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Peter Taylor Papers
1905-1988

Series II. Writings, 1939-1986
Boxes 7-12

The Writings Series spans approximately 1939-1986, although most date from the 1970s and 1980s, and includes several genres: short stories (18), novels (2), plays (10), poems (2), essays (1), reviews (1), speeches (3), and tributes (1). Taylor's plays and novels are the best represented genres among these papers. A Summons To Memphis is the most extensive manuscript in this collection and is documented from its beginning as "broken line prose" holograph and typescript drafts through revisions, setting copies, galleys and page proofs. Several of the manuscripts are evidently unpublished. A number of fragmentary manuscripts and notes complete this series.

Box 7

Short Stories - Published
  1. "Allegiance" (titled "A Spell"). Typescript, p.1-7 with some holograph corrections, "Somewhere in England, January 1945" typed at end of story.
  2. "The Captain's Son" (title "A Fable of Nashville and Memphis" crossed out). Photocopy of typescript, p.1-36 with holograph and taped on corrections, signed by Peter Taylor. Appears to be setting copy used by the New Yorker. Date stamped Jan. 12, 1976.
  3. "Cousin Aubrey" (titled "To The Lost State"). 4 p. holograph manuscript (also titled "Journey To The Lost State"), typescript fragment -, 1, 1-2, 1, -, 1, 1, 1-2, 1-3, with holograph corrections.
  4. "Cousin Aubrey" Typescript fragment, p. 1, 1-3, 11, with holograph corrections.
  5. "Cousin Aubrey" Typescript fragment (also titled "The Senator's Daughters") p. 1, 1-2, 7-8, with holograph corrections.
  6. "Cousin Aubrey" Typescript fragment, p. 1-10, 12-26, 32-33, 39-42, 27-28, with holograph corrections.
  7. "Daphne's Lover." 3 page holograph fragment (titled "The Age of Annie Sue"), which appears to be an early version of the story that became "Daphne's Lover."
  8. "Daphne's Lover." Typescript fragment (titled "The Age of Annie Sue"), p. 1-4, with holograph corrections, also one unnumbered page with holograph notes, which appears to be an early version of the story that became "Daphne's Lover."
  9. "Daphne's Lover." Typescript fragment (untitled), p.1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5-11, with holograph corrections, also one unnumbered page with holograph notes, which appears to be an early version of the story that became "Daphne's Lover."
  10. "Daphne's Lover." Typescript (untitled), p. 1-27, with holograph corrections which appears to be an early version of the story that became "Daphne's Lover."
  11. "Daphne's Lover." Typescript fragment (untitled), p.7-9, with holograph corrections, which appears to be part of an early version of the story that became "Daphne's Lover." Also a scrap of paper with the holograph note "Frank's Mother and Father" is in the file.
  12. "The Gift of the Prodigal." Typescript fragment, p. 4-31, 3, with holograph corrections in the early, broken line prose version. Signed by Peter Taylor.
  13. "The Gift of the Prodigal." Photocopy of typescript, p.1-33, with some holograph corrections, in broken line prose.
  14. "The Gift of the Prodigal." Typescript fragment, p. 1, 1, 1, 2-6, 1, with holograph corrections of an early draft.
  15. "The Gift of the Prodigal." Typescript, p. 1-22, with some holograph corrections, version marked "original ms."
  16. "The Gift of the Prodigal." Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-22, apparently a copy of the manuscript in File 11 above, but with a couple of additional corrections.
  17. "The Gift of the Prodigal." Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-22, with corrections and copy setting markings from the New Yorker.
  18. "The Gift of the Prodigal." Galleys, p. 2-8, 10-18, 1, 9, 20, 19 with notes from New Yorker editors questioning words, suggesting alternatives, etc. Also questions from the Legal Department.
  19. "The Hand of Emmagene." Typescript, p.1, 2, 2-5, 5, 6-12, with holograph corrections, signed by Peter Taylor. Early broken line prose version.
  20. "The Hand of Emmagene." Photocopy of typescript in broken line prose, p. 1-19.
  21. "Her Need." Typescript, p. 1-7, in broken line prose. Dated "November 19, 1980."
  22. "The Instruction of a Mistress." Photocopy of typescript in broken line prose. Dated "November 19, 1980."
  23. "In The Miro District." Typescript fragment (untitled), p. 4-8, 4, in broken line prose with holograph corrections.
  24. "The Old Forest." Typescript fragment (title "Four Days" crossed out) in broken line prose, p. 1-4, 6-12, with holograph corrections. Signed by Peter Taylor.
  25. "The Old Forest." Typescript fragment (titled "Three Days"), p. 1-3, 3, 4-9, 24 with holograph corrections.
  26. "The Old Forest." Typescript fragment (untitled), p. 1-4, 4, 5, 5, with holograph corrections.
  27. "The Old Forest." Typescript fragment (untitled), p. 39a/40, 40, 56, 57, with holograph corrections.
  28. "The Old Forest." Typescript, p. 1-65, showing a few holograph corrections. "Sewanee, July 17, 1978" typed at end of manuscript.
  29. "The Old Forest." Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-65, apparently a copy of the manuscript in File 24 above.
  30. "The Old Forest." Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-65, apparently another copy of the manuscript in File 24 above. Additional holograph corrections in Taylor's hand.
  31. "The Old Forest." Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-69, setting copy with editorial changes marked by New Yorker editor. Date stamped May 14, 1979.
  32. "The Old Forest." Galleys for New Yorker, p. 1-29, 55, 30-54, with editor's questions. Signed by Peter Taylor.
  33. "The Old Forest." Galleys for New Yorker, p. 1-55, same as File 28 above. Signed by Peter Taylor.
Box 8
  1. "The Scoutmaster." Typescript fragment, p. 1-3, 34 with corrections.
  2. "A Spinster's Tale." Galleys (untitled), p. 1-6, 8-12 and fragments with some holograph corrections, probably from Southern Review.
  3. "Three Heroines." Photocopy of typescript in broken line prose, p. 1-12.
  4. "Two Pilgrims" (Untitled). Typrescript fragment, p. 20-34, with holograph corrections. Taylor's note in file identifies fragment as "Trip to Alabama with Uncle."
Short Stories - Unpublished
  1. "At The Art Theatre." Typescript, p. 1-8 with holograph corrections. Signed by Peter Taylor.
  2. "Reflections." Typescript, p. 1, 1-5 with holograph corrections.
  3. "Two Women." Typescript (untitled, except for one draft with "Two Women" crossed out and replaced with "Gertrude's [?] Serenity"), p. 3, 2, -, -, 1, 1-4, 4, 1-21, 42, 29, -, of various drafts, with holograph corrections. Note in file reads "early draft." Last two pages (29, -) may be part of "Cousin Aubrey."
  4. "Two Women." Typescript, p. 1-9, with holograph corrections.
  5. "Two Women." Typescript (untitled), p. 1-9, with holograph corrections.
  6. "The Waiting Room." Typescript, p. 1-18, with holograph corrections.
Collections

