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John Cowper Powys Manuscripts and Papers Fiction -- 20th century
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Draft novels

Two incomplete draft novels by John Cowper Powys, the first (ff. 1-13, originally numbered 86-98, headed 'Chapter 2') being a fragment apparently excluded from a draft of Rodmoor (1916), the second (ff. 14-128, originally numbered 2-115) being a draft of chapters 1-4 of a novel set in East Sussex in 1920.

'Edeyrnion' (revised drafts)

First and second autograph drafts, 1940-1941, both extensively revised, of an uncompleted novel by John Cowper Powys entitled 'Edeyrnion'. The work, set in Corwen and containing autobiographical elements, was abandoned in 1941.

Prose pieces

Four unpublished prose pieces by John Cowper Powys: 'The Hunchback's House', an outline, possibly of a projected novel (ff. 1-11), its sequel, an untitled short story (ff. 12-14), and an unfinished story outline (ff. 15-16), all set in the United States and dating, apparently, from the author's residence there; and 'Whatsoever' (ff. 17-27), an amalgam of philosophical reflection and journal, written in 1960.

Wolf Solent (revised draft and galley proofs)

Autograph manuscript of Wolf Solent (New York and London, 1929), containing extensive revision and differing somewhat from the novel as published, a number of cuts having been made at a later stage (NLW MSS 22373-6D); together with partially-corrected galley proofs of the first American edition of Wolf Solent (New York, 1929) (NLW MS 22377D).

'Work without a name' (drafts)

Four notebooks and a series of disbound notebooks and loose leaves, [c. 1900]-[c. 1902], containing parts of a projected first novel by John Cowper Powys comprising substantial drafts of a romance set on the Sussex Downs; together with numerous, shorter fragments of narrative, mainly passages of prolix theological and philosophical discussion, and Rabelaisian fantasy, involving characters based on the author's friends. Also included are heavily worked drafts of unpublished poems (NLW MS 23672E, ff. 57-60 and ff. 135-137 verso, 138 verso, 139 verso-140, inverted text; NLW MS 23673E, ff. 146 recto-verso, 147 verso, 154 recto-verso, 155 verso, 156 verso-60 verso, 161 verso-162, inverted text; NLW MS 23676E, ii, ff. 250 verso-251, 253 verso-255, 259 verso, 260 verso, 261-262 verso, 263 verso, 264 verso-265 verso, 266 verso, 267 verso-268 verso, 269 verso, 270 verso, inverted text); and notes on Shakespeare's The Tempest, Macbeth, Richard III and The Taming of the Shrew (NLW MS 23673E, ff. 148-153 verso, inverted text), possibly for use in Powys's lecturing work.