14 FEBRUARY 1958, Page 13

THE METAPHYSICAL POETS

SIR,—Mr. Thwaite, noting that Miss Gardner begins her anthology The Metaphysical Poets with Ralegh, suggests that `Drayton's "Since there's no help" would have shown another aspect of the beginnings.' Whatever the claims of this sonnet to be regarded as a metaphysical poem, it certainly does not illustrate 'the beginnings.' It was first published in 1619, and there is no evidence that it was written much earlier.—Yours faithfully, J. C. MAXWELL. King's College, University of Durham