Title] 'A Christmas Tale,' &c., was first prefixed in S. L. 1817. The letter introduced the poem in the Morning Post. In the Annual Anthology the 'Letter' is headed 'The Raven'. Lamb in a letter to Coleridge, dated Feb. 5, 1797, alludes to this poem as 'Your _Dream_'. [1-8] Under the arms of a goodly oak-tree There was of Swine a large company. They were making a rude _repast_, Grunting as they crunch'd the _mast_. Then they trotted away: for the wind blew high-- 5 One acorn they left, ne more mote you spy, Next came a Raven, who lik'd not such folly: He belong'd, I believe, to the witch MELANCHOLY! M. P., An. Anth., and (with variants given below) MS. S. T. C. [1] Beneath a goodly old oak tree MS. S. T. C.: an old] a huge S. L. 1817, 1828, 1829. [6] ne more] and no more MS. S. T. C. [7] Next] But soon MS. S. T. C. [8] belonged it was said S. L. 1817. [10] in the rain; his feathers were wet M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C. [15] O'er hill, o'er dale M. P. [17] with] on MS. S. T. C. [20] came back] return'd M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C. [21] to a tall] a large M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C. [22] topmost] uppermost MS. S. T. C. [23] happy] jolly M. P., An. Anth. [26] and _he_ nothing spoke M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C. [28] At length] Wel-a-day MS. S. T. C.: At last M. P., An. Anth. [30] And his wife she did die M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C. [31] The branches from off it M. P., An. Anth.: The branches from off this the MS. S. T. C. [32] And floated MS. S. T. C. [33] They saw'd it to planks, and its rind M. P., An. Anth.: They saw'd it to planks and its bark MS. S. T. C. [34] they built up a ship M. P., An. Anth. [36] Such . . . ship] A tempest arose which no ship M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C. [38] The auld raven flew round and round M. P., An. Anth.: The old raven flew round and round MS. S. T. C., S. L. 1817, 1828, 1829. [39] He heard the sea-shriek of their perishing souls M. P., An. Anth., MS. S. T. C. [40-4] They be sunk! O'er the topmast the mad water rolls The Raven was glad that such fate they did _meet_. They had taken his all and REVENGE WAS SWEET. M. P., An. Anth. [40] See she sinks MS. S. T. C. [41] Very glad was the Raven, this fate they did meet MS. S. T. C. [42-3] om. MS. S. T. C. [44] Revenge was sweet. An. Anth., MS. S. T. C., S. L. 1817, 1828, 1829. After l. 44, two lines were added in Sibylline Leaves, 1817:-- We must not think so; but forget and forgive, And what Heaven gives life to, we'll still let it live.[171:A] [171:A] Added thro' cowardly fear of the Goody! What a Hollow, where the Heart of Faith ought to be, does it not betray? this alarm concerning Christian morality, that will not permit even a Raven to be a Raven, nor a Fox a Fox, but demands conventicular justice to be inflicted on their unchristian conduct, or at least an antidote to be annexed. _MS. Note by S. T. C._