Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-27

self In mythology: in fact dabbled
in every subject that had some direct
or indirect relationship with poetry.
Milton. moro than any other bard, on
tranccd me. / went through Paradise
Lost ten times. 1t was my love for
Milton that set me first studying the
sonnet, which l look upon rs an adj
mirablc exercise in writing because OF
Its dignity and strict technique"
serbia as oSe l"o Of 9 he m nos DS@
plishcd and representative sonnet writ
ors in the English language" but
high or. not. certain II is that few living
men can have made profounder study
OF this poetic form than he. He has
Geo volumes OF sonnets and works on
thH, sonnet; all OF which he has care.
his little home in the drab At,ercliffe
district OF sheffield are crammed with
over go volumes OF this class. accu-
fruits. Of these studies of his are CON
tanned in u lengthy and scholarly
introduction to his first published book.
''Sonnets Personal and Pastoral" which
appeared in 1909. Therein. by the way.
sonnet. namely. that IL lis like a bit
of Labrador spar. which has no lustcr
es To 'arp en- S9qr WITH
shows deep and beautiful colors.''
In the introduction to the first vol;
after pointing out that they are writ
ten in the strict petrarchan form,
powsins remarks, Il feel grateful that
vehicle OF my war whoops, as think
it is the least used in Germany OF all
nations for expression. notwithStand
ing that the German language is Gods
language. according TO Herr Houston
stewart chamberlain. tho German child
William DowsinE's first volume.
,S9nnSt4s ,reFS%9mai and pass2r2lr Was s
be Great by MIR 9ns'nS Vs WSo
always been interested in the Sheffield
poet and his work. Brought out by the
Trench & Co. the volume was accorded
warm praise by reviewers of promi-
hence, The Daily Chronicle. of London.
this country, declared that this SON
neisser had lofty conception." The
poetry, The Book Monthly described
the collection as one that would re-
fame of any verseman living to-day
The Literary World described Dows-
and not unworthy OF his great eX-
,,,yys year or TIVE afterwards DowsinE
his "shsHieid Ivii sEnet,es.' ''' Both tA't Of:
'ihsSG volumes also elected praise.
nets?" j asked '
When ! have the, time" Dowsng
when l am at work. and 1 elaborate il
afterwards. 1t is my biggest pleasure.
! love writing as much as do reading:
no education. ] have had to grope
my way half blndly."
Have YOU had no one to advise and
The only help have, had" declared
nowsins. Simply has been from the
Wordsworth, Rosetti. Mrs. Browning
and a host of lesser lights have ali
been good TO me"
have written words of encouragement
and praise to this poet. and with one
Of them, tho late, Lord Cromer. he had
on q Visit to Shcfiield Dowsins' Was in,
which Lord Cromer made Of the Vick-
ers works At the suggestion of Doug
las Nickers. Dowsing. presented Lord
Of ''Sonnets.' Some time afterwards h.
received .j e. a copy OF the two volumes OF
Lord GromSrs work on Modern Egypt"
When was in Sheffield last week
You We're Kind enough TO give me n
I much pleasure from reading both the
4 Sonncts and the very interesting pre-.
face that accompanied them. May |
beg OF YOU 10 accept in return a COPY
O. my recent book on Modern
! Egypt"
As has already been hinted. William
1owsimEs poetry thus far has brought
| cash. In fact, he freely confcsses that,
Judged from financial standpoint his
! BOOKS have all been failures. In spite
I OF IN" favorable reviews Of his first
doom: Sonncts Personal and Pastoral"
exactly thirty copies We're sold ten of
them IN Sheheld. The remainder OF his
/ books he has issued at his own expense
and as result is. he calculates. about
! $500 out of pocket What copies of
i them have sold" he said. II have
disnoscd of with little time and on
I low workers by personal cnncassine.
spent about si5 In adyertisinr my
. War Cartoons Sonncts.' in the three
Shethe!d papers and had one applica-
As a, result. he is. very naturally,
1T seems easier" he wrote In his
FIRST letter to me, for an elephant 10
MriGgl" through the eye OF q needle
IMAM ior 4 working man TO secure a
bIhce IN literature. What right has a
work ing-man TO 10 born with an AR
. Eic mas been strenuous onc-to keep
my artistic soul from being crushed
out Of mo ty industrialism J. n
dreamer OF poetic things. have had 10
pc a man OF action, in close touch for
forty years with matcrialism and I'm.
poetic and material minded men VII"
hav" had TO shield and protect my soul
from ali the demons OF the common.
pace mat Stultify ones feelings for
ne artistic Md regard every hour
81 the forty years have spent MS n
W''S" s'ave' cas- the Socialists have its.
Observation-Disclosures