SIR,—That a weekly of such standing as your own should
publish Mr. Amis's review of a new translation of Beowulf alarms one with the renewed realisation of the power of a reputation—even a bad reputation.
After Mr. -Amis has blinded himself in the public service, he may (though I doubt it) be able to criticise Milton's lack of interest in human relation- ships. When he has suffered (and I hope he never will) from private calamities as great as those endured by Spenser he will be entitled to think The Faerie Queene a bore. When he has written one poem, one solitary poem, he will be in a position to consider, though 1 don't think he will condemn, Mr. David Wright's 'lack of poetic skill.' As for Chaucer—well, Chaucer had a sense of humour which Mr. Amis hasn't, in spite of his pretensions. His closest approximation is an unbalanced and barren bitter- ness.
In some ways I find relief in realising that such arrogant pups as Mr. Amis will never be able to understand what poetry's all about. Their• ignorance will always prevent them from effectually attacking it. But, Sir, that does not apply to you nor to the lack of sensitivity which allows you to foist their stupidity and ill-nature upon the public.—Yours faithfully, BURNS SINGER 40 Pattispn Road, NW2
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