts1
5 quiring] choir ts1
6 His patient consort knew] Penel’pe came to know ts1, ts2 1st reading
9 Circe] Circe, ts1
10 stitch,] stitch; ts1
11 th’ expected] the proper ts1 ‖ th’ ap ts2 1st reading (overtyped, perhaps for “th’ appropriate”)
[Poems I 306–308 · Commentary I 1209–12]
Morgan Tries Again
ts1 (Princeton): two leaves of Croxley paper, formerly folded in four along with Emily Hale’s ts of The Country Walk. The poem begins halfway down the first leaf, the top half of which has been cut away, leaving no date. Matthews 142 printed 11–12. Although introduced to TSE’s readers only in 1952, Cat Morgan joined Faber & Faber in 1944 (see headnote to Cat Morgan Introduces Himself).
Montpelier Row
Published in The Walter de la Mare Society Magazine July 2002, with a facsimile of one of Walter de la Mare’s copies of ts2.
ts1 (Faber archive): photocopy on two leaves.
ts2 (Valerie Eliot collection): on two leaves, possibly typed by de la Mare’s secretary, headed “Montpelier Row a poem by T. S. Eliot with notes, February 1947”. Follows ts1, letter for letter, except where some of its words had been run together. Three carbons (or the ribbon copy and two carbons) are among de la Mare’s papers.
Valerie’s Own Book: fair copy, with two-line spaces 4 ^ 5 and 8 ^ 9.
Title] Montpellier Row ts1, ts2 (one of the de la Mare copies being corrected) ‖ with (Twickenham) beneath and ranged right in Valerie’s Own Book, followed by Lines (unprinted) written in February 1947 and sent to Walter de la Mare after a visit.
1] De la Mare delicate Valerie’s Own Book
4 window pane] windowpane Valerie’s Own Book
12 moment!] moment, Valerie’s Own Book ‖ moment: WdlM Magazine
Notes
Line 5.] Line 8. Valerie’s Own Book (error) of doors] doors Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading windows,] windows Valerie’s Own Book in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes] (in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes) Valerie’s Own Book rhyme, for,] rhyme, Valerie’s Own Book remote from] remote than Valerie’s Own Book 1st reading
Let quacks, empirics, dolts debate
Published in Gala Day London (1953). No drafts known.
[Poems I 308–11 · Commentary I 1212–15]
AMAZ’D astronomers did late descry
Published in Laurence Whistler, Engraved Glass 1952–1958 (1959), then Matthews.
ts1 (King’s): single-spaced ts of this poem with, beneath, VERSES: To Honour and Magnify Sir Geoffrey Faber Kt. (headed “ALTERNATIVE —”). Dated “III Sunday in Lent 1954”.
ts2 (King’s): double-spaced carbon, headed “Original Drafts— | For the Goblet:—”
Whistler Notes: Laurence Whistler, Engraved Glass 1952–1958 22 (“Notes on the Plates”), where the verse is entirely italic.
Text from ts2.
1 AMAZ’D] Amaz’d ts1
4 Name] name Whistler Notes, Matthews
5 Sir Geoffrey] SIR GEOFFREY Whistler Notes, Matthews be”.] be.” Whistler Notes, Matthews word] Word Whistler Notes, Matthews
6 Heav’ns] heav’ns Whistler Notes and] & Whistler Notes
VERSES
To Honour and Magnify Sir Geoffrey Faber Kt.
Folio broadsheet printed by Oxford University Press in Fell Types (1954), Gallup E2h, one of about 24 copies (King’s, BL). Only this version uses the long-s.
ts1 (King’s): headed “ALTERNATIVE —”: see ts1 of AMAZ’D astronomers did late descry.
ts2 (King’s): this poem only. Carbon, with the footnote to 4 typed directly onto the leaf, and with pencil annotation.
proof (King’s): broadsheet proof.
Title] all roman, on a separate sheet, headed “Something to this Effect:” ts1 VERSES] LINES ts1, ts2 with “now altered to VERSES”, proof 2 To Honour and Magnify] Addressed to ts1 Kt.;] Kt., ts1 3 Preſented] not ts1 4 faithful] Faithful ts1 5 to mark] on ts2 6, 7] transposed ts1 1st reading 8 Return,] Return ts1 Delivery from all] Escape from the ts1 9 by Land,] of Land & ts1 ‖ by Land ts2 9 ^ 10] in the Barbarous Parts of the Globe ts1 10 We deſire] We here united wish ts1
2] A hundred Crichtons’ close epitome; ts1
4 Cunning] Able ts1 Court;] Court, ts1
4 footnote] not ts1 ‖ roman ts2 the St. Jameſ’s] the Buck House ts2 ringed with “now St. James’s” Bailey.] Bailey.— ED. ts2 2nd reading
[Poems I 312–13 · Commentary I 1215–17]
5–6] in ts1 the eventual 7–8 are braced, with an arrow to these lines (at the foot) as an alternative, with “OR” and “perhaps better?”
8 As] Be ts1 patroon,] patroon; ts1 with “N.B. If the word ‘patroon’ errs by lack of familiarity, the following line may
be substituted: Be scholar, poet, bursar or tycoon. But to those who have easy access to the O.E.D. ‘patroon’ may not seem too inapt. ‘Tycoon’ is anything but exact.” Against the word in ts2 TSE has written: “this use of the word first in U.S.A. (1758) Dutch origin.”
10 Compoſt-land] Sussex plains ts1
11 wondering] wond’ring ts1
12 Man] man ts1
14 Lo! At laſt] so at last, ts1
Long may this Glass endure, and brim with wine
ts1 (Faber archive): draft on a single leaf with author’s corrections.
ts2 (Faber archive): fair copy on a single leaf as sent to Laurence Whistler.
1 and] to ts1 1st reading
2 To] And ts1 1st reading
3 design] design: ts1 1st reading
8 penetrative] penetrating ts1 1st reading
Beneath the verse, ts1 has, all del:
NOTE:
Chant. It is the wine, not the glass, that chants. Cf. Baudelaire: “l’âme du vin chantait dans la bouteille”.
Honours. Refers also to a toast “with all the honours”.
The gourmet cat was of course Cumberleylaude
ts1 (private collection): letter to Anthony Laude, 8 July 1964.
12 salmon] Salmon ts
How the Tall Girl and I Play Together
Valerie’s Own Book: fair copy on two pages.
[Poems I 313–16 · Commentary I 1217–19]
Sleeping Together
Valerie’s Own Book: fair copy on one page, without title, except in the list of Contents at the end of the first exercise book.
How the Tall Girl’s Breasts Are
