17 AUGUST 1962, Page 8

Night Thoughts Many years ago I heard two lines of

immortal verse :

Nero and his sycophants Were violating their uncles and aunts.

I never saw this distich in print until the recent publication of Edmund Wilson's Night Thoughts (W. H. Allen, 21s.). Only then did I realise that they came from a poem called `Quintilian' and formed part of a fitting tribute from one critic to another. I've always had the highest regard for Mr. Wilson and this has been increased by a reading of the verse contained in this volume. Cardinal Merry del Val' would alone be sufficient to place its author among the ranks of the few masters of direct, brutal, tasteless satire.