Textual History: Revision
Besides this proof for the cancel leaf, the Delaware proofs include the following: copy 1 and copy
2 of the first proof with only eight sonnets printed; copy 1 and copy
2 of the first revise (dated 28 April 1881 and numbered 1a and 1b respectively), both
with DGR's corrections throughout; copy 1 and
copy 2 of the second revise (dated 3 May 1881
and numbered 1a and 1b respectively), both without revisions; the corrected author's third revise plus two uncorrected
copies of the third revise, uncorrected copy 1
and uncorrected copy 2), all dated 4 May 1881 and
numbered 3c, 3a, and 3b respectively; three copies of the fourth revise, the uncorrected copy, corrected copy 1), and corrected copy 2,
all dated 6 May 1881 and numbered 4a, 4b, and 4c respectively; four copies of the final proof:
WMR's copy, DGR's corrected copy, an uncorrected partial copy), and another incomplete uncorrected copy, all undated and numbered 5a, 5b, 5c,
and 5d. The British Library
proofs have another copy of revise proofs for this signature (dated 3 May).