The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-28
BARNCMIZED POETRY.
4 somewhat Personal Criticism OF Most
Melodieus NOyes.


To TIVE Epiror ov THE srN--Sir: In
common with quite number OF literary
men OF Philadelphia and even OF a wider
sphere. which includes Boston and New
York. who have been more or less In
touch with each other this winter. have
been very much interested In Mr. Alfred
Movers latest twist. with regard to the
very pleasant and very profitable notori-
ETY. which he has achieved over here for
over . year. but which he finds apparently
. little CALLING, ~ last. though twelve
months OF an unrepudiated Wanting
propaganda hardly led one to expect this
Anal turn at this Juncturs.
Mr.. Noyes may not realize how hsauti-
fully he has been presented. after the
manner of the late lamented Barnum. as
q sort Of poetic sacred white elephant. or
a. a FIVE legged sacred poetic cow. with
more humps than are usually allotted TO
the poetic craftsman. especially the
American species. so that his reputation
Of thO suggestion--and this has been only
one feature Of the propagands-that he
had said that his mission was ITO make
poetry pay comes with a certain incon-
sequentiaiity. since there are other factors
In his presentation which are more vulgar
and common and less possible OF phil
osophic defeycs than his supposed desire
TO live BY his art and TO teach others
how 70 achieve this happy state also
iUc toSt - tnat HAs p'fn
presented 20 the American public along
lines which have nothing whatever TO do
with whatever merit he may have as a
verse writer He has been painted as one
who has none OF the qualities which are
ascribed to the so-ralled typical poets"
who are limned IN such bald csricatures
as TO make them easy men ~ straw TO
knock over; that is. To knock over In
the Interest Of Mr.. Noyes's SURPRISING
physical. tonsorla., sartorlsl and social
excellence
We are told FOR instance 90 that Mr.
Noyes n n great athlete. that he il the
only athletic roet appearing on the public
stage. that thsre IL nothing anernic about
him, and that his verse reflects the ath-
leticism Of his biceps and triceps; 90
that ne wears ordinary fashionable
store clothes. eschews long hair and looks
like any ordinary gentleman: CD that by
10 doing and 30 dressing "he Is bringing
poetry down to the level Of everyday life"
presumably through lounge suits. Norfolk
Jackets, boating hannels, morning coats
evening clothes and what not with the
proper shoes and srats included 80 that
he believes "In making poetry pay" and
In his own case IL the only living Eng
li.h writing poet who does make poetry
pay" f5) that he II AN apostle Of peace
and has a high mission to make Arma-
geddons impossible and 90 that he IL
ali contemporary English poets. whose
mere reading OF his lyrics, as one woman
expressed II, thrilled her 80 that II
gave Ner goose Nesh"--seerinR'y a very
proper emotion. considering all the cir
cunstanccs
Now II may he that NJ. Noyes has pro-
tested to his boomers ever since he ar
rived here for the Nrst time as n lecturer
against such childish presentation Of
himself and against such obvious carica-
lures OF contemporary poets in America
and Ergiand-many ~ whom have been
very kind 10 him as hosts and fellow
euests-from whom he 10 supposed to
differ 80 much in muscle. hair and
Evolutionary ability. But the protests
apparently never got into print while up
to within a week II was press ACCENTED
over the country that Mr., Noyes was
going TO get q "chair at Princeton: and
80 the stun ran ad nausean,. was ian
athlete. wore fashionsb clothes an
apostle Of peace" Sc, and OF course, be
lieved in making poetry paw"
Apparently. having now repudiated one
ella ssihcation. MIR. Noyes will clean VI all
the others. But isn't 1t a little too late
And isn't n little absurd that as "A
leading publisher said to me in London
last summer, we Americans still rush
after literary sN'ond raters"? Mr.. Moves
may not he in the class some OF the Eng
lsh publishers seem to think he Ia. but
we might get some estimate OF him from
our own standards. And certainly most
Of US are rather wearied Of promotion
of poet and poetry by giving him and his
verse attributes that are foreign Ia the
real elements OF artistic Judgment.
PHILADELPHIA, March 20. PoETIcrs.