MINOR POETS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 9

MINOR POETS.

The "Wcstminstor Gazette _;recently printed some verses by- Hansard '.Watt,, in* which a spiteful little assault was made. on "Minor Poets."; This drew^.the■ following interesting letter from Mr. Wilbam AVatson: ' 'I suppose tnero are undoubtedly some poots who are lesser than . other poets, but why should such a needlessly discourteous, (not to say insulting-)!phrase bo flung at any living 'person?. I presume there are painters and iculptors' /.who,-, are' of" inferior ■ rank in art to: other painters, and but does ;anybody.. ever allude. to them ■■• as.;'"minor painters .;;.or .minor, sculptors?" I imagine that there must also be politicians, and even journalists, who are less augustly great than certain, other: politicians and journalists, but does anyone resort to the cheap jibe implied'-..', m the phrase "minor politician" or ■■'"minor -journalist? So'faras I can see/the adjective-, minorappears to : be reserved .as an, epithet ~of scorn:for living poets alone; and I observe ■that/Mr. Hansard Watt, whoever he may bp, considers'that the small amount of, reward and public recognition which'.these. poets• re-; coive is "a special reason why .thoy, should incur the contempt of every-sensible man:. He also appears,to think that they-usually wear'long i hair!. Having known'nearly, all the English 'poets, of my .time, I cannot recall one who was'thus decorated, except.Tennyson, whom perhaps'even so-eminent ,'a".person .'.'as Mr. Hansard Watt: would not call "minor." : : As to Mr. Watt's own verses in' your columns, they fare not. distinguished by. any literary merit perceptible to my eye's-, m fact, I think it extremely unlikely that a volume ofsimilar, fustian would- find a single .publisher Willing ,to issue it"except at the'authbr's expense; but, Heaven forbid that I should, call Mr. Hansard 'Watt a "minor"., versifierl' The insult is quite too pointless, -too cheap,. too' easyi too: intolerably hackneyed.;, Indeed, my only. 1 purpose .in.Writing; to -you is. to express my surprise and regret that ,you,.sir,'' should fix tho seal of;vour apparent'approval, .'to this.: most", superfluously: ; offensive •. and wounding ; phrase, .levelled constantly '.at ■';a, class ..of.writers '.who, to-day; at all ovents,' are considerably, less,'numerous -■ than the novelists, whom .no one', .thinks of calliig '-'minor!' j; 'a : .cla'ss".,of.Writers whoso honour and'distinction it surely is—and not a matter for scoffing and .derision—that, they .obviously -write for'no worldly; or sordid; end whatever,;' receiving'often tho.niost.*insignificantireward for; their, labour; and'"producing ; ; books ...'which, after all can very easily be avoided' by thoso who do not wish tq;read-them—those highly superior persons who perhaps could not write a sentence/evincing anj; aptitude; for ■ real criticism, but who, manifestly. 'rejoicß -in tho "convenience of the phrase l "mihbr'goet,"riSe'd as a' handy jnissilo.-to. • they'have-probAblynever read, arid toj'idivert attention;'from, their ,;bwri; ; ignorance, ; insensi-, bility,and jhcomnotence.,. ; , .",',, ■.; '.■-;'' i