Samuel Beckett
Digital Manuscript Project
Molloy

Catalogue

Due to an agreement with the Estate of Samuel Beckett and the publishers of Beckett's work, the digital edition of Molloy only contains draft versions leading up to the publication of the text (the so-called 'avant-texte'), including page proofs. It therefore excludes epigenetic material such as later annotated editions.

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MS HRC SB 4/5 (FN1)

'Molloy.' Autograph manuscript, 2 May 1947-1 November 1947, 602 pp., small 4to. This, the original manuscript, was written in four notebooks, three of them cloth-backed, one spiral-bound. With some corrections and additions and occasional doodles and word counts, but giving evidence of having been written rapidly and with fewer hesitations and repentirs than Watt, for example. Marked at periodic intervals with place and date of composition, from Foxrock, Paris and (mostly) Menton, frequently on a day-to-day basis. The opening passage of Molloy was added at the beginning after the rest had been completed. The second notebook contains diagrams and calculations concerning the celebrated passage about Molloy's manipulation of the sixteen sucking stones from one pocket to another. The last page has biographical notes in Beckett's hand. The previous two pages have diagrams and schemes for crossword puzzles in an unidentified hand.

Lake, Carlton, ed. (1984), No Symbols Where None Intended: A Catalogue of Books, Manuscripts and Other Material Relating to Samuel Beckett in the Collections of the Humanities Research Center (Austin: Humanities Research Center), pp. 53-54, item 87

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as FN1

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MS HRC SB 4/6 (FN2)

'Molloy.' Autograph manuscript, 2 May 1947-1 November 1947, 602 pp., small 4to. This, the original manuscript, was written in four notebooks, three of them cloth-backed, one spiral-bound. With some corrections and additions and occasional doodles and word counts, but giving evidence of having been written rapidly and with fewer hesitations and repentirs than Watt, for example. Marked at periodic intervals with place and date of composition, from Foxrock, Paris and (mostly) Menton, frequently on a day-to-day basis. The opening passage of Molloy was added at the beginning after the rest had been completed. The second notebook contains diagrams and calculations concerning the celebrated passage about Molloy's manipulation of the sixteen sucking stones from one pocket to another. The last page has biographical notes in Beckett's hand. The previous two pages have diagrams and schemes for crossword puzzles in an unidentified hand.

Lake, Carlton, ed. (1984), No Symbols Where None Intended: A Catalogue of Books, Manuscripts and Other Material Relating to Samuel Beckett in the Collections of the Humanities Research Center (Austin: Humanities Research Center), pp. 53-54, item 87

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as FN2

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MS HRC SB 4/7 (FN3)

'Molloy.' Autograph manuscript, 2 May 1947-1 November 1947, 602 pp., small 4to. This, the original manuscript, was written in four notebooks, three of them cloth-backed, one spiral-bound. With some corrections and additions and occasional doodles and word counts, but giving evidence of having been written rapidly and with fewer hesitations and repentirs than Watt, for example. Marked at periodic intervals with place and date of composition, from Foxrock, Paris and (mostly) Menton, frequently on a day-to-day basis. The opening passage of Molloy was added at the beginning after the rest had been completed. The second notebook contains diagrams and calculations concerning the celebrated passage about Molloy's manipulation of the sixteen sucking stones from one pocket to another. The last page has biographical notes in Beckett's hand. The previous two pages have diagrams and schemes for crossword puzzles in an unidentified hand.

Lake, Carlton, ed. (1984), No Symbols Where None Intended: A Catalogue of Books, Manuscripts and Other Material Relating to Samuel Beckett in the Collections of the Humanities Research Center (Austin: Humanities Research Center), pp. 53-54, item 87

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as FN3

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MS HRC SB 5/1 (FN4)

'Molloy.' Autograph manuscript, 2 May 1947-1 November 1947, 602 pp., small 4to. This, the original manuscript, was written in four notebooks, three of them cloth-backed, one spiral-bound. With some corrections and additions and occasional doodles and word counts, but giving evidence of having been written rapidly and with fewer hesitations and repentirs than Watt, for example. Marked at periodic intervals with place and date of composition, from Foxrock, Paris and (mostly) Menton, frequently on a day-to-day basis. The opening passage of Molloy was added at the beginning after the rest had been completed. The second notebook contains diagrams and calculations concerning the celebrated passage about Molloy's manipulation of the sixteen sucking stones from one pocket to another. The last page has biographical notes in Beckett's hand. The previous two pages have diagrams and schemes for crossword puzzles in an unidentified hand.

Lake, Carlton, ed. (1984), No Symbols Where None Intended: A Catalogue of Books, Manuscripts and Other Material Relating to Samuel Beckett in the Collections of the Humanities Research Center (Austin: Humanities Research Center), pp. 53-54, item 87

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as FN4

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MS HRC SB 17/6 (FT)

Incomplete typescript carbon copy of the deleted 'Ballyba' episode in the French Molloy, 14pp, with handwritten revisions, some in the hand of Mania P ron, undated.

Samuel Beckett: An Inventory of His Papers in the Carlton Lake Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, box 17, folder 6 (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/uthrc/00011/hrc-00011.html).

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as FT

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MS OSU RARE 115 (EM)

Autograph manuscript, contained in 'Tara MacGowran' notebook. Beckett's aborted revision of a fragment from Molloy translated into English by Richard Seaver. Revisions occur on two facing versos and and there are several doodles.

