Note 1. Earth’s Answer] This and seventeen others of the Songs of Experience were engraved for this book from earlier drafts or transcripts in the Rossetti MS., the original readings in each case being noted below. Title] The Earth’s Answer MS. first word del. 3 Blake’s successive changes of this line are:
Her eyes fled
orbs dead
light fled (pencil).
10 Father of the] del. in MS., and replaced by some illegible word erased. 11–15 Cancelled in MS. The original rime-arrangement abaab breaks down in this and the next stanza. 11 Selfish] Cruel MS. 1st rdg. del. 12 selfish] weeping MS. 1st rdg. del. 14 Chain’d] Clog’d MS. 1st rdg. del. 16–20 This stanza was an addition written in place of the third, which Blake cancelled but restored when engraving. 16 joy] delight MS. 1st rdg. del. 18, 19 Does the sower sow His seed by night MS. 1st rdg. del. 22 freeze] close MS. 1st rdg. del. 24, 25 Thou, my bane Hast my Love with bondage bound MS. 1st rdg. del. [back]
