Aspects of Poetry

Sir: My notice has been drawn to an error of emphasis in a recently published booklet of mine entitled Aspects of Poetry in New Zealand, which was originally given as a talk at Victoria University in July 1967, and reference to which was page 446 made in ‘Notebook’ Listener, October 13.

In the booklet I mention the reaction of the transitional poets of the Thirties away from ‘the mandarin writing of our poetic Kuomintang – Mulgan, Marris, Schroder, and those who felt at ease with them’. It has since been pointed out to me that, while one may speak of ‘mandarin writing’ with some justice in Mulgan’s case (excepting perhaps two poems of his), and with full justice in regard to C.A. Marris’s editorial policy, it is less than just to make J.H.E. Schroder a member of the triumvirate, since Schroder objected to mandarin qualities in the early work of Robin Hyde, published Ursula Bethell, and gave favourable critical consideration to Allen Curnow’s verse. I had recognised that Mr Schroder was largely responsible for the tradition of intelligent criticism that has characterised reviewers’ columns in the Christchurch Press. But I had not recognised the breadth of his literary awareness. This does not make my original comment wholly untrue. But it does amount to an error of emphasis which I think it fair to mention publicly.

1967 (474)