Admussen, Richard L. (1979), The Samuel Beckett Manuscripts: A Study (Boston: G. K. Hall), p. 69.

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as EM

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MS WU MSS008/3/48 (Sp1)

Typescript, 10pp, 27 x 21 cm. Fragment of beginning, different from published version. Very infrequent revision. An early sample of Beckett's collaboration with Patrick Bowles on the English Molloy that was sent to Barney Rosset in July 1953.

Admussen, Richard L. (1979), The Samuel Beckett Manuscripts: A Study (Boston: G. K. Hall), p. 70.

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as Sp1

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MS WU MSS008/3/51/1 (Sp2)

Typescript, 8pp, 27.9 x 21.6 cm. Not revised, title page marked "Property of Grove Press." Retyped copy of an early sample of Beckett's collaboration with Patrick Bowles on the English Molloy that was sent to Barney Rosset in July 1953.

Admussen, Richard L. (1979), The Samuel Beckett Manuscripts: A Study (Boston: G. K. Hall), p. 70.

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as Sp2

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MS WU MSS008/3/51/2 (Sp3)

Typescript, 8pp, 27.9 x 21.6 cm. Not revised, no note on title page. Carbon of a retyped copy of an early sample of Beckett's collaboration with Patrick Bowles on the English Molloy that was sent to Barney Rosset in July 1953.

Admussen, Richard L. (1979), The Samuel Beckett Manuscripts: A Study (Boston: G. K. Hall), p. 70.

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as Sp3

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MS WU MSS008/3/49 (ET1)

Molloy / by Samuel Beckett / English translation by Patrick Bowles / All American rights to / this translation owned by Grove Press (pencil). Typescript, 108pp (black ribbon), 27 x 21 cm. Part I of the novel. Infrequent insertions and revisions to p.37, almost none thereafter (black pen).

Admussen, Richard L. (1979), The Samuel Beckett Manuscripts: A Study (Boston: G. K. Hall), p. 70.

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as ET1

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MS BRML NWWR/2/38 (NWWT1)

Partial typescript of Molloy, 24pp, with grey, red and blue pencil annotations, in the New World Writing Records (YCAL MSS 388) of the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Guide to the New World Writing Records, box 2, folder 38 (http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/about/blogs/poetry-beinecke-library/2010/08/03/new-world-writing).

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as NWWT1

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MS BRML NWWR/22/546 (NWWT2)

Partial typescript of Molloy, 24pp, with grey, red and blue pencil annotations, in the New World Writing Records (YCAL MSS 388) of the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Guide to the New World Writing Records, box 2, folder 38 (http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/about/blogs/poetry-beinecke-library/2010/08/03/new-world-writing).

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as NWWT2

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MS BRML NWWR/35/1136 (NWWG)

Galleys of Molloy, 3 sheets, with grey and red pencil annotations, in the New World Writing Records (YCAL MSS 388) of the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Guide to the New World Writing Records, box 2, folder 38 (http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/about/blogs/poetry-beinecke-library/2010/08/03/new-world-writing).

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as NWWG

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MS WU MSS008/3/50/1 (ET2-I)

MOLLOY / by / SAMUEL BECKETT / Translated from the French / by PATRICK BOWLES / in collaboration with the author. Typescript (black ribon and carbon), 211 sheets typing paper and onionskin numbered according to the two divisions of the novel. Part I comprises title page, [1], 2-108, 27 x 21 cm. A complete typescript. Revisions as follows: Part I, p. [1], - 29 (black carbon), correction of typos only (black pen). Incorporates revision on ET1 but is not a carbon of it. P. 30-108 (black carbon) have moderate to extensive revisions (black ink, red ball) and are a carbon of ET1 with revisions on latter inserted by hand.

Admussen, Richard L. (1979), The Samuel Beckett Manuscripts: A Study (Boston: G. K. Hall), p. 70.

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as ET2-I

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MS TCD 4662 (EN)

Soft-covered 'l'Aigle' exercise book with black spine, stitched. The covers have a woven design and an illustration of an eagle. Folios ruled in small rectangles with a left hand margin in red. Pages removed from between fols 5 and 6 and fols 13 and 14 without obvious loss of text. The volume has been conserved. 217 x 172mm, i-iii, 30 fols, ms. The accompanying card, (MS 4661/ii) in Beckett's hand, identifies the contents of this notebook as 'abandoned theatre', 'abandoned prose', 'Fragment of translation of Malone meurt' and 'Epistolary scraps'. The front and back covers of the notebook contain jotted phrases from the English translation of Molloy.

Maxwell, Jane, (2006), ed. 'The Samuel Beckett Manuscripts at Trinity College Library Dublin'. Samuel Beckett Today / Aujourd'hui 16, p. 184.

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as EN.

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MS WU MSS008/3/50/2 (ET2-II)

MOLLOY / by / SAMUEL BECKETT / Translated from the French / by PATRICK BOWLES / in collaboration with the author. Typescript (black ribon and carbon), 211 sheets typing paper and onionskin numbered according to the two divisions of the novel. Part II comprises [1], 2-101 including 36a and 36b. 27 x 21 cm. A complete typescript. Part II (black carbon) has infrequent revisions (black pen).

Admussen, Richard L. (1979), The Samuel Beckett Manuscripts: A Study (Boston: G. K. Hall), p. 70.

Abbreviated in the Manuscript Chronology as ET2-II