POETS' DESCENDANTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 781, 2 April 1910, Page 9

POETS' DESCENDANTS.

A novel >dinner party is projected by 'the-Poetry Recital Society, which has arranged to hold its first anniversary dinner : early in April, on 1 the birthday of cither Swinburne or Wordsworth. •The r Bar! -.ol ,prewe has consented to -"preside, and it is proposed to make the jathe;ririg. , ;a , -'<notable one-'by the inch-; siou among tlio guests of as many descendants of the greater English' poets ! as , possible 1 . ........ ' . v : " ,-.....,

".. The chairman isj-of course,,tlio son of. Moncktoh.Milnes, Lord Houghton, arid the" attendance is already assured of relatives of "Wordsworth and Browning, who. are members of the society, The difficulty has arisen, however, of'discovering the names of such ladies .or gentlemen.' as are entitled to be present, and in , order that the idea may be carried out thoroughly the society invite all who : can show their claim to inclusion on the- hereditary 'principle to communicate- with the secretary.' . Commenting .upon this ./project,: an English paper : , observes':—"Clearly;- :noghosts will be • admitted, but it is not; easy to identify all:the living-men-who" are 'entitled to attend on the • hereditary principle,' though perhaps it would be-made a little easier if an authoritative, list of the greater poets were supplied. The society is assured of the attendance of descendants of Wordsworth and Browning, which is at least a good start, but when we are told that the Earl of Crewe, .who is to preside, is the son of Monckton Milnes, wo are doubtful' whether his qualification is not the mixed one of being descended from a minor poet and being himself a distinguished man. Probably the society would rank Gray and Criibbe among the greater poets, but would it include Shenstone or John Davidson, and where would Mrs. Hemaus come- in? Probably each application will be considered tactfully on its merits, but if the world gets wind of this dinner there may be; some, knotty . questions to decide. There must certainly be many.descendants of great poets who could do with a dinner, and some of us who are hot quite, sure about our pedigrees might be tempted to give ourselves the benefit of. any doubt. And if the society could really hold of those who are oualified on. this principle, what a wonderful collection of pseudo-veterans they would bo! They mWit not know much about .poetry, but they would be a splendid illustration of tlm hereditary urineiplo.. We are afraid, though, that •they will only secure picked "and respectable specimens."