A serious ting
Sir: In writing that Arnold told Clough that 'Amours de Voyage' was not 'beautiful' enough, Mr Martin Seymour-Smith (15 November) inflates different comments by Arnold. In 1853 (Letters to Clough,
p.132). he has 'nothing special to say' about it because it 'does not suit* him. In 1855
(Letters, r.147) he n. ; e the manner of it or of the 'Bothie. though he thinks both of them better examples of what he takes that manner to be than 'Maud' The comments on 'deficiency of
- • be' IF '
p.66). and refer-- much more defensively— to the early poems in mbarralia Arnold certainl■ does not score very high marks as a critic of Clough'. hest work. but the situation is not quite so had as Mr Seymorn-Smith makes it appear I. C. Ma.twell
Balliol College. Oxford
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