The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-07

one above, two more floors remained
available, so what idea popped into this
poets mind but that of fixing up the rest
of his stronghold as apartments for poets,
where bards who were weary of unin-
spired lodgings and garrulous landladies
might seek rest and refuge. No sooner
said than done. Bedrooms of austers
simplicity were fitted up at Poetry
House forthwith, and Munro tells me
he has no less than four poets as dodgers
already, though he declined to mention
their names nor to disclose If they are
minor or major"
Nor is this all. There Are to be rooms,
too, where poets from the country. il
inspiration seizes them while they are in
the modern Babylon for a day, may (on
payment of a small fee) pour out their
thoughts in an atmosphere conclusive to
the kindling or genius.
Figure it to yourself. as they say across
the channel. Here is a home of poesy
which, from garret to basement will be
given up wholly to poetry-to buying it,
selling it, making it, reciting it, discuss
ing it, and disseminating ii. The lay that
is laid (as Mr.. Dooley puts it), ut II
a. m, may be in type by 2:s0 and on sale
at if they are real hustlers at Poetry
House. Seriously, however it looks as If
Munros enterprise, which is not intended
as competitor with ordinary booEshops
but which will deal in the kind of wares
which generally are put down as "un-
marketable" might have decidedly use
full future. w. b. Yeats and John Mase-
field, as well as Professor Newbolt. who
will perform the opening ceremony, are
supporting Munro with enthusiasm, and
both have promised to preside over the
gatherings of votaries at the shrine OF
poety. which it is planned to hold from
time to time in this Poets Corner of
the metropolis.
Interest in American fiction seems to
be growing steadily in this country auong
the people whose favorable opinion is best
worth having. How fervent an adnirer
several Of our novelists have in j. NJ.
Barrie was revealed recently, and now we
have an English authoress OF acknoWl-
edged position, saying quite frankly that
she prefers American to English fiction
This is Mary l.. Pendered who says:
1T goes without saying that a rule.
prefer American novelists to English
ones, because even the rank and file of
American novelists are natural, and write
of what they see and know, whereas our
English rank and file are still under the
thrall of the Old Morality system and
write of abstract vices and virtues.
1.-THE vice still goes through English
novels with horns and hoofs, while pretty
virtue, without color or quality. shippers
as the injured heroine. But then, libraries
must be stocked and we are told the pub
lie demands such puppet playthings."
Miss Pendered voices this opinion in
reply to the question. What books do
you best like to read" which the editor
OF London literary monthly has ad-
dressed to number of English women
novelists. The replies are interesting, es-
pecially as it appears that comparatively
few of these feminine story-tellers design
to read novels at ALL
Mrs. Elinor Glyn, Mrs. w. X. Clifford
Miss Beatrice Harraden, Miss Marjorie
Bowen and Miss Betham Edwards all
confess to being parsmonious novel read
ers.
Miss Harraden says she reads prin-
cipaliy biography. while Majorie Bowen
likes histories or old and curious books
and on the whole prefers foreign TO Eng
lish literature.