I’m a bit of a book-hound, so when someone asks about Hawthorne’s notes I immediately think of hunting for firsts and facsimiles. The core fact is simple: Hawthorne’s own extra-text material is primarily the introductory essay 'The Custom-House,' which appears in the original 1850 printing of 'The Scarlet Letter' and is included in most complete reprints. What trips people up is the abundance of editorial notes added later — teachers’ editions, annotated paperbacks, and scholarly texts add footnotes and context that are not Hawthorne’s.
If your goal is to read what Hawthorne himself left in print, get an edition that explicitly lists 'The Custom-House' or a facsimile of the first edition. If you want Hawthorne’s marginal notes or manuscript variants, look for a critical scholarly edition or library facsimile; many university presses and library collections will point you to those. Happy hunting — I love finding a copy that has the intro and the old publisher’s page intact.
I still get excited flipping through the front matter of older novels, and with 'The Scarlet Letter' that excitement usually lands on 'The Custom-House' — it’s Hawthorne’s real voice outside the story, and most editions that aim to be complete include it. If someone asks which editions include Hawthorne’s notes, I tell them to distinguish between two things: (1) Hawthorne’s own prefatory writing (chiefly 'The Custom-House'), and (2) editor-added notes or manuscript material that later scholars publish. Many modern academic editions include both the original introduction and a scholarly apparatus explaining textual variants and context.
Good places to start are established critical editions and reputable paperbacks: look up editions from series that advertise "annotated" or "critical edition.' For classroom or study use, 'Norton Critical Edition' or university press editions typically carry both Hawthorne’s prefatory material and detailed notes. Penguin and Oxford editions often include helpful editorial notes and introductions too. If you want Hawthorne’s working notes or marginalia, though, you’ll likely need a scholarly critical edition or a facsimile of the manuscript, or to consult special collections at major libraries — those are the places that reproduce his actual scribbles rather than just explaining the text.
If you want the stuff Nathaniel Hawthorne actually put into the book himself, the key thing to look for is his front piece 'The Custom-House' — that was part of the original 1850 publication of 'The Scarlet Letter'. The very first printing by Ticknor, Reed, and Fields contains Hawthorne's prefatory material and his framing essay; most faithful reproductions and facsimiles of the first edition will include it. Beyond that, Hawthorne didn’t leave a lot of explanatory footnotes attached to the novel itself the way a modern author might annotate a text, so when people talk about "Hawthorne’s notes" they often mean either his introductory material or marginalia and manuscript scraps that later editors publish.
If you’re shopping for a modern book that contains Hawthorne’s own words plus useful editorial apparatus, check the table of contents or front matter for 'The Custom-House' and for sections titled something like "Textual Notes," "Appendix," or "Prefatory Material." Scholarly editions and facsimiles will flag these clearly; popular classroom copies sometimes omit the longer introduction, so it’s worth verifying before you buy. I usually keep a small checklist when I’m hunting: publisher, inclusion of 'The Custom-House', and whether the edition reproduces the original title page or printing notes — those little things tell you whether you’re getting Hawthorne’s own additions or later editorial commentary.
2025-09-06 04:39:39
13
View All Answers
Scan code to download App
Related Books
Sins Of The Flesh: A Taboo Collection
Elite
0
14.6K
Hot forbidden novellas so filthy they’ll leave you soaked and ashamed.
A stepdaughter bent over for her strict stepfather.
A stepsister ruined by her stepbrother in a snow-ending world.
A devout daughter corrupted on holy ground by her priest.
Best friends’ innocent little sister ruined by the one man she shouldn't have.
Brilliant student blackmailed and bred by her married professor.
Every story burns with slow, agonizing tension before erupting into raw, unprotected breeding, ruthless dominance, and soul-crushing guilt that only makes them wetter. These powerful men don’t just break the rules, they destroy them... and their girls thank them with soaked thighs and whispered “please, more.”
Some lines should never be crossed but these women don’t just cross the lines, they spread their legs and beg to be ruined on the other side.
Because the sweetest sins aren’t the ones you hide, they’re the ones that consume you completely.