*The Typescript for Taylor's The Old Forest And Other Stories includes the following:
  1. The Old Forest And Other Stories. Typescript, p. 1-456, of the setting copy used by Doubleday & Company, Inc. to prepare this book. (1 of 14)
  2. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (2 of 14)
  3. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (3 of 14)
  4. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (4 of 14)
  5. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (5 of 14)
  6. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (6 of 14)
  7. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (7 of 14)
  8. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (8 of 14)
  9. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (9 of 14)
  10. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (10 of 14)
  11. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (11 of 14)
  12. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (12 of 14)
  13. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (13 of 14)
  14. The Old Forest And Other Stories. (14 of 14)
  15. The Old Forest And Other Stories. Style Sheet (3 p.) and character list (1 p.) completed by copy editor, Robert Brown. Style sheet dated 6-13-1984. Also 1 p. preprinted form of accented characters, symbols, etc. available in the font being used to set the copy.
  16. The Old Forest And Other Stories. Page proofs, 1-360, with holograph corrections.
Box 9

Novels
  1. A Summons To Memphis. Typescript notes, 2 p. (1 a photocopy).
  2. A Summons To Memphis. Typescript fragment (titled "Old Enemies"), p. 1-2, of broken line prose with holograph corrections.
  3. A Summons To Memphis. Typescript fragment (untitled), p. 25-26, of broken line prose with holograph corrections.
  4. A Summons To Memphis. Parts of various drafts (includes variant titles listed below), most in broken line prose and heavily annotated, detailed as follows:
    Typescript, p. -, 2-4, - ("Old Enemies"), 3-5, 5, 4a, 7, 6, 2-5, 9, 4-6, 8-11, 6, 6, - ("Old Enemies"), 2-3, 6, 2-3, 2-5, - ("The Dueling Ground"), 2, 5, 3, 2, - ("The One That Got Away"), 2, 6-8, - ("O, Blue-Eyed Banditti!"), 2-14, 3, 2, 2, 2, - ("The Garden District"), - ("The Blue-Eyed Banditti"), - ("A Modest House In Memphis Proper" crossed out and "The Fatality" written over it), 15, 2; Holograph notes (5 p.); Typescript, p. 1-2.
  5. A Summons To Memphis. Typescript fragment (untitled), p. 78-103, in broken line prose with holograph corrections.
  6. A Summons To Memphis. Typescript fragment (titled "The Notebooks" - also has "The Father Figure" and "The Father Image" written at head), p.1-12, holograph corrections.
  7. A Summons To Memphis. Photocopy of typescript (titled "The Notebooks"), p. 1-3, with holograph corrections.
  8. A Summons To Memphis. Photocopy of typescript (titled "The Notebooks"), p.1-30, 1-30.
  9. A Summons To Memphis. Various typescript fragments (includes variant titles listed below), in part photocopies, in both broken line prose and traditional prose, with holograph corrections.
    p. 78-103, 15-19, 78-103, 36-37, 39-52, 54, 53a, 53, 55-57, 20-24, 1-14, 9-13, 29-48, 18, 23-24, 49, 74a, 74c, 1-180 (title "The Trail of Tears" has been crossed out and above it appears "A Summons Home" and "A Summons to Memphis." Another title at the left is "The Removal." There are also subtitles "Being the Notebooks of an Old Bachelor Son & Brother" and "Notebooks of an Unmarried Son.")
  10. (see #9)
  11. (see #9)
  12. (see #9)
  13. (see #9)
  14. (see #9)
  15. (see #9)
  16. (see #9)
  17. (see #9)
  18. (see #9)
  19. (see #9)
  20. (see #9)
