Received: from mgmt.utoronto.ca (fmgmt.mgmt.utoronto.ca [128.100.43.253]) by mail2.texas.net (8.8.8/2.4) with SMTP id KAA04528 for ; Mon, 23 Mar 1998 10:59:07 -0600 (CST) Received: by mgmt.utoronto.ca (5.65v4.0/1.1.10.7/26Jan98-0432AM) id AA04735; Mon, 23 Mar 1998 11:54:34 -0500 From: LouisFors Message-Id: <94b8c01d.351693b9@aol.com> Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 11:54:15 EST To: emweb@fmgmt.mgmt.utoronto.ca Mime-Version: 1.0 Subject: # 650 and "begun" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: AOL 3.0 for Windows 95 sub 49 Sender: owner-emweb@fmgmt.mgmt.utoronto.ca Precedence: bulk Reply-To: emweb@fmgmt.mgmt.utoronto.ca Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-UIDL: 616d295d6f6acd3f1b4ebe7792aed221 Amy asked for opinions about her interpretation of #650, in Johnson, and Bonnie gave a response. Sorry to shift away from that discussion, but I've been pondering the use of "begun" in the third line, wondering why it isn't "began." I've turned, more or less by accident, to an article "The Poetry of Emily Dickinson" by Martha Hale Shackford published in The Atlantic Monthly in January, 1913. She happens to use # 650 (long before there was a "650") in her piece and spells "begun" "began." That is, she either "corrects" the word or follows a printed version that was available at her time. I know there has been a lot of "correcting" of ED's material. I don't have any other collections of ED's poetry, but I would appreciate a comment from someone who is in the know about the "corrective behavior," and whether they can speak to the word in consideration here. With thanks. Louis Forsdale > > Pain-has an Element of Blank- > It cannot recollect > When it begun-or if there were > A time when it was not- > > It has no Future-but itself- > Its Infinite contain > > Its Past-enlightened to perceive > New Periods-of Pain. >