A Little Book of Light Verse (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from A Little Book of Light Verse

Nique. Indeed, the average man' hardly realises that there is any technique to study. He does not see that light verse is'a distinct and separate art; but'dismisses the best of those who practise it - Mr Austin Dobson, for example - as 'minor poets.' The truth is that Mr Dobson is not a minor po'et at all, but a master of light verse writing; his achievements in his own field are as superior to the light verse of Robert Browning, as are that author's serious poems to the efforts of a light verse writer attempting serious poetry. And it is rather strange that in the country which, if it has not been prolific of good light versifiers, has produced a few who are incomparably good, one still should have to point out that these are true masters of a distinct and separate art, and not persons who merely wrote light verse because they were incapable of turning out the third-rate sonnets, and lyrics which the publicfis prepared to revere as poetry.' Nor is it the public only which is to blame.= Criticism, on the whole (i say this with the fear of Mr Churton Collins upon me 1) is, in respect of every Other branch of literature, often able, and nearly always competent. But the ordi nary criticism received by the writer of light verse is hopelessly inept. First, he is fairly certain to be told that he is 'a disciple of Calverley, ' not because he follows the Calverleyan methods, but merely because he-has written verse designedly.

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