Edited by F. Barron Freeman.

Melvilleís Billy Budd. The Complete Text of the Novel and of the Unpublished Short Story.

Edited by F. Barron Freeman.

Cambridge:

Harvard University Press,

1948

Based on Freemanís 1942 Harvard thesis, this second scholarly transcription of the Billy Budd manuscript leaves includes what Freeman deems a previously ìundiscoveredî variant of a short story, ìBaby
Budd,î ìembedded in the manuscripts of the novel,î and culled from ìcut, pinned or pasted pages.î Harvard discontinued sales and published the 1953 pamphlet Corrigenda documenting over 500 mistakes.
The rather quaint engraving which appears on the dust jacket and title page is from Melvilleís collection of prints. Freeman notes that ìthe original bears no name, date or other clue to identity ... it depicts a young officer rather than a seaman.î

From the Collection of William Palmer Johnston.