Work Metadata

Manuscript

Five (one lost, three in part), variant, about 1865, 1866, and 1882. The lost manuscript, which Martha Bianchi listed as in her possession in 1929 (Harvard), was apparently sent to Susan Dickinson. Since Bianchi recorded only the first line, it is not known which version she had.

Recipient

T. W. Higginson

Notes

For three subsequent fair copies ed adopted the alternative and reduced the poem to four stanzas, retaining the first two and last two of the eight she had transcribed into Set 5. The two fair copies from about 1866 appear to have been made about the same time. Both were prepared as if for a recipient, though without address or signature. One of them was in fact sent to T. W. Higginson; the other remained in ed's possession, unfolded (a138):

Textual Notes

32 Unto] into
Division
7 spending |
11 unto |
16 Gown - ||
18 the |
19 His |
21 closer |
22 spoke |
23 His |
25 drew |
26 foreign |
27 but |
27 Grace ||
28 be |
29 a |
31 Her |
Division
1 as |
2 lapsed |
3 at |
4 like |
6 long |
7 spending |
8 Afternoon - ||
9 drew |
10 foreign |
11 yet |
12 would |
13 without |
15 made |
Division
1 as |
2 lapsed |
3 at |
6 long |
7 spending |

8 Afternoon. ||
9 drew |
10 foreign |
11 yet |
12 would |

13 without |
14 a |
15 made |
15 escape ||
Division
1 imperceptibly |
2 Summer |
3 imperceptible |
4 like |
5 Quietness |
6 Twilight |
7 spending] spen - | ding
8 Sequestered | Afternoon - ||
9 Dusk |
10 Morning |
11 yet |
12 that |

13 without |
14 of |
15 Summer |
15 light |
16 the |

Publications

Higginson, Atlantic Monthly, 68 (October 1891), 456, from the copy to him (D); Poems (1891), 168, from the 1866 retained copy (C), made composite with "seem" (line 4) from the late copy (E). The early version (B) was published in Bingham, New England Quarterly, 20 (March 1947), 13-14, with the alternative not adopted. Poems (1955), 1060-63 (B, C, D, E principal; without [A]); CP (1960), 642-43 (E). MB (1981), 1069-71 (B), in facsimile. (J1540)