V.A.16

V.A.16:
Sixth Copybook of the Later Draft of the "Oxen of the Sun" (14) Episode: "VI" (1920)¹

Material Description and Collation: The manuscript is a copybook in Joyce's hand in black ink, with revisions and/or additions in pencil on all the inscribed pages, except p. [5r], which is all in ink, and pp. [1v] and [2v], which are all in pencil. It consists of 10 leaves (20 pages) of blue lined sheets, of which 7 pages are inscribed: [1v], [2r], [2v], [3r], [4r], [5r] and [6r] and the remaining pages are blank.

As manufactured, the copybook was held together with a metal staple in the center vertical fold; it was removed for conservation purposes and the manuscript was disbound. It has a tan paper cover; on its front recto is printed a double border with floral ornaments at the corners. Within the border is a printed box enclosing the printed words "QUADERNO | di | [dotted rule]" and at the bottom, within a printed box breaking the border, is printed: "N. 3". On the back cover verso is printed: "ORARIO DELLE LEZIONI | [table] | TAVOLA PITAGORICA | [table]". The insides of the cover are blank. Although they vary in certain physical details, this copybook is of a similar kind as Buffalo MSS V.A.13–15, 17 and 18 and NLI MSS 36,639/11/C, 11/D & 11/E. The cover and each sheet of the manuscript were cleaned, de-acidified and individually encapsulated in December 1987.

Title: Joyce wrote "VI" in the center of the label on the front cover recto and "(6)" in the left corner of p. [2r], both in red crayon.

Measurements: Each leaf measures 20.3 x 14.8 cm.

Pagination: Joyce foliated the rectos of pp. [2r]–[6r] "1"–"5"; the remaining pages are not numbered.

Contents: The manuscript is the sixth part of the later complete draft of the "Oxen of the Sun" episode of Ulysses. The draft is continued from the following manuscripts:

It is continued on Buffalo MSS V.A.17 (382.17–385.06 / 14.0651–084), MS V.A.18 (385.07–394.27 / 14.0845–1109) and NLI MS 36,639/11/E (394.28–403.09 / 14.1110–1439) and is concluded on NLI MS 36,639/11/F (403.10–407.07 / 14.1440–1591).

The text on each page of this manuscript is as follows:

Dating: Joyce wrote this manuscript between early February and 20 March 1920 during his post World War I stay in Trieste.

Other Markings: Joyce crossed through all of the text with X s on all of the inscribed pages in red crayon, except pp. [1v] and [2v]. During conservation, therefore after the manuscript's publication in the JJA , the versos of the blank leaves (pp. [1v], [6v], [7v], [8v] and [9v]), were marked "VI" in the bottom right corner in pencil. The cover is not marked.

Publication: This manuscript has been reproduced in black and white photo-facsimile on JJA 14.087–094.

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1. La Hune, item 258.C; Slocum and Cahoon, item E.5.b.ix.

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