Text: Charles W. Kent (notes) Robert A. Stewart (variants) (ed. J. A. Harrison), “Notes to The Haunted Palace,” The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Vol. VII: Poems (1902), 7:200-201

[page 200:]

Variations of the Baltimore Museum from the text.

I. 4 Radiant (Snow-white) 5 Thoughts (s. 1.) 7 seraph (cap.) II. 2 flow (—) 3 — 4 [omit parentheses] 4 ago, (—) 8 wing’d (winged) 8 odor (odour) III. 1 Wanderers (All wanderers) 2 windows, (o. c.) 4 tunéd (tuned) 5 where, (o. c.) 5 sitting, (o. c.) 8 ruler (sovereign) IV. 2 door, (;) 3 flowing (flowing,) 5 Echoes (s. 1.) 6 sing, (o. c.) V. 1 , in (o. c.) 2 estate. (!) 3-4 [omit parentheses] 3 mourn! (mourn) 5 glory (glory,) VI. 1 , now, (o. c.) 2 see (, see) 3 forms, (o. c.) 4 melody, (;) 5 ghastly rapid (rapid ghastly) 6 door (door,).

As the variations of this poem in the Gentleman's Magazine; Tales, 1840; and Tales, 1845, may he found in the notes to the “Fall of the House of Usher,” it is regarded as unnecessary to give them in full here.

Below will be found the verbal variations in these forms.

I. 4 radiant (snow-white) 1840; Gentleman”s Magazine.

II. 8 ruler (sovereign); Gentleman s Magazine.

IV. 5 sweet (sole); Gentleman s Magazine.

V. 1 ghastly rapid (rapid ghastly); Gentleman’ s Magazine; Tales, 1840; Tales, 1845.

See footnote page 84 for variation in Griswold MS. [page 201:]

EDITOR’S NOTE.

This fantastic description occurs in “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and should be read in its setting. It tells of a radiant palace in the dominion of thought where banners float and odorous airs linger. Here Porphyrogene ruled in glorious state, for his wit and wisdom are sung by trooping echoes. Then evil things assailed his high estate, and now vast forms move through the palace where hideous throngs laugh but smile no more.

Cf. with this Longfellow's “Beleaguered City,” which Poe accused of being a direct appropriation of his idea; and James Russell Lowell's appreciation in Graham's Magazine, February, 1845.