  21. A Summons To Memphis. Various typescript fragments, in part photocopies, in both broken line prose and traditional prose, with holograph corrections, detailed as follows:
    1 p. holograph notes, p. 136, 171, 177, 178, 178, 25, 4-8, 39, 36-38, 26-27, 7-13, 9-20, 40-43, 2-4, 15, 2, 35, 55, 3 p. holograph notes (1 p. titled "Poetry of Character and Context," 1p. titled "Reunion at Owl Mountain"), 22, 26-29, 21, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1-3, 1-10, 31, 30, 32-35, 44-49, 38, 19, 17-18, 14-16, 46, 8-9, 47, 45, 4, 48-58, 36, 2-5, 41-44, 29, 25, 25, 26-34, 20-24, 49-55, 1, 5-7, 10-14, 14, 5-13, 15-35, 1-3, 5, 54, 56-60, 19-31, 20-24, 61-64, 73, 1-18, 50-58, 62, 59, 60-72.
  22. (see #21)
  23. (see #21)
  24. (see #21)
  25. (see #21)
  26. (see #21)
  27. (see #21)
  28. (see #21)
  29. (see #21)
  30. (see #21)
  31. (see #21)
Box 10
  1. A Summons To Memphis. Various typescript fragments, in part photocopies, in both broken line prose and traditional prose, with holograph corrections, detailed as follows:
    1-53 ["The Trail of Tears" and "A Summons To Memphis" crossed out and replaced with "A Summons Home", other titles, subtitles difficult to read], 55-71, 74, 72, 73, 75-89, 102-177.
  2. (see #1)
  3. A Summons To Memphis. Photocopy of typescript fragment, p. 4-30, some holograph corrections.
  4. A Summons To Memphis. Photocopy of typescript fragment, p. 56, 56a, 56b, some holograph corrections.
  5. A Summons To Memphis. Photocopy of typescript fragment, p. 103.
  6. A Summons To Memphis. Holograph notes, 7 p., typescript fragment p. 1777a-180, "Charlottesville October 14, 1985" at end of manuscript.
  7. A Summons To Memphis. Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-219, an early setting copy. "Gainesville, January 8, 1986" at end of manuscript.
  8. (see #7)
  9. (see #7)
  10. A Summons To Memphis. Photocopy of typescript, p. 71-218, setting copy. "Gainesville, January 8, 1986" at end of manuscript.
  11. (see #10)
  12. A Summons To Memphis. Page proofs, p. 1-209, marked "Set 2, Untouched." Also 2 other loose pages.
  13. A Summons To Memphis. Page proofs, p. 1-212, with more setting notes and title page mock-up.
  14. (see #13)
  15. (see #13)
  16. A Summons To Memphis. Page proofs, p. 1-209, in 7 gatherings of 16 leaves each, with further setting notes.
  17. A Summons To Memphis. Photocopy of design for dust jacket.
  18. A Summons To Memphis. List of persons to whom A Summons To Memphis was sent.
Box 11
  1. A Woman of Means. Galleys dated September 13, 1983, p. 1-90, with editor's corrections. (1984-second edition published by Frederic C. Beil.)
Plays - Published
  1. Arson. Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-15, dated "February 10, 1971" - probably an earlier version.
  2. Arson. Typescript, p. 1-17, with holograph corrections. Marked "duplicate."
  3. Arson. Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-2, 4-33.
  4. A Father And A Son. Photocopy of typescript, p.1-10, with holograph corrections. Probably an early version.
  5. A Father And A Son. Photocopy of typescript, p.1-14, with holograph corrections. Signed by Peter Taylor. Also 1 page typescript describing opening of play.
  6. A Father And A Son. Photocopy of typescript (untitled), p.3-14, same version as in File 10 above.
  7. A Stand In The Mountains. Typescript fragment (untitled), p. 1-4, 1-4, also 1 p. holograph, partially broken line prose, with holograph annotations. Possibly an early version of what became a play.
  8. A Stand In The Mountains. Typescript fragment (untitled), p. 1-2, 3-4, 3-5, 5-9, with holograph corrections, also 2 holograph pages. Possibly an early version of what became a play.
