I'm trying to find a difference between two Le Morte d'Arthur editions.
The first was printed in 1886, prepared by Ernest Rhys, with introduction by himself. Single volume.
The second (in two volumes) was printed in 1906 and was reprinted many times, the last edition I could find on Archive.Org dated to 1956. Prepared also by Ernest Rhys, with introduction by John Rhys.
In the introduction to 1886 edition, it is stated that the text is abridged (page xxxiv):
Malory's Book really resolves itself into three great divisions: first, the history of King Arthur proper; second, the romances of Sir Launcelot and Sir Tristram de Lyoness [...]; and third, the Quest of the Grail. In the present version it has been thought well to omit the second of these two divisions, which it is proposed to afterwards issue as a volume by itself, complementary to this of King Arthur and the Quest of the Grail.
Then, I made a table with side-by-side comparison between 1886 and 1956 editions. As I expected, the 1886 edition omits a lot of "Books".
But, I also discovered, that there are two mysterious "Books", preserved in 1886, but omitted in 1956 edition. Here they are:
Book title: The book of Elaine
Page: 225Thus it passed forth until our Lady-day, the assumption, and within fifteen days of that feast, King Arthur let cry a great joust and tournament that should be at that day in Camelot, that is, Winchester : and the kind let cry that he, and the King of Scotland, would joust against all that would come against them. And when this cry was made, thither came many knights : so there came thither the king of Northgalis, and King Anguish of Ireland, and the king with the hundred knights, and Sir Galihud, the
Book title: The book of the Queen's Maying
Page: 253And this it passed on from Candlemas until after Easter, that the month of May was come, when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom, and to bring forth fruit. For, like as herbs and trees bring forth fruit, and flourish in May, in likewise every lusty heart, that is in any manner a lover, springeth and flourisheth in lusty deeds ; for it giveth unto all lovers courage that lusty month of May in some thing, for to constrain him in some manner of thing, more in that month than in any other
The question: Why these "Books" are omitted in 1956 edition?
The full table in Word: https://ufile.io/ffoeu
