Text: Robert A. Stewart (ed. J. A. Harrison), “Notes to The Assignation,” The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Vol. II: Tales - part 01 (1902), 2:345-348

[page 345:]

The text follows the Broadway Journal.

The Griswold variations are confined to spelling, accent, and punctuation.

1840 was moderately revised from Southern Literary Messenger. The Broadway Journal shows more extensive revision. In the latter form of the tale the earlier title, “The Visionary,” is changed to “The Assignation.”

Variations of Southern Literary Messenger from the text.

Title: — The Visonary — A Tale.

Page 109 l. 1 — bewildered (. Bewildered) l. 9 Elysium (s. l. ) page 110 l. 9 Genius (demon) l. 9-10 Romance (s. l.) l. 10 that (, who) l. 12 Piazza (s. l.) l. 23 consequently (, consequently,) l. 26 condor (cap.) l. 27 flambeaux (flambeaus) l. 28 staircases (stair-cases) l. 29 into (to) l. 30 preter (super) page 111 l. 4 broad (broad,) l. 5 at (, at) l. 6 water, (o. c.) l. 11 Mentoni, (—) l. 19 , amid (o. c.) l. 21 those of (o.) l. 21-22 snowy-white (o. h.) l. 1 form; (—) l. 23 mid-summer (o. h.) l. 25 motion (motion — no shadow of motion) l. 25 the (that) l. 34 dark, (o. c.) page 112 l. 1 , too, (o. c.) l. 3 cornices — (o. d.) l. 5 — Who (o. d.) l. 8 wo (woe) l. 11 water-gate (Water-Gate) l. 11 stood, (o. c.) l. 13 ennuyé (ennuied) l. 18 group (group,) l. 19 as (as,) l. 25-26 child; ... but (child — but) l. 28 prison (cap.) l. 29. figure (figure,) l. 29 cloak, (o. c.) l. 30 and, (o. c.) l. 34 grasp, (o. c.)page 113 l. 1 water, (o. c.) l. 5 the (, the) l. 14 acanthus (own Acanthus) l. 24 not new par. l. 24 blush! (?) l. 25 left, (o. c.) l. 28 slippers, (;) l. 32 eyes; (? —) page 114 l. 8 be! (—) l. 10-11 recognised (recognized) l. 14 own; (—,) l. 15 water-gate (Water- Gate) l. 27 slender (ital.) l. 32 [page 346:] deity — (deity — a nose like those delicate creations of the mind to be found only in the medallions of the Hebrews —) page 115 l. 1 jet — (,) l. 1 curling (glossy) l. 2 forehead ... gleamed (fore head rather low than otherwise, gleamed) l. 8-9 peculiar — (peculiar — I wish to be perfectly understood —) l. 10 settled ... expression (i.) l. 13 failed, (o. c.) l. 21 structures (piles) l. 22 pomp (grandeur) l. 26 blind (sick) l. 33 the princely (the far more than imperial) page 116 l. 12 painters, ( —) l. 15 vibration (vibrations) l. 15 days, (—) l. 15-16 origen ... discovered (unseen origin, undoubtedly lay in the recesses of the crimson trelliss work which tapestried the ceiling) l. 18 convolute (Arabesque) l. 18-19 censers ... fire (censers, which seemed actually endued with a monstrous vitality, as their particolored flames writhed up and down, and around about their extravagant proportions) l. 27 liquid-looking (o. h.) l. 27 After “gold.” insert: — Here then had the hand of genius been at work. A chaos — a wilderness of beauty lay before me. A sense of dreamy and incoherent grandeur took possession of my soul, and I remained within the door- way speechless.) l. 28 “ ...” (o.) l. 29 seat (seat,) l. 29-30 as ... room (o.) l. 32 bienséance (o. a.) page 117 l. 2 magnificence? (.) l. 4 cordiality, (o. c.) l. 4 me (me, my dear sir,) l. 11 Also in the Absurdities ..., there (Also there ... end, in ... Absurdities) l. 13-14 continued he, musingly, ( — continued he musingly —) l. 17 socle, (o. c.) l. 22 , he (—) l. 23 manner, (—) l. 23 I (in the present in- stance I) l. 28 ; mere (—) l. 34 and my valet (o.) page 118 l. 1-2 precincts ... see!” (precincts.) l. 6 , in words, (o.) l. 9 , he (—) l. 10 apartment, (—) l. 1 15 chefs (chéf) l. 19 , said (—) l. 27 be (he,) l. 27 Venus — (? —) l. 28 Venus? — (—) l. 28 Medici (Medicis) l. 28-29 she of ... head and (she of) l. 29 hair? (hair? — the work of Cleomenes, the son of the Athenian ?) l. 33 Give ... Canova! (o.) l. 34 , too (o. c.) page 119 l. 4-5 found ... marble? (o.) l. 31 [page 347:] unction (intensity) l. 32 manner (manner,) l. 33 upon (, upon) page 120 l. 6 or (, or) l. 17 English (o.) l. 19-20 recognising (recognizing) l. 25 with ... and (around about with;) l. 26 all ... mine (the flowers — they all were mine) l. 27-28 Ah ... arise (But the dream — it could not last; And the star of Hope did rise) l. 29 overcast! (.) l. 31 — but (— while) page 121 l. 1 alas! (— alas! —) l. 2 The ... life (Ambition — all —) l. 8 Now (And) l. 29 — not, (— but not,) l. 29 as (, as) page 122 l. 9 , an (o. c.) l. 26 downward (downwards) l. 33 lips: (—) page 123 l. 9-10 Johannisberger (Vin de Barac) l. 12 , musingly, (thoughtfully) l. 16 yon (the) l. 29 outstretched (stretching) l. 34 a decorist (i.) page 124 l. 2 arabesque (cap.) l. 6-12 He ... vale.” (o.) l. 13 In ... confessing (Thus saying, he confessed).