  9. A Stand In The Mountains. Typescript fragment, p. 1-2 with holograph corrections, also 1 holograph page. An early broken line prose version.
  10. A Stand In The Mountains. Typescript fragment (also titled "The Girl From Forked Deer"), p. 1, 1, 2, 1 in broken line prose with holograph corrections.
  11. A Stand In The Mountains. 8 holograph pages, typescript fragment p. 1-2 in play format with holograph corrections.
  12. A Stand In The Mountains. 3 holograph pages of Scene 3.
  13. A Stand In The Mountains. Typescript fragment, p. 3-15, from Scene 3, with holograph corrections.
  14. A Stand In The Mountains. Typescript fragment, p. 2-6 (marked "insert page 239"), p. 241 (marked "new ending to Scene IV").
  15. The Sweethearts. Typescript (titled "The Settee"), p. 1-10, 13-15, 14, 11-13, with holograph corrections.
  16. The Sweethearts. Typescript, p. 1-14, with holograph corrections.
  17. The Sweethearts. Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-23.
  18. Three Ghost Plays (Includes Two Images, A Father And A Son and Missing Person). Typescript, p. 1-9, 1-7, 1-13, 19 with holograph corrections.
  19. Three Ghost Plays (Includes Two Images, A Father And A Son and Missing Person). Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-13, 1-10, 1-19, with holograph corrections.
  20. Two Images. Photocopy of typescript, p. 2-13, with holograph corrections.
  21. A Voice Through The Door. Typescript (also titled "A Voice At The Door" and "An Old Woman's Dream"), p. 1-14, with holograph corrections, dated "January 18, 1971."
  22. A Voice Through The Door. Typescript, p. 1-14, with holograph corrections. Marked "duplicate."
  23. A Voice Through The Door. Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-14, with holograph corrections.
  24. A Voice Through The Door. Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-26.
  25. The Whistler. Typescript, p. 1-15, with holograph corrections.
Plays - Unpublished
  1. "From Five To Eight." Typescript fragment, p. 1-5, 7-9, 1-6, with holograph corrections.
Poems - Published
  1. "His Other Life." Typescript, p. 1-2, with holograph corrections. Signed by Peter Taylor.
Poems - Unpublished
  1. "A Didactic Poem for R.T.S.L. With The Proper Accoutrements" 1 page typescript, dated 1939.
Essays
  1. "Tennessee Caravan." Typescript, p. 1-16, with holograph corrections. "Charlottesville, June 18, 1985" at end of manuscript.
  2. "Tennessee Caravan." Galleys, p. 5-10, with holograph corrections.
Reviews
  1. "The Assumptions of the Game." Review of The Fathers by Allen Tate, pages 21-22 from Hika (February, 1939).
Speeches
  1. "Literature, Sewanee, and the World." Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-9, dated "October 10, 1972." Printed pamphlet of the essay, the Founders' Day Address 1972; p. 3-4 of The Sewanee News for December, 1972 with excerpts from the address.
  2. Untitled. First lines "What is a novel? What is a story? What is a poem? What even is a play?" Typescript, p. 1-3, 1-5, with holograph corrections.
  3. Untitled. First lines "What is a novel? What is a story? What is a poem? What even is a play?" Typescript, p. 1-9, with holograph corrections.
  4. Untitled. Introduces a reading by Allen Tate, 1 page typescript with holograph corrections.
Tributes
  1. "R.T.S. Lowell." Typescript, p. 1-4, 1-2, also typescript of "The Dead Poets" from History.
  2. "R.T.S. Lowell." Typescript, p. 1-6, with holograph corrections. "Charlottesville, November 25, 1977" at end of manuscript.
  3. "Robert Traill Spence Lowell." Photocopy of typescript, p. 1-7. "Charlottesville, November 25, 1977" at end of manuscript.
Box 12

