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Reading John Woolman

Reading John Woolman douglas anderson University of Georgia Nearly half a century ago, as Phillips Moulton was concluding work on his indispensable edition of John Woolman's journal, he arrived at a realization with which Woolman himself would have agreed. After several years of scrutiny, sifting through a sequence of manuscripts that require a substantial alphabet of editorial labels to categorize--MS A, MS B, MS C, MS P, MS S, MSS T1 and T2--along with a succession of prior editions published between 1774 and 1950, Moulton confessed that a definitive version of Woolman's book was unattainable. Even with the aid of "considerable guidance from leading authorities," Moulton wrote, "the present editor realizes that not all of the mysteries encountered in the manuscripts have been, or are likely ever to be, resolved" (282).1 The term "mysteries" alone would have pleased Woolman, who grappled all his life with the irresolvable struggles involved as he tried to give voice to mental experiences that even the most gifted artists discover are notoriously averse to the corruptible medium of words. The fact that Moulton sought guidance from others as he wrestled with his editorial challenges echoes the collaborative wrestling process with which Woolman too engaged as he http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Early American Literature University of North Carolina Press

Reading John Woolman

Early American Literature , Volume 51 (3) – Nov 17, 2016

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Publisher
University of North Carolina Press
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 The University of North Carolina Press.
ISSN
1534-147X
Publisher site
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Abstract

douglas anderson University of Georgia Nearly half a century ago, as Phillips Moulton was concluding work on his indispensable edition of John Woolman's journal, he arrived at a realization with which Woolman himself would have agreed. After several years of scrutiny, sifting through a sequence of manuscripts that require a substantial alphabet of editorial labels to categorize--MS A, MS B, MS C, MS P, MS S, MSS T1 and T2--along with a succession of prior editions published between 1774 and 1950, Moulton confessed that a definitive version of Woolman's book was unattainable. Even with the aid of "considerable guidance from leading authorities," Moulton wrote, "the present editor realizes that not all of the mysteries encountered in the manuscripts have been, or are likely ever to be, resolved" (282).1 The term "mysteries" alone would have pleased Woolman, who grappled all his life with the irresolvable struggles involved as he tried to give voice to mental experiences that even the most gifted artists discover are notoriously averse to the corruptible medium of words. The fact that Moulton sought guidance from others as he wrestled with his editorial challenges echoes the collaborative wrestling process with which Woolman too engaged as he

Journal

Early American LiteratureUniversity of North Carolina Press

Published: Nov 17, 2016

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