Add MS 43485-43486

GEORGE SMITH MEMORIAL BEQUEST. Vols. XII, XIII. 'The Ring and the Book', by Robert Browning: the autograph manuscript, as sent to the printers for the first edition published by Smith, Elder and Co. in four vols. between 21 Nov. 1868 and 27 Feb. 1869. Add MS 43485 contains Parts I-VI and Add MS 43486 Parts VII-XII. The text of the MS., which has minor corrections throughout, differs at many points from that eventually printed. In particular, Part IV, 'Tertium Quid', was expanded before publication from 1546 lines of the MS. to 1640 lines, many passages being largely rewritten. Numerous passages of a single line or more were added elsewhere throughout the poem. Four (apparently unpublished) letters from Browning to George Murray Smith, dated 30 July 1868, 1 Jan., 11 Feb. 1869, and 8 Sept. 1875, are included in 43485 (ff. i-v). The first three relate to the present poem, the last to 'The Inn Album'. Paper; ff. v+383, 362. Quarto. A.D. 1868-1869. Presented by Robert Browning to Mrs George Murray Smith in 1869 (the letter to her husband which accompanied the gift is at 43485, f. iv). Bound in green morocco, gilt-tooled.