Notes & Fragments
  1. Holograph fragments on notebook paper, 43 p., appear to be beginnings of stories, plays, etc. Not all pieces are titled, but some are titled as follows:
  2. Spiral bound notebook with holograph drafts, 26 pages, of stories, plays, etc. Cover of notebook labeled "Lives," "Once Removed", "Book I, The Pilgrim Sons." Following titles included inside:
  3. Holograph and typescript drafts and fragments, 19 pages, including the following titles:
  4. 1 p. holograph draft in spiral notebook, untitled.
  5. 1 p. typescript draft with holograph notes titled "The Piedmontese"
  6. 1 p. holograph draft titled "Washington"
  7. 1 p. holograph draft titled "Apres Moi"
  8. 4 p. typescript drafts, titled:
  9. 16 p. holograph drafts and fragments, including the following titles:
  10. 5 p. holograph notes, appear to be autobiographical, possibly concerning Robert Lowell. Partially in the form of a journal.
  11. Spiral bound notebook titled "Generations" on the cover. 75 p. holograph drafts (among which are scattered drafts of letters), including the following titles:
  12. 6 p. holograph and typescript drafts with note labeled "miscellaneous episodes and paragraphs" in Taylor's hand. One title "Impressions" included.
  13. Spiral bound notebook, 7 p. holograph drafts of "A Stand In The Mountains" and "The Girl From Forked Deer." Also includes draft of a letter.
  14. 8 p. holograph notes.
  15. 9 p. holograph drafts, variously titled "Gathering For The Funeral", "The Elect", "The Battles", "After the Election", "In The Hospital Waiting Room", initialed by Taylor and dated November 28, 1966. Also what appears to be a draft of "Randall Jarrell" for Randall Jarrell, 1914-1965.
  16. 16 p. holograph drafts, dated July 11, 1968.
  17. 12 p. holograph drafts, dated July 11, 1968.
  18. Spiral bound notebooks with holograph drafts of "The Gift of the Prodigal" ("Yaddo, 8-2-80"), "Mixed Feelings", "A Peripheral Person", "An Old Husband's Lovesong", "Children", "Now It's All Different", "Now It's Not Like That", "Two Journeys To Memphis" and "Notebooks of a Dutiful Son & Brother" (possibly early versions of A Summons To Memphis), "A Posthumous Portrait", "Memories of a Family Man", "Words, Words, Words," also drafts of letters and recommendations scattered throughout.
  19. 42 p. holograph drafts, including titles "A Stranger", "The Hand of Annie Sue", "A Compromise", "Deconsecration", "The Old Religion", "In The Hospital Waiting Room", "Our Old Ones", (signed and dated June 1, 1967).
  20. Spiral bound notebook of holograph drafts, 50p., with various titles "Isn't It Wonderful?", "Receipt, Price Paid", "Five Miles From Home", "Journal", "Parting of the Ways." Appears to include parts of both "The Old Forest" and A Summons To Memphis.
  21. 1 p. typescript with holograph corrections, numbered as page 12.
  22. 1 p. typescript with holograph corrections re: "the artist".

Overview | Biographical/Historical Note | Complete Finding Aid (pdf)
Series I Listing | Series II Listing | Series III Listing | Series IV Listing
Series V Listing | Series VI Listing | Series VII and Oversize Box Listing


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