" THE SONGS OF SCHUBERT "
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Since a serious charge has been brought against me in your review of my book, The Songs of Schubert, perhaps you will allow me to enquire why it is an unpardonable fault not to have mentioned Mr. Capell's work on the same subject.
In Newman Flower's Franz Schubert there are thirty-two pages of bibliography, and under the circumstances it is a wonder that I am not charged with omitting to mention all the works catalogued therein. The few books to which I felt especially indebted were acknowledged, and Capell's was not included because it had not been published when my work was written.
Reviewers seem to think that books come red-hot from the authors, but surely I am not the only writer who has MSS. laid by for a suitable or convenient opportunity for publication, and the fact that a book was written a year ago surely precludes the mention of later books.
Your reviewer is not the only one who has hinted that I have made use of Capell's book without the decency to acknow- ledge the fact, and I strongly resent this imputation of dishonesty, for the fact that acknowledgments were made to certain books implies that other books were not used, and I see no reason why my word should be doubted without evidence.
—Yours faithfully, E. G. PORTER. Radcliffe House, 261 Peckham Rye, S.E.I5.
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