Text: Robert A. Stewart (ed. J. A. Harrison), “Notes to Metzengerstein,” The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Vol. II: Tales - part 01 (1902), 2:370-373

[page 370, continued:]

The text follows Griswold, who must have had the latest revision. 1840 was slightly revised from Southern Literary Messenger. The emendations from 1840, as found in Griswold, are numerous. Especially to be noted is the omission of one passage of some length.

In the Messenger the Tale has attached to the tide, “In Imitation of the German.” [page 371:]

Variations of Southern Literary Messenger from the text.

Page 185 l. 1 fatality (cap.) l. 3 tell? (tell? I will not.) l. 9 (as ... unhappiness) (— as ... unhappiness —) l. 9 [Bruyère] (Bruyere) l. 16 demeure (demure) No note in Southern Literary Messenger, page 186 l. 6 illustrious, (o. c.) l. 7 The origen (Indeed, at the era of this history, it was observed by an old crone of haggard and sinister appearance, that “fire and water might sooner mingle than a Berlifitzing clasp the hand of a Metzengerstein.” The origen) l. 9 as (like) l. 18 ; (—) l. 20 Palace (Chateau) l. 21 had (was) l. 22 a tendency (calculated) l. 31 by (on the side of) l. 33 loftily (honorably and loftily) page 187 l. 10 him quickly (quickly after) l. 11 eighteenth (fifteenth) l. 11 city, (o. c.) l. 11 eighteen (fifteen) l. 12 : (— a child may be still a child in his third lustrum:) l. 13-14 the ... a (fifteen years have afar) After l. 9 insert: — The beautiful Lady Mary! How could she die? — and of consumption t But it is a path I have prayed to follow. I would wish all I love to perish of that gentle disease. How glorious! to depart in the hey-day of the young blood — the heart all passion — the imagination all fire — amid the remembrances of happier days — in the fall of the year — and so be buried up forever in the gorgeous autumnal leaves! Thus died the Lady Mary. The young Baron Frederick stood without a living relative by the coffin of his dead mother. He placed his head upon her placid forehead. No shudder came over his delicate frame — no sigh from his flinty bosom. Heartless, self-willed, and impetuous from his childhood, he had reached the age of which I speak through a career of unfeeling, wanton, and reckless dissipation; and a barrier had long since arisen in the channel of all holy thoughts and gentle recollections. l. 20 The (— of these the) l. 21 Palace (Chateau) l. 22 ; ( —) l. 24 , (—) l. 25 , (—) l. 25 , (—) l. 28 behaviour (behavior) l. 28 days, (o. c.) page 188 l. 3 ; (:) l. 4 added (instantaneously added) l. 8 , sat (sat,) l. 11 [page 372:] tapestry (tapestry — l. 16 , or (—) l. 18 enemy (cap.) l. 20 fallen foes (a fallen foe) l. 26 , to (o. c.) l. 28 novel, (—) l. 30 turned unwittingly (became unwittingly rivetted) l. 33 fore- (o. h.) l. 34 while, (o. c.) page 189 l. 1 back, (o. c.) l. 1 discomfited (discomfitted) l. 6 , be (o. c.) l. 7 the (the singular, intense and) l. 8 pall (shroud) l. 15 compulsory (kind of compulsory and desperate) l. 18 ; (—) l. 20 , the (o. c.) l. 27 ; (:) l. 30 , the (o. c.) l. 32 light, (o. c.) page 190 l. 2 , of (o. c.) l. 5 , the (o. c.) l. 7 palace (Chateau) l. 9 convulsive (unnatural and convulsive) l. 12 , in (o. c.) l. 12 , as (o. c.) l. 12 tone (tone of voice) l. 16 sire (cap.) l. 16 , replied (—) l. 17 , at (o. c.) l. 23 ; which (—) l. 27 , (—) l. 28 ; I ( — I) l. 33 He (— He) page 191 l. 2 let; (—) l. 2 , (—) l. 6 ; (— ) l. 8 had been (were) l. 11 , drily; (drily —) l. 12 bed-chamber (o. h.) l. 12-13 palace (Chateau) l. 13 a (o.) l. 15 sudden (miraculous and sudden) l. 16 ; (:) l. 18 ; (—) l. 25-26 the ... question (a certain chamber) l. 30 huge (huge and mysterious) l. 30 departure (affair) l. 32 curveted (curvetted) l. 32 redoubled (redoubled and supernatural) l. 33 palace (Chateau) page 192 l. 1 said (— said) l. 2 speaker, (—) l. 3 ; (—) l. 6 smile (smile of a peculiar and unintelligible meaning) l. 6 the (the beautiful) l. 7 “ (“ —) l. 14 ; (—) l. 15 youth, (o. c.) l. 16 palace (Chateau) l. 19 , his (o. c.) l. 19 behaviour (behavior) l. 22 ; ( —) l. 31 . (—) l. 34 — (o.) l. 34 ; (—) page 193 l. 1 were, (—) l. 6 was (, was) l. 7 “ (“ —) l. 9 ; (:) l. 17 ; — (—) l. 18 behaviour (behavior) l. 22-23 (. . .) (— ... —) l. 24 health; (—) l. 27 , the (o. c.) l. 30 demon- (o. h.) l. 34 tempest — (tempest — in moonlight or in shadow —) page 194 l. 1 riveted (rivetted) l. 2 his own spirit (the spirit of his own) l. 16 horse's (o.) l. 18 steed (horse) l. 25 high- (p. h.) l. 25 horse (steed) l. 26 , but (especially among men who, daily trained to the labors of the chase, might appear well acquainted with the sagacity of a horse —) l. 27 force (force,) l. 28 ; (—) l. 29 caused (, caused) l. 30 in (in [page 373:] silent) page 195 l. 4 ; (—) l. 7-8 ( ...,)( ...) l. 11 ; (—) l. 15 heavy (a heavy and oppressive) l. 16 and, (o. c.) l. 16 hot (great) l. 18 , but (—) l. 20 hours’ (hour's) l. 21 Palace (Chateau) l. 28 , if not (and) l. 29 riveted (rivetted) page 196 l. 2 Palace (Chateau) l. 5 Tempest, (Tempest, and extorted from every stupified beholder the ejaculation — “horrible.”) l. 8 , (—) l. 8 , (—) l. 15 gate- (o. h.) l. 25 a horse (n. i.) l. 24-25 colossal (colossal).

Variations of 1840 from Southern Literary Messenger.

Page 185 l. 1 fatality (cap.) l. 3 tell? (tell? I will not.) Palace (Chateau, throughout tale) page 188 l. 18 enemy (cap.) page 371 l. 20 heyday (hey-day) l. 29 and (, and) l. 19 Princess (Princes) l. 26 , to (o. c) page 189 l. 7 the (the singular, intense and) page 190 l. 2 , of (o. c.) page 191 l. 12 bed-chamber (o. h.) page 192 l. 19 behavior (behaviour) page 193 l. 6 was (, was) l. 9 ; and (i) l. 18 behaviour (behavior) l. 30 demon- (o. h.) page 196 l. 15 gate- (o. h.) l. 16 stair- (o. h.) l. 24-25 colossal (colossal) l. 29 caused (, caused).