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 | Studies in bibliography |  |
2. Under Western Eyes in the North American Review
Although James Pinker had probably been communicating with Colonel
George Harvey since 1909, Harvey's magazine, the North American Review,
was not mentioned in direct relation to Under Western Eyes until October
1910. Conrad probably sent, via Pinker, one copy of the typescript arranged
and corrected by Robert Garnett. On 1 October Conrad wrote to Pinker, "I
trust you will be able to conclude with the N. A. R. but its a very small review—I
mean in point of size" (Letters, 4, 372).[6]
From this day, the American
serialisation is not mentioned again in Conrad's extant correspondence.[7]
The text of Under Western Eyes found in the North American Review is
the closest of the four published versions to the final text of TS. This suggests
that the variation in the text of the North American Review reveals many of
the corrections made by Robert Garnett in May 1910 or changes imposed by
an editor or compositor during serialisation. Many of the changes are spelling
corrections and can be attributed to a typesetter, but some implement minor
stylistic changes. For example, Mr de P— "addressed them repeatedly"
(TS11) in TS, but this was changed to "addressed the people repeatedly" for
the American magazine. In TS, Razumov stopped thinking of killing Haldin
because "The corpse would hang round his neck nearly as fatal as a living
man" (TS47). The magazine text reads, "The corpse hanging round his neck
would be nearly as fatal as the living man". Comparison of the texts reveals
many similar transpositions that have insignificant effect on the meaning
of a sentence, but do affect the rhythm. Distinct changes are found as well,
(TS109) to "listless"; "interests" (TS178) to "purposes"; but many of these
changes appear to reflect someone following Conrad's request to "correct"
the text—that is, someone who believed they had the authority to do so.
This points to Robert Garnett. He can probably be connected to many of
the variants that are carried through to all published texts.[8] He contributed
to the text of Under Western Eyes heavier punctuation than TS and
a collection of subtle changes to sense and rhythm, some, or conceivably all,
of which Conrad might have made himself had he read over the clean typescript
in May 1910. There is no evidence, however, that he did so.[9]
Many readings unique to the American serial can also be found, probably
indicating the interventions of editors and compositors.[10]
For example, "the
spree" (TS24) is "a spree", "suspect" (TS30) is "a suspect" and "spoke-like"
(TS44) is "spook like" only in the American serial. Small variations such as
these can be found throughout the text of the North American Review.[11]
But,
in addition to these, several large variations between TS and the North American
Review text appear in the final chapter of the novel. The following
passages were omitted in the North American Review text, but retained in all
other published states:
He lived not "in the centre" but in the South. She described to me a little wooden
two roomed house in the suburb of some very small town, with a yard overgrown
with thistles. He was crippled, ill, getting weaker everyday, and Tekla his samaritan
was tending him with complete devotion. There was nothing in that work to become
disillusioned about.
And this story too I received without comment in my character of a mute witness of
things Russian unrolling their eastern logic before my Western eyes. But I permitted
myself a question.
These omissions were probably implemented by the compositor simply to
keep the text of the end of the novel from flowing over to the next page.[12]
But, most importantly, the absence of these passages in the American serial
assists the reconstruction of the transmission of text when Harper and Brothers'
passages and does not contain the many readings unique to the American
serial, it is highly unlikely that the North American Review text was used as
setting copy, during the urgency of August and September 1911.[14] Furthermore,
because Harper and Brothers' text does not exhibit a return to TS
punctuation, it is also highly unlikely that the typescript used by the North
American Review was used as setting copy by Harper and Brothers.[15]
Karl and Davies note, "The size of each issue rather than the considerable size of its
circulation" (Letters, 4, 372, n., 1).
Of the approximately 1600 substantive variations from TS found in the published
texts, there are 361 agreements between all published texts, indicating the number of
changes possibly made by Garnett. A further 28 differences were restored to the TS reading
on galley proofs of the English Review. Furthermore, most of the accidentals that are found
in the first English edition originate from the typescript "corrected" by Robert Garnett.
As discussed above, Conrad probably saw batches of typescript when they returned
with galley proofs of English Review instalments. There is no evidence, however, that Conrad
corrected the typescript as a whole.
One substantial variation is the absence of Parts in the American serial. The North
American Review chose to signal chapters only, most likely an editorial decision.
Before the final chapter of the novel the largest unique variation between the TS
and the American serial is the omission of the sentence "It grew more depressing as one
came nearer" (TS 292).
The text of the last page of Under Western Eyes in the North American Review
finishes with "THE END" centred on the very last line of page 656.
Examination of the accidentals reveals a story similar to that told by the substantive
variants. For example, of the 568 accidentals in the third chapter of Part Three,
18% are unique to the American serial, 32% appear in all published texts and 12% see
agreement only between the English texts. Such a pattern appears in most chapters, showing
that Robert Garnett (or his typist) was probably responsible for much of the punctuation
added to the text when the new typed copy of TS was made.
The most obvious agreement between the TS and the two American publications
is found in the last sentence of the novel. The TS and the two American publications all end
with "Peter Ivanovitch is a wonderful man", whereas both English publications read "inspired
man". Conrad probably changed this on the proofs of the English Review in August
or September 1911, but did not transcribe it to the set of proofs sent to Harper.
One of the most obvious examples is the frequent changes like "Yes. Something . . ."
to "Yes; something" or "Yes! A . . ." to "Yes, a . . .". These unique North American Review
readings are found in almost every chapter, demonstrating that Harper and Brothers drew
their text from another source—the galley proofs of the English Review serialisation. The
large number of accidentals unique to Harper and Brothers' text indicates active house
styling, making it difficult to identify any direct relationship with TS. Nevertheless, regular
agreement between the English Review, Harper and Brothers and Methuen suggests a common
source: galley proofs of the English Review. The accidentals unique to each publication
are probably a result of house styling.
| Studies in bibliography | |