Later, in the _Child Memorial Volume_ of _Studies
and Notes in Philology and Literature_ (1896), he gave a
somewhat fuller description of _N_ and descriptions of _S_
(the Stephens MS.
and Notes in Philology and Literature_ (1896), he gave a
somewhat fuller description of _N_ and descriptions of _S_
(the Stephens MS.
John Donne
Burnett, the daughter
of Mr. Lowell. As I could not apportion the responsibility for
the text I have spoken throughout my textual notes and remarks
of 'the Grolier Club editor' (_Grolier_ for short). I
have accepted Professor Norton as the sole author of the
commentary. For instances where the punctuation has been
altered, and the meaning, in my opinion, obscured, I may refer
to the textual notes on _The Legacie_ (p. 20), _The Dreame_
(p. 37), _A nocturnall upon S. Lucies day_ (p. 45). But I have
cited and discussed most of the cases in which I disagree with
the Grolier Club editors. It is for readers to judge whether
at times they may not be right, and I have gone astray.
The Grolier Club edition only came into my hands when I had
completed my first collation of the printed texts. Had I known
it sooner, or had the edition been more accessible, I should
probably not have ventured on the arduous task of editing
Donne. It is based on the best text, and the editors have been
happier than most in their interpretation and punctuation of
the more difficult passages.
Professor Norton made no use of the manuscripts in preparing
the text, but he added in an appendix an account of the
manuscript which, following him, I have called _N_, and
he gave a list of variants which seemed to him possible
emendations.
Later, in the _Child Memorial Volume_ of _Studies
and Notes in Philology and Literature_ (1896), he gave a
somewhat fuller description of _N_ and descriptions of _S_
(the Stephens MS. ) and _Cy_ (the Carnaby MS. ). Of the readings
which Professor Norton noted, several have passed into
my edition on the authority of a wider collation of the
manuscripts. ]
[Footnote 38: _Poems of John Donne Edited By E. K. Chambers.
With An Introduction By George Saintsbury. London and New
York. 1896. _ Of the editions Mr. Chambers says: 'Nor can it be
said that any one edition always gives the best text; even
for a single poem, sometimes one, sometimes another is to be
preferred, though, as a rule, the edition of _1633_ is the
most reliable, and the readings of _1669_ are in many cases a
return to it' (vol. i, p. xliv). A considerable portion of Mr.
Chambers' edition would seem to have been 'set up' from a copy
of the 1639 edition, the earlier and later readings being then
either incorporated or recorded.
of Mr. Lowell. As I could not apportion the responsibility for
the text I have spoken throughout my textual notes and remarks
of 'the Grolier Club editor' (_Grolier_ for short). I
have accepted Professor Norton as the sole author of the
commentary. For instances where the punctuation has been
altered, and the meaning, in my opinion, obscured, I may refer
to the textual notes on _The Legacie_ (p. 20), _The Dreame_
(p. 37), _A nocturnall upon S. Lucies day_ (p. 45). But I have
cited and discussed most of the cases in which I disagree with
the Grolier Club editors. It is for readers to judge whether
at times they may not be right, and I have gone astray.
The Grolier Club edition only came into my hands when I had
completed my first collation of the printed texts. Had I known
it sooner, or had the edition been more accessible, I should
probably not have ventured on the arduous task of editing
Donne. It is based on the best text, and the editors have been
happier than most in their interpretation and punctuation of
the more difficult passages.
Professor Norton made no use of the manuscripts in preparing
the text, but he added in an appendix an account of the
manuscript which, following him, I have called _N_, and
he gave a list of variants which seemed to him possible
emendations.
Later, in the _Child Memorial Volume_ of _Studies
and Notes in Philology and Literature_ (1896), he gave a
somewhat fuller description of _N_ and descriptions of _S_
(the Stephens MS. ) and _Cy_ (the Carnaby MS. ). Of the readings
which Professor Norton noted, several have passed into
my edition on the authority of a wider collation of the
manuscripts. ]
[Footnote 38: _Poems of John Donne Edited By E. K. Chambers.
With An Introduction By George Saintsbury. London and New
York. 1896. _ Of the editions Mr. Chambers says: 'Nor can it be
said that any one edition always gives the best text; even
for a single poem, sometimes one, sometimes another is to be
preferred, though, as a rule, the edition of _1633_ is the
most reliable, and the readings of _1669_ are in many cases a
return to it' (vol. i, p. xliv). A considerable portion of Mr.
Chambers' edition would seem to have been 'set up' from a copy
of the 1639 edition, the earlier and later readings being then
either incorporated or recorded.
