The edition of 1836 returns to the text of 1819.]
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Variant 44: 1836. Towards the river ... 1819.] [Variant 45: 1832. Heav'd his lank sides, ... 1819.] [Variant 46: 1836. In the two editions of 1819 this stanza formed twostanzas, thus: All by the moonlight river sideHe gave three miserable groans,"'Tis come then to a pretty pass,"Said Peter to the groaning ass,"But I will _bang_ your bones!" And Peter halts to gather breath,And now full clearly was it shown(What he before in part had seen)How gaunt was the poor Ass and lean,Yea wasted to a skeleton! 1819. In the editions of 1820-1832, only the second of these stanzas isretained, with the following change of text in 1827: And, while he halts, was clearly shown(What he before in part had seen)How gaunt the Creature was, and lean, 1827. In the final text of 1836 the two stanzas of 1819 are compressed intoone (ll. 446-50).] [Variant 47: 1836. But, while upon the ground he lay, 1819. That instant, while outstretched he lay, 1827.] [Variant 48: 1836. A loud and piteous bray! 1819.] [Variant 49: 1820. Joy on ... 1819.] [Variant 50: 1836. ... an endless shout,The long dry see-saw ... 1819.] [Variant 51: 1836. And Peter now uplifts his eyes;Steady the moon doth look and clear,And like themselves the rocks appear,And tranquil are the skies, 1819.
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