Text: Robert A. Stewart (ed. J. A. Harrison), “Notes to The Fall of the House of Usher,” The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Vol. III: Tales - part 02 (1902), 3:339-342

[page 339:]

The text follows 1845, with several corrections by the Editor.

Griswold shows no variations from 1845.

The tale appears very slightly revised in 1840, and in a much more extensive manner in 1845.

Variations of Gentleman's Magazine from the text.

No motto in Gentleman's Magazine.

Page 273 l. 20-21 everyday (common) page 274 l. 7 still (still the reason, and) l. 8 analysts (analysis,) l. 8 lies (, lie) l. 17 remodelled (re-modelled) l. 29 mental disorder (pitiable mental idiosyncrasy) l. 31 indeed (indeed,) page 275 l. 2 ; and (—) l. 3 obeyed (obeyed,) l. 17 forthwith ... summons, (summons, forthwith.) l. 14-15 recognisable (recognizable) l. 17 honoured (honored) page 276 l. 2 — that of ... tarn — (, of ... tarn,) l. 15 about (around about) l. 19 wall (walls) l. 20 tarn — (,) l. 20 — a ... vapour (in the form of an inelastic vapor or gas —) l. 22 not new par. l. 31 crumbling (utterly porous, and evidently decayed condition) page 277 l. 4 scrutinising (scrutinizing) l. 7 zigzag (zig-zag) l. 14 studio (n. i.) l. 32 lofty (excessively lofty) page 278 l. 2 trellised (trelliced) l. 13 on (upon) l. 16 thought, (o. c ) l. 17 ennuyé (n. i.) l. 18 countenance, (o. c.) page 279 l. 13 Arabesque (s. l. ) l. 16 — an (,) l. 30-31 in ... excitement (in the moments of the intensest excitement of the lost drunkard, or the irreclaimable eater of opium) page 286 l. 8 me; (—) l. 13 odours (odors) l. 27-30 that ... Fear, (that I must inevitably abandon life and reason together, in my struggles with some fatal demon of fear) page 281 l. 1 whence (from which) l. 4 re-stated (o. h.) l. 6 he (, he) l. 16 — his (;) l. 21 While (As) l. 21 spoke, (o. c.) l. 26 — and ... feelings (o.) After l. 26 insert: — Her figure, [page 340:] her air, her features — all, in their very minutest development were those — were identically (I can use no other sufficient term) were identically those of the Roderick Usher who sat beside me.) l. 26 sensation (feeling) l. 28 When (As) l. 28 her (her exit) page 282 l. 8-9 (as ... agitation) (, as ... agitation,) l. 10 ; and (—) l. 15 : and (;) l. 15 during (, during) l. 15 period (period,) l. 16 endeavours (endeavors) l. 18 ; or (—) l. 26 me (me, as Moslemin their shrouds at Mecca,) l. 32 sulphureous (sulphurous) l. 33 forever (for ever) l. 34 hold (bear) page 283 l. 6 why; — (,) l. 8 endeavours (endeavors) l. 1 of (, of) l. 11 overawed (over-awed) l. 16 canvass (canvas) l. 29 ; yet (—) l. 30 splendour (splendor) page 284 l. 5 impromptus (n. i.) l. 7-9 (for ... improvisations), (, (for ... improvisations,)) l. 13 remembered (borne away in memory) l. 24 Radiant (Snow-white) page 285 l. 4 odour (odor) l. 12 ruler (Sovereign) l. 17 sweet (sole) l. 1 flowing (flowing,) page 286 l. 6 ballad, (o. c) l. 8 (note not in G. M.) l. 14 conditions (condition) l. 22 fungi (n. i.) l. 27-29 the gradual ... walls (i.) page 287 l. 8 the Heaven (; the Selenography of Brewster; the Heaven) l. 10 , by (de) l. 14 Directorium (n. i.) l. 14 Inquisitorum (Inquisitorium) l. 19 the (the earnest and repeated) l. 27-28 ( ...) (o. par.) l. 30 worldly (wordly) l. 33 consideration (considerations) page 288 l. 3 burial- (o. h.) l. 7 by no (not by any) l. 8 unnatural, (o. c.) l. 16 entirely (utterly) l. 32-34 A striking ... Usher (The exact similitude between the brother and sister even here again startled and confounded me. Usher) page 289 l. 26 utterance. (. —) l. 27 some (an) l. 27 labouring (laboring) l. 31 for (as) page 290 l. 4 was (was, most) l. 5-6 after ... donjon, (after the entombment of the lady Madeline,) l. 10-30 endeavoured (endeavored) l. 12 bewildering (phantasmagoric) l. 17 tremour (tremor) l. 23 hearkened (harkened) l. 28-29 ( ...), (, ...,) page 291 l. 1 recognised (recognized) l. 4 , moreover, (o.) l. 6 hysteria (n. i.) l. 6 demeanour (demeanor) l. 7 anything (any thing) l. 14 the (the gigantic) page 292 l. 7 ; — the (—) l. 9 listen; — (—) l. 12 ; but (—) l. 19 , might (o. c.) l. 22 wild (wild,) l. 23-24 hearkened (harkened) l. 24-25 [page 341:] well have (have well) l. 31 thus: (—) page 293 l. 6 ; and (,) l. 9 alarumed (alarummed) l. 10 and (and,) l. 14 mansion (mansion or of its vicinity,) l. 24 story: (.) l. 33 bin; (,) l. 34 win; (.) page 294 l. 1 for (as the sound of) l. 25 demeanour (demeanor) l. 27 chamber; (,) l. 32 eye (eye,) page 295 l. 4 proceeded: (: —) l. 20 leaped (started convulsively) l. 20 feet; (,) l. 24 stony (more than stony) l. 24 placed (laid) l. 26 his whole person (his frame) l. 29 him (his person) page 296 l. 2 acute? (? —) l. 8 shield! (shield) l. 8 clangour (clangor) l. 9 her (the) l. 9-10 hinges ... prison, (hinges,) l. 11 spoken (spoken,) l. 11 zigzag (zig-zag) l. 15 sprang (sprung) l. 15-17 Madman (n. i.) l. 16 furiously (violently) l. 18-19 I ... door. (i.) l. 23 panels (pannels) l. 25 did (i.) l. 30 , then (—) l. 32 violent (horrible) l. 34 anticipated (dreaded) page 297 l. 5 ; for (—) l. 8 moon (, moon) l. 9 of (, of) l. 10 as (, as) l. 11 zig (zig-) l. 18-19 House ... Usher (i.).

