'[William Watson] sent a copy [of "Wordsworth's Grave and Other Poems"] to [Thomas] Hardy, who replied appreciatively that he had already read it while staying with Edward Clodd ...'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Hardy Print: Book
On process of choosing a Poet Laureate from 1892: 'When Gladstone had read [William] Watson's Poems (1892), sent to him by R. H. Hutton, it was with a view to obtaining for him a Civil List pension, not the laureateship.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: William Ewart Gladstone Print: Book
`My dear Watson:
Who would have supposed that I should write to thank you for your
considerateness in sending the Ode, in such circumstances as the present. If the
Coronation should never come off, future generations will add a footnote to the
verses - then no longer copywright! - to remind readers of their remarkable history;
which though it will not increase the value of what is intrinsially so fine, will lend a
curious secondary intersst to them. However, as the Coronation will probably
happen after all, it is useless to speculate in this way.
I will not attempt to criticise. All I can say is that the Ode struck me on a first
reading & still impresses me, as being a piece of your very highest work; & to reach
the level of your former productions is no mean achievement. Ideas & execution are
singularly sustained throughout. I cannot find any place where they dip or falter: &
my regret at coming to the last page was that there was no more of the poem.
Believe me
Sincerely yours
Thomas Hardy`
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Hardy Print: Unknown, Probably a pamphlet or book
'One of the last letters my father wrote during this year [1891] was to the young poet William Watson, whose "Wordsworth's Grave" pleased him.'
Unknown
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Tennyson
'The Secretary read a paper on the poetry of William Watson and with Miss Pollard gave illustrative readings'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Rawlings Print: Book
'The Secretary read a paper on the poetry of William Watson and with Miss Pollard gave illustrative readings'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Bertha M. Pollard Print: Book
Meeting held at School House, L.P. :- 28. v. 37.
C. E. Stanfield in the Chair.
1. Minutes of last read & approved
[...]
4. Charles Stansfield then read a biographical sketch of Shelley, followed by an estimate of
Shelley’s views and character.
5. Readings were then given by the following
Hymn to Intellectual Beauty by Mary Pollard
Prometheus Unbound by Reginald Robson
Ode to the West Wind by Elizabeth Alexander
Adonaïs by Victor Alexander.
These were all discussed; and a further short reading, from William Watson’s poetry, was given
by Alfred Rawlings.
Unknown
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Rawlings
'Meeting held at 72 Shinfield Road. 5th May 1941
A. G Joselin in the chair.
[...]
5. F. E. Pollard then undertook to guide us through “the moon-silvered inlets” of
Matthew Arnold’s poetry.
First Muriel Stevens read three sonnets
Shakespeare
The better Part
& The Good Shepherd with the Kid.
illustrating most convincingly that Matthew Arnold ranks among the great sonnet
writers of the English language. Most of his poetry was written in the earlier part
of his life, it is serious and moral in spirit and reveals a stoical philosophy. ‘The
Scholar-Gypsy’ and ‘Thyrsis’ (the latter written in memory of his friend Arthur
Hugh Clough) are probably the best of his longer poems — their austere but serene
melancholy contrasts strangely with his lively and controversial prose. Mr. Pollard
pointed out how Matthew Arnold has a way of writing on a very tragic subject and
then rounding up the poem with a few lines of serene beauty, and he read from
‘Sohrab and Rustum’ to illustrate this.
Rosamund Wallis read “Stagirius” a very beautiful prayer offered up by a young
monk.
Mr. Pollard then told us of Matthew Arnold’s “Theory of Poetry” as expounded in
his “Essays in Criticism” — this was that great poetry has to be a criticism of Life —
a questionable theory since it rules out all the great lyrical poetry which has been
written. Arnold’s own poetry is for the most part rather rugged in metre, irregular
and unrhymed and for tis reason is said by some to be lacking in music. His
Philosophy is illustrated in the ‘Sonnet to a Friend” which Mr. Pollard read, and
summed up in the line “He saw life steadily, and saw it whole”. Mr Pollard then
read from ‘Tristram & Iseult’ and Mrs. Pollard read ‘The Forsaken Merman’ to
illustrate other rather different verses.
Questioned as to whether he agreed with the critics who place Matthew Arnold
third to Browning and Tennyson among Victorian Poets Mr Pollard said he thought
not — that they are all on one level but each in a different category. He concluded
by reading William Watson’s Poem on Matthew Arnold “In Laleham
Churchyard”.
[Signed as a true record] R. D. L. Moore
May 31. 1941'
Unknown
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Francis E. Pollard
‘There is an excellent article in this week Saturday Westminster, a paper of
which I am very fond. It is a review by Walter de la Mare, and is that poet’s
confession of Faith … My leave starts on Thursday—5 whole days … Do you
not like Laurence Binyon’s verses in the Times Supplement? Those and
Hardy’s and Kipling’s are the best of the bunch. Though I like Watson
Grenfell and Noyes. Hardy’s grows on one. Did you ever read his last book
of Short Stories—"The Changed Man"? … Have you read any of D F
Lawrence? I have just finished an extraordinary book called "The White
Peacock", full of arresting studies of character and most essentially
breathing of earth and clouds and flowers—though not a pleasant book …
we had Zeps here about a fortnight ago. Two bombs were dropped on
Chelmsford itself, both on or near the Glosters billeting area. The damage
was perhaps 5£ worth. It cured an old lady of muscular rheumatism, indeed
it made an athlete, a sprinter of her—she went down the street in her
nightgown like a comet or some gravity-defying ghost.’
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ivor Bertie Gurney Print: Newspaper
