Next title in New Zealand Colonial Texts Series

This series is published by the Department of English at the University of Otago and Lenore Divine is number three in the series. It was originally published in 1926.

Here is the Preface by Kristine Moffat who edited the book and provided notes and an introduction.

Preface

My first encounter with Jean Devanny’s Lenore Divine was as a doctoral student at the University of Victoria in Wellington. I read it in one sitting in the pale pink hush of the Alexander Turnbull Library reading room, attracted by Devanny’s passion, individualism, and radicalism. I am delighted to have had the opportunity of editing the novel, which has been out of print since 1928, for the New Zealand Colonial Text Series.

This edition follows the 1926 Duckworth edition of Lenore Divine. Duckworth reprinted the novel in 1928 as a stereotyped edition. I have made minimal changes to the text, standardising, where necessary, irregularities in spelling and punctuation. I have added an introduction and explanatory notes, which explore Devanny’s beliefs and background and the novel’s historical contexts.

I would like to thank Shef Rogers from the University of Otago Department of English who has been a wonderful editor to work with: engaged, encouraging and meticulous. Many thanks to Sue Wootton for her excellent proofing. I am very grateful to Anna Petersen and Aleisha Blake from the Hocken Library and Claire Viskovic from the Alexander Turnbull Library for their help in accessing the images in this edition.

Above all, I want to thank my two brilliant research assistants, Helen Lavën and Rowena McCoy, without whom this edition would not have been possible. Thank you both for your fine formatting, scrupulous proofing, outstanding research into the novel’s contexts, and shared enthusiasm for ‘Ms Divine’.

Kirstine Moffat

School of Arts

University of Waikato
12 January, 2012



Enquiries to:
Shef Rogers,
University of Otago, 
PO Box 56, 
Dunedin, NZ.