On Editing Conrad

Abstract

In a letter to John Galsworthy, dated 17 April 1899, Joseph Conrad observed ‘every word is an object to be considered anxiously with heart searchings and in a spirit of severe resolution…’¹ These words, expressing the author’s attitude towards the craft of fiction, provide a motto for all textual scholars editing Conrad texts. Indeed, from his very uniqueness as stylist and as fastidious craftsman stem many of the most challenging problems facing those who would give his works the careful attention they need and so richly deserve. Our observations are based upon three years of work with the texts of The Nigger of the ‘Narcissus’² and Almayer’s Folly. ³ The Textual Studies Institute of Texas Tech University, which sponsored the work, plans to produce a complete scholarly edition of Conrad. We believe that many of our observations will apply to problems which will arise in editing any of Conrad’s works.