Variations of 1840 from above.

Page 109 l. 8 star-beloved (o. h.) page 110 l. 19 hysterical, (o. c.) l. 23 consequently (, consequently,) l. 26 condor (cap.) l. 27 flambeaux (flambeaus) l. 28 staircases (stair-cases) page 111 l. 4 broad (broad,) l. 5 at (, at) l. 6 water, (o. c.) l. 11 Mentoni — (,) l. 21- 22 snowy-white (o. h.) l. 23 mid-summer (o. h.) l. 25 the (that) l. 34 dark, (o. c.) page 112 l. 8 wo (woe) l. 9 hand? (.) l. 11 water-gate (Water-Gate) l. 13 ennuyé (ennuied) l. 29 cloak, (o. c.) l. 30 and, (o. c.) l. 34 grasp, (o. c.) page 113 l. 1 water, (o. c.) l. 5 the (, the) l. 24 new par. in 1840. page 114 l. 10-11 recognised (recognized) l. 15 water-gate (Water-Gate) l. 27 slender (i.) l. 32 deity — (deity ... Hebrews —) page 115 l. 1 jet — (,) l. 13 failed, (o. c.) page 118 l. 11-12 Cimabue (Cimabué) l. 15 chèf (chéf) l. 27 he, (o. c.) l. 29 hair? (hair? ... Athenian?) page 119 l. 4-5 found ... marble? (o.) l. 31 unction (intensity) l. 32 manner (manner,) page 120 l. 19-20 recognising (recognizing) page 121 l. 19 willow! (.). [page 348:]

Variations of Griswold from text.

Page 111 l. 12 now (now,) l. 16 , and (o. c.) l. 34 only (own) page 112 l. 7 multiplies (multiples) l. 13 ennuyé (o. a.) l. 15 Stupefied (Stupified) page 114 l. 5 — she (,) l. 6 me — (;) page 116 l. 21 formed (, formed) l. 50 full length (full-length) l. 32 bienséance (o. a.) page 117 l. 1 upholstery — (!) L. 2 eh? (,) l. 7 that (, that) l. 7 or (, or) l. 8 must (, must) l. 14 he (he,) l. 15 ), at (,) at) l. 17-18 [Greek corrected] l. 18 Now (Now,) l. 28 order; (—) l. 33 you (, you) page 118 l. 2 bedizened (bedizzened) l. 3 ; for (—) l. 13 Virtû (o. a.) l. 15 too (, too) l. 15 [chefs] (chef) l. 16 — and (;) l. 21 Pietà (o. a.) l. 22 said (said,) l. 25 — she (she) l. 27 he (he,) l. 31 ), (,)) l. 31 right (right,) l. 31 , and (;) l. 34 too! — (,) page 119 l. 8 [circonscriva] (circunscriva) page 120 l. 8 tragedy (tragedy), l. 16 , and (;) l. 20 own. (: —) l. 27 last; (!) l. 28 that (, that) l. 30 cries (cries,) l. 33 , motionless, (— motionless —) page 121 l. 17 pillow — (: —) l. 30 say (say,) page 122 l. 6 of course (, of course,) l. 8 was (, was) l. 26 earth — (;) l. 32 Ambois (Ambois,) page 123 l. 3 Till (‘Till) l. 4 Come! (,) l. 10 Come! (,) l. 10 said (said 5) l. 13 , made (o. c.) l. 14 sunrise — (:) l. 14 It (s. l. ) l. 15 , but (—) l. 33 ; but (;) page 124 l. 10 and (, and) l. 10 Chichester: — (:) l. 11-12 Stay ... vale.” (“Stay ...vale.”) l. 21 poisoned! — (cap.) l. 21 Oh (Oh,) l. 21 oh (oh,).