Literary page

Your Literary Editor, Mr. James, would be wise to stop his quest for this mysterious female plagiarist "Elizabeth" before he makes a complete fool of himself, and "Elizabeth" is exploited as en elaborate literary joke upon his solemn page.

If Mr. James refers to Pound's Canto XVIII he will discover that the extract: "That qrosbois is oak, ash, elm . . ." comes from a sub-section with the heavy black title "Elizabeth", but surely he has acquaintance enough with literature to recognize that "From 'Elizabeth' " suggests derivation from a large work rather than a non-de-plume?

He was wise enough to recognise th nerit of the poem "It may be genius or something quite different" (the razor's edge?) and rather gave the lie to his detractors . . . "She didn't think I would publish it".

A certain school of poetry is Poundish or rather, bad Mauberley, isn't it, Mr. James—The point, I suppose, of the joke?

Be not discouraged, Mr, James, in liking E.P. before his imitators you have proved your priorities are sound. By your own severe criticisms you must force our literary charlatans to improve their verse.

Richard King.