The following note occurs at end of the tale in the Gentleman's Magazine: — The ballad of “The Haunted Palace” introduced in this tale, was published separately, some months ago, in the Baltimore Museum.

Variations of 1840 from Gentleman's Magazine.

Page 275 l. 14-15 recognisable (recognizable) page 276 l. 19 wall (walls) page 278 l. 16 thought, (o. c.) l. 17 ennuyé (n. i.) identically, [above page 340 l. 2] (o. c.) page 340 l. 3 term, (term) page 281 l. 21 spoke, (spoke) page 282 l. 15 during (, during) l. 26 me (me, as Moslemin their shrouds at Mecca,) l. 33 forever (for ever) page 283 l. 10 of (, of) l. 11overawed (over-awed) page 285 l. 17 sweet (sole) page 286 l. 14 conditions (condition) page 287 l. 27-28 ( ...) (o. par.) page 288 l. 3 burial- (o. h.) l. 8 unnatural, (o. c.) l. 16 entirely (utterly) page 290 l. 5-6 after ... donjon, (after the entombment of the lady Madeline,) l. 10 endeavoured (endeavored) page 291 l. 1 recognised (recognized) l. 7 anything (any thing) page 292 l. 10 together. (.”) l. 22 wild (wild,) l. 23-24 hearkened (harkened) l. 31 thus: — (—) [page 342:] page 293 l. 10 and, (o. c.) l. 34 , the (o. c.) page 295 l. 20 feet; (,) page 296 l. 2 acute? (? —) page 297 l. 11 zigzag (zig-zag) l. 11 to (, to) Note not in 1840.

Variations of Griswold from the text.

[Motto page 273 ] [résonne] (resonne) page 287 l. 14 [Inquisitorum] (Inquisitorium) page 293 l. 9 [alarumed] (alarummed) [Small caps, on page 296-297 are italics in Griswold] page 296 l. 23 [panels] (pannels).