The abasement of the Northmores must have been written in the winter of 1899-1900, as it picks up an idea noted that November at Lamb House and, without finding a home in a magazine, it first appeared in the collection The soft side published on 1900-08-20 in the U.K. and in September in U.S.A. The text was later slightly revised to appear in volume 16 of the New York Edition. Full details of all publications known to me containing the tale can be found on the relevant page of my index to Henry James’s tales in collections.
The etext on this web-site is taken from the aforementioned first U.K. book edition, The soft side (1900), subject to the small changes required by the editor’s standard editorial method. Apart from these, no corrections or alterations have been found necessary.
Because of the production method the text has been proof-read twice, but only by this editor, so it is possible that an error has slipped through twice – offers of proofing assistance will be gratefully received.
this textual note
© 2002
part of an etext edition of
The abasement of the Northmores
on
the Ladder : a Henry James website