Bryn Griffiths in his interesting letter is right about the
'Thomas bandwagon,' loaded with blinkered parasites and little men chewing away at the choice remains. It certainly rolls on, as tawrence's does, and Fitzgerald's, and soon, no doubt, it will be poor old Hemingway's turn.
That Thomas was an 'inspired boyo' I have no doubt. He was also a poet who left some ravishing lines behind him, and these will be quoted as long as there are people who love the English language. 8ut what disturbs me is that Mr. Griffiths—although, like too few, he sees clear through the tedious myth- inaking--appears to consider that it was perfectly all right for Thomas to believe in 'baffling the 1)—s' if the right word could not be found. (This IS the 'answerless riddle . . . and careful linguistic folly that Kingsley Amis has, referred to.) Robert Frost once saw a manuscript of Thomas's where the Welshman had put all the rhymes down first and then backed into them, instead of 'thinking forward' With no element present of sly and rather cheap taile-playing, as if in some esoteric game.
i It is this bit of professional calculation in Thomas, the occasional lapse in integrity and the unremorse- ful failure in the realm of performance, that troubles me and prevents my full enjoyment of his Work.
Maida Avenue, W2
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