This Second Norton Critical Edition of one of Henry James's most important novels is that of the New York Edition (1908). In a sense, there are two distinctlyseparate Portraits--the 1880-81 first edition and the New York edition, which James extensively revised. The editor has meticu-lously prepared a list of textual variants, enabling comparative reading of the novel. Nina Baym, F. O. Matthiessen, and An-thony ]. Mazzella provide differing perspectives on ]ames's revi-sion process.

Preface

The Text of The Portrait of a Lady

Preface to the New York Edition (1908)

The Portrait of a Lady

TEXTUAL APPENDIX

Textual Variants

F. O. Matthiessen·The Painter's Sponge and Varnish Bottle

Anthony ]. Mazzella·The New Isabel

Nina Baym·Revision and Thematic Change in The Portrait of a Lady

Henry ]ames and the Novel

From The Notebooks

From A Small Boy and Others

From Notes of a Son and Brother

From Italy Revisited

From A Roman Holiday

From Roman Rides

Contemporary Reviews and Criticism

CONTEMPORARY REVIEWS (]882)

W. C. Brownel]·From The Nation

Horace E. Scudder·From The Atlantic Monthly

Anonymous·From Harper's

Margaret O]iphant·From Blackwood's

CRITICISM

Dorothy Van Ghent·On The Portrait of a Lady

William H.Gass·The High Brutality of Good Intentions

Laurence B. Holland·The Marriage

Charles Feidelson·The Moment of The Portrait of a Lady

Louis Auehincloss·The International Situation:The Portrait of a Lady

William Veeder·The Portrait of a Lack

Millieent Bell·Isabel Archer and the Affronting of Plot

Bibliographical Aids