The Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley Part 204

43. deep, (7), pest (8).

44. drear (8).

47. 'Kill me!' they (9).

48. died, (8).

CANTO 11.

4. which, (6), eyes, (8).

5. tenderness (7).

7. return--the (8).

8. midnight-- (1).

10. mult.i.tude (1).

11. cheeks (1), here (4).

12. come, give (3).

13. many (1).

14. arrest, (4), terror, (6).

19. thus (1).

20. Stranger: 'What (5).

23. People: (7).

CANTO 12.

3. and like (7).

7. away (7).

8. Fairer it seems than (7).

10. self, (9).

11. divine (2), beauty-- (3).

12. own. (9).

14. fear, (1), choose, (4).

17. death? the (1).

19. radiance (3).

22. spake; (5).

25. thee beloved;-- (8).

26. towers (6).

28. repent, (2).

29. withdrawn, (2).

31. stood a winged Thought (1).

32. gossamer, (6).

33. stream (1).

34. sunrise, (3), gold, (3), quiver, (4).

35. abode, (4).

37. wonderful; (3), go, (4).

40. blended: (4), heavens, (6), lake; (6).

1.

PRINCE ATHANASE.

Lines 28-30. The punctuation here ("Poetical Works", 1839) is supported by the Bodleian ma.n.u.script, which has a full stop at relief (line 28), and a comma at chief (line 30). The text of the "Posthumous Poems", 1824, has a semicolon at relief and a full stop at chief. The original draft of lines 29, 30, in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script, runs:-- He was the child of fortune and of power, And, though of a high race the orphan Chief, etc.

--which is decisive in favour of our punctuation (1839). See Loc.o.c.k, "Examination", etc., page 51.

2.

Which wake and feed an ever-living woe,-- (line 74.) All the editions have on for an, the reading of the Bodleian ma.n.u.script, where it appears as a subst.i.tute for his, the word originally written.

The first draft of the line runs: Which nursed and fed his everliving woe. Wake, accordingly, is to be construed as a transitive (Loc.o.c.k).

3.

Lines 130-169. This entire pa.s.sage is distinctly cancelled in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script, where the following revised version of lines 125-129 and 168-181 is found some way later on:-- Prince Athanase had one beloved friend, An old, old man, with hair of silver white, And lips where heavenly smiles would hang and blend With his wise words; and eyes whose arrowy light Was the reflex of many minds; he filled From fountains pure, nigh overgrown and [lost], The spirit of Prince Athanase, a child; And soul-sustaining songs of ancient lore And philosophic wisdom, clear and mild.

And sweet and subtle talk they evermore The pupil and the master [share], until Sharing that undiminishable store, The youth, as clouds athwart a gra.s.sy hill Outrun the winds that chase them, soon outran His teacher, and did teach with native skill Strange truths and new to that experienced man; So [?] they were friends, as few have ever been Who mark the extremes of life's discordant span.

The words bracketed above, and in Fragment 5 of our text, are cancelled in the ma.n.u.script (Loc.o.c.k).

4.

And blighting hope, etc. (line 152.) The word blighting here, noted as unsuitable by Rossetti, is cancelled in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script (Loc.o.c.k).

5.

She saw between the chestnuts, far beneath, etc. (line 154.) The reading of editions 1824, 1839 (beneath the chestnuts) is a palpable misprint.

6.

And sweet and subtle talk they evermore, The pupil and the master, shared; (lines 173, 174.) So edition 1824, which is supported by the Bodleian ma.n.u.script,--both the cancelled draft and the revised version: cf. note above. "Poetical Works", 1839, has now for they--a reading retained by Rossetti alone of modern editors.

7.

Line 193. The 'three-dots' point at storm is in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script.

8.

Lines 202-207. The Bodleian ma.n.u.script, which has a comma and dash after nightingale, bears out James Thomson's ('B. V.'s') view, approved by Rossetti, that these lines form one sentence. The ma.n.u.script has a dash after here (line 207), which must be regarded as 'equivalent to a full stop or note of exclamation' (Loc.o.c.k). Editions 1824, 1839 have a note of exclamation after nightingale (line 204) and a comma after here (line 207).

9.

Fragment 3 (lines 230-239). First printed from the Bodleian ma.n.u.script by Mr. C.D. Loc.o.c.k. In the s.p.a.ce here left blank, line 231, the ma.n.u.script has manhood, which is cancelled for some monosyllable unknown--query, spring?

10.

And sea-buds burst under the waves serene:-- (line 250.) For under edition 1839 has beneath, which, however, is cancelled for under in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script (Loc.o.c.k).

11.

Lines 251-254. This, with many other places from line 222 onwards, evidently lacks Sh.e.l.ley's final corrections.

12.

Line 259. According to Mr. Loc.o.c.k, the final text of this line in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script runs:-- Exulting, while the wide world shrinks below, etc.

13.

Fragment 5 (lines 261-278). The text here is much tortured in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script. What the editions give us is clearly but a rough and tentative draft. 'The language contains no third rhyme to mountains (line 262) and fountains (line 264).' Loc.o.c.k. Lines 270-278 were first printed by Mr. Loc.o.c.k.

14.

Line 289. For light (Bodleian ma.n.u.script) here the editions read bright.

But light is undoubtedly the right word: cf. line 287. Investeth (line 285), Rossetti's cj. for Investeth (1824, 1839) is found in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script.

15.

Lines 297-302 (the darts...ungarmented). First printed by Mr. Loc.o.c.k from the Bodleian ma.n.u.script.

16.

Another Fragment (A). Lines 1-3 of this Fragment reappear in a modified shape in the Bodleian ma.n.u.script of "Prometheus Unbound", 2 4 28-30:-- Or looks which tell that while the lips are calm And the eyes cold, the spirit weeps within Tears like the sanguine sweat of agony; Here the lines are cancelled--only, however, to reappear in a heightened shape in "The Cenci", 1 1 111-113:-- The dry, fixed eyeball; the pale quivering lip, Which tells me that the spirit weeps within Tears bitterer than the b.l.o.o.d.y sweat of Christ.

(Garnett, Loc.o.c.k.)

17.

PUNCTUAL VARIATIONS.