Add MS 45308

WILLIAM MORRIS LITERARY MANUSCRIPTS. Vol. XII (ff. 204). Tales and other verses rejected or uncompleted by Morris and unpublished during his lifetime. Most of them were subsequently printed by May Morris, mainly in C.W., vol. xxiv. Contents:-

(1) 'The Story of Orpheus and Eurydice' (C.W., xxiv, pp. 239-280). As follows:-(a) Fragment of a draft relating to Eurydice's death and Orpheus's grief, '0 long ago and long ago they say', completely different from the printed text. The songs '0 love love love folk told me thou wert dead' (f. 4) and '0 hollow image of the very death' (f. 4b), which are not found elsewhere, are printed in Morris, i, pp. 534-536. ff. 2-6b; -(b) Fair copy of part of (a), slightly altered from it, from the beginning to 'When will the Gods die and all things be oer'. ff. 7-11;-(c) Fair copy of the complete poem, apparently the MS. used by May Morris for the printed text, since it is identical even to the spacing of the paragraphs. Pages 35 and 36 of the original pagination are now missing, originally containing from 'A wave of sweet fresh longing swept all o'er' to 'Shouldst faint and fear and all be left to do' (C. W., xxiv, pp. 270-272). May Morris has inserted (f. 46) a copy in her own hand of the missing portion of the narrative and the first two lines only of the song 'Shall we wake one morn of spring', taken 'From C[harles] F[airfax] M[urray]'s printer's M.S. [sic] of Poems By The Way. From the Upland to the Sea'. The song differs in minor details both from the version in 45307, f. 11, and from the version printed as 'From the Upland to the Sea' (from Poems By The Way) in C.W., ix, pp. 93-94. ff. 12-55;-(d) A fair copy of an alternative ending to the tale, not printed by May Morris. ff. 56-57.

(2) The Story of Aristomenes (uncompleted) (C.W., xxiv, pp. 171-238). The tale is not included in either of the lists of projected tales (1868) quoted in C. W., iii, pp. xi-xii. As follows:-(a) A draft shorter than the text as printed and differing from it in many minor details. The section called by May Morris 'Truce with Sparta: the years get over' (p. 217) is missing, and there is a note there by Morris (f. 73b), 'pocket book'. The text resumes at 'A snare and trouble to men's hearts and eyes' (p. 220). On f. 58 is a note by Morris 'Begun June 25th' (some of the paper has the watermark date '1870', e.g. f. 59). ff. 58-79b;-(b) A typewritten copy made by or for May Morris from the fair copy which Morris gave to Theodore Watts-Dunton in 1876, and which she printed exactly as it stood (with the exception of supplying the name 'Bion' throughout, see C.W., xxiv, p. xxx). Watts-Dunton's MS. is now Ashley MS. 4902. There are MS. notes throughout the typescript recording erasures and alterations in the original. ff. 80-154.

(3) 'The Wooing of Swanhild' (uncompleted) (C.W., xxiv, pp. 281-315). The tale is not included in either of the lists of projected tales (1868) quoted in C.W., iii, pp. xi-xii. Contents:-(a) Draft, containing apparently the whole of the tale completed. ff. 156-168;-(b) Copy differing from (a) in minor details and breaking off at 'To bring my, bride home in the days bygone' (f. 178). The printed text follows (b) as far as it goes (p. 289) and then follows (a) from that point (f. 168) to the end. ff. 169-178.

(4) 'In Arthur's House', an uncompleted tale so-called by May, Morris from the first line, C.W., xxiv, pp. 316-328. She suggests, p. xxxi, that it may be the beginning of the tale projected as 'The Queen of the North' in the list (1868) quoted in C.W., iii, p. xi. Contents:-(a) Draft containing nearly all the tale completed. On f. 180 is a note '(2 in the pocket books)'. ff. 180-186;-(b) A later, less disconnected draft, sometimes referring back to (a) for corrections. It breaks off at 'The hallfloor shut in trench of stone'. ff. 187-194. The printed text follows (b) as far as it goes (p. 323) and then follows (a) from that point (f. 183b) to the end. ff. 180-194.

(5) Copy of the opening lines of 'Helen's Chamber' from 'Scenes from The Fall Of Troy (C.W., xxiv, pp. 32-33), ending 'In a long dream-like year of peace & love / I...'. The text is as printed, i.e. that of 45321, f. 42 (q.v.), except that the last line of Paris's speech has been transferred to become the first of Helen's. In the hand of May Morris. f. 195.

(6) Draft of a poem in dramatic form called 'Anthony' by May Morris (cf. f. 196) after its principal character. The poem was written, according to her, at the end of the period of 'The Earthly Paradise' (C.W., xxiv, p. xxxi), and is printed exactly from this draft, except for a few alterations to assist presentation, in C.W., xxiv, pp. 329-342. ff. 197-201.

(7) Copy of the opening lines of 'Helen Arming Paris' from 'Scenes from The Fall Of Troy' (C.W., xxiv, p. 3), ending 'Through all their weariness their rowing song'. The text is as printed, i.e. that of 45321, f. 5 (q.v.). In the hand of May Morris. f. 202.

(8) Fragment of a trial piece for the Envoi (C.W., vi, pp. 330-333), containing eight stanzas in rhyme royal differing completely from the printed version. The draft is mentioned and one stanza printed in C.W., vi, pp. xxx-xxxi. ff. 203-203b.

(9) Two quatrains beg. 'Day is old on the eve the dark night gaineth'. f. 204.

includes:

• ff. 46, 195, 202 May Morris, alias Mary; daughter of William Morris: Poems of her father, copied by: n.d.