This volume, the ninth in the series of The Variorum Edition of the Poetry of John Donne, presents newly edited critical texts of 25 love lyrics. Based on an exhaustive study of the manuscripts and printed editions in which these poems have appeared, Volume 4.2 details the genealogical history of each poem, accompanied by a thorough prose discussion, as well as a General Textual Introduction of the Songs and Sonets collectively. The volume also presents a comprehensive digest of the commentary on these Songs and Sonets from Donne's time through 1999. Arranged chronologically within sections, the material for each poem is organized under various headings that complement the volume's companions, Volume 4.1 and Volume 4.3.

JEFFREY S. JOHNSON is Professor of English at East Carolina University

AcknowledgmentsShort Forms of Reference for Donne's WorksAbbreviations Used in the CommentarySigla for Textual SourcesManuscripts Listed by Traditional ClassificationSymbols and Abbreviations Used in the Textual ApparatusFiguresGeneral IntroductionIntroduction to Volume 4.2Text and ApparatusesCommentaryWorks CitedIndex of Authors Cited in the CommentaryIndex of Writers and Historical Figures Cited in the CommentaryIndex of Other Poems and Works of Donne Cited in the CommentaryIndex of TitlesIndex of First LinesAbout the Editors