25 AUGUST 1900, Page 14

[TO THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR. "] SIR,—In connection with your

article on " The Ornithology of Tennyson" in the Spectator of August 18th, I am not aware whether• the following anecdote has been published. It was told to me by the late John Addington Symonds. An ardent, but not highly discriminating, admirer of the poet, sitting next to him at dinner, referred to his lines :—

" Birds in the high Hall-garden When twilight was falling, Maud, Maud, Maud, Maud, They were crying and calling."

" Beautiful description," said she ; " one can almost hear the nightingales singing." " Nonsense, Madam," retorted Tennyson, in his abrupt manner, "they were rooks—rooks!"