Add MS 45307

WILLIAM MORRIS LITERARY MANUSCRIPTS. Vol. XI (ff. i + 15). 'The Story of Orpheus and Eurydice', written originally for inclusion in The Earthly Paradise but rejected, and finally printed from the copy in 45308, art. 1 (C.W., xxiv, pp. 239-280). A draft (ff. 1-15b), described by Morris on the original wrapper (f. i) as 'Rough of Orpheus', corresponding with minor variants to the printed text; f. 5, containing the song 'While agone my words had wings' and some narrative, has been inserted so as to split the song '0 ye who sit alone and bend above the earth' (f. 4b), and should be understood immediately to precede it. F. 14, containing an alternative account of the final wanderings and death of Orpheus, has been inserted before the original conclusion on f. 15. The songs 'Winter in the world it is' (f. 10b) and 'Shall we wake one morn of spring' (f. 11) were printed in slightly different form in Poems by the Way (C.W., ix), as 'Meeting in Winter' (pp. 133-134) and 'From the Upland to the Sea' (pp. 93-94). For other versions of the tale, see 45308, art. 1. Belonged to Philip Webb and later Sir Emery Walker (see Brit. Mus. Quart., xiv, 1939-1940, p. 9). Red morocco binding by Katharine Adams.

Katharine Webb, d 1952 née Adams; bookbinder: Bound: bef. 1952.

Bindings ENGLISH: Red morocco, gilt-tooled, by K. Adams: 20th cent.