ABSTRACT
N.B. In our headnote and notes, 'P.' denotes the protagonist of the poem; 'Paracelsus' the historical figure.
Text and publication First pub!. by Effingham Wilson, 15 Aug. 1835. The poem had been rejected by Edward Moxon (later the publisher of Sordello) and by Saunders and Otley (publishers of Pauline). Wilson 'was induced to publish the poem, but more, we understand, on the ground of radical sympathies in Mr. Fox and the author than on that of its intrinsic worth' (Orr Life 67). For W. J. Fox's intercession, see Orr Life 64-5, and Correspondence iii 130-5. B.'s father paid for the publication. Not repr. separately. Repr. r849, 1863, 1868, 1888 (when the sections were formally called 'Parts' and the titles became subtitles in smaller type: 'PART l. f PARACELSUS ASPIRES.' etc). Seven long extracts appeared in 18632: (1) i 318-491, with the title Paracelsus Aspires and Is Warned, and the subtitle 'Festus Michal and Paracelsus at Wurtzburg, 1512'; the running-title was 'At Wurtzburg, 1512'; (2) i 709-854, with the title Paracelsus Parts from his Friends, and the subtitle 'Paracelsus, Festus, and Michal'; the running-title was 'First Parting, 1512'; (3) iii 1-131, with tire title At Basil, after Fourteen Years, and the subtitle 'Festus Visits Paracelsus, 1526'; the running-title was 'At Basil, 1526'; (4) iii 994-1070, with the title The Second Parting, and the subtitle 'Paracelsus and Festus Part Again'; the running-title was 'Second Parting, 1526'; (5) iv 576-665, with the title The Friends Meet Again, and the subtitle, 'Festus Revisits Paracelsus at Colmar, 1528'; the running-tide was 'At Colmar, 1528'; (6) v J2D-43I, with the title In the Hospital of Salzburg, 1541, and the subtitle 'Festus at the Deathbed of Paracelsus'; tire running-title was 'The Deathbed, 1541'; (7) v 794-894, with the title and running-title Lesson of the Life of Paracelsus; there was no subtitle. Three of the poem's four inset songs were extracted for 186~: iv 425-94, with the title 'Romance from "Paracelsus"'; iv 188-202, with the title 'Song from the Same'; v 399-427, with the title 'Song from the Same'. In the last extract, P.'s interjection at I. 412 is omitted. Part iv 188-202 appeared in 1872, with the title 'Song from "Paracelsus"'. Our text is 1835.
