poems sent from dickinson to higginson


Thomas Johnson's Note on Poem 1255

MANUSCRIPT: There are three fair copies, identical in text and form, except that in the H H copy a dash concludes line 2, and only in the packet copy does a comma follow "Hour" (line 5). On the copy in packet 36 (H 196), reproduced above, ED made in pencil, evidently at a later date, one suggested change:

5. Clime] Zone
It is not adopted in the other copies. The poems in packet 36 were probably there set down late in 1872. The other copies were made either about the same time or sometime during the early part of 1873. The copy to Mrs. J. G. Holland (H H 32) was sent as a separate message, signed "Emily." The copy to T. W. Higginson (BPL Higg 40) was enclosed either with the card reading: "Will you instruct me then no more?" (BPL Higg 92), or with the card reading: "Could you teach me now?" (BPL Higg 92a).


PUBLICATION: The poem first appeared in FP (1929), 171, transcribed from the packet copy, with the suggested change adopted. The copy to Mrs. Holland is in LH (1951), 96; that to Higginson is not included among the published letters.


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Commentary copyright 1998 by Martha Nell Smith, all rights reserved
Maintained by Lara Vetter <lv26@umail.umd.edu>
Last updated on September 10, 1998