Madeline Crawford has loved Jeremy Whitman for twelve years, but ultimately it was him who sent her to prison. In between her suffering and pain, she had to witness her man fall in love with another woman…Five years later, she has returned with renewed strength, no longer the same woman he belittled years ago!With this newfound strength, she will tear apart those who pretend to be pure and step on the scums of this earth. However, just as she is about to have her revenge with the man who wronged her… He suddenly turns from a cold, unfeeling psychopath, to a caring, warm and loving man!In fact, he even kisses her feet in front of a crowd, all while promising her, “Madeline, I was wrong to love another. From now on, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.” To which Madeline replies, “I’ll only forgive you if you....die.”
I knew there was no escaping it. My father’s sins would be my undoing. He was a wicked man, feared and hated by many, and now that he was dead, the weight of his crimes had fallen squarely on me. I didn’t even have the chance to grieve—or to breathe—before his Beta dragged me away from the south, from everything I’d ever known.
I was supposed to be their Alpha. That was my birthright. But it didn’t matter. The pack had other plans for me, and being their leader wasn’t one of them. My father’s Beta delivered me to the northern Alphas, the very men who despised my father the most. And that’s when I learned the cruelest truth: they were my mates. But they didn’t want me.
Warning: This is a reverse harem mild dark romance filled with intense emotions and themes that are not for the faint of heart. Read at your own risk.
(This is an edited, well-structured version of the First Edition Scarlett)
*******
Three women, three brothers, a single, crumpled dollar bill.
Alina’s world shatters the moment she’s auctioned off—and claimed by the powerful Hawthorne brothers.
Thrown into Adrian Hawthorne’s cold, dangerous world, she becomes his to control… his to protect… and, terrifyingly, his to desire. He’s ruthless, possessive, and hiding secrets that could destroy them both. But the deeper she falls into his world, the harder it becomes to tell if she’s his prisoner—or something far more dangerous.
Because the Hawthorne brothers don’t just take.
They keep.
Viviane has spent her life surviving, so when Julian Hawthorne “buys” her freedom, she knows better than to trust it. Men like him don’t save people—they collect them. But Julian isn’t as simple as he pretends to be, and the deeper she’s pulled into his world, the more dangerous it becomes to walk away.
Especially when she realizes she might be the only thing he’s ever been willing to fight for.
Lena doesn’t belong to anyone—and she intends to keep it that way. Brilliant, guarded, and hiding more than anyone suspects, she enters Lucien Hawthorne’s world on her own terms. But Lucien doesn’t play fair, and he doesn’t let go.
When her past comes crashing back, Lena is forced to face the one thing she’s been running from: trusting someone who could destroy her… or save her.
Three women. Three choices.Stay. Fight.
Or burn it all down.
Because being sold was only the beginning.
+21 Explicit, taboo, and addictive content.
You'll regret it. And yet you'll want more.
She moaned, even though she knew it was wrong.
He squeezed harder, pulled deeper, and she asked for more.
In Taboo: Ties & Sins, you are taken down paths where desire tastes like sin, smells like leather, sounds like chains, and weighs like names that shouldn't be in your bed.
Here, pleasure is raw, forbidden, hot as red-hot iron.
These are stories that mix submission and power, blood and lust, physical and emotional bonds, bodies that recognize each other even when the world says they shouldn't.
Brothers. Stepfathers. Teachers. Students.
Each story is an indecent invitation, and you will accept it.
This collection is not for the faint of heart.
It is for those who enjoy a guilty conscience, a scarred body, and a soul on fire.
WARNING: THIS SERIES IS STRICTLY FOR ADULTS (18+).
Step into a world where every fantasy is explored and no desire is too forbidden. This collection of scorching short stories dives deep into raw passion, taboo cravings, and the kind of encounters that blur the line between temptation and surrender.
From intoxicating age-gap romances that burn with forbidden heat, to sultry girl-on-girl (GG) affairs dripping with desire, to explosive man-on-man (MM) connections that set the pages on fire — and many more sinful delights waiting to be discovered.
Each story is designed to push boundaries, awaken hidden desires, and leave you breathless for more. If you’re ready to indulge in the wild, the daring, and the downright irresistible… this series is your guilty pleasure.
yes, many of his books have annotated editions that provide deeper insights into his writing. Classics like 'The Scarlet Letter' and 'The House of the Seven Gables' often come with footnotes explaining historical context, symbolism, and archaic language. These annotations are incredibly helpful for understanding Hawthorne's dense prose and the Puritan influences in his stories. I particularly enjoy the Norton Critical Editions because they include essays from scholars, which add layers to my appreciation of his work. If you're diving into Hawthorne for the first time, an annotated edition can make the experience much richer.