I have just been reading the _Forum_ for October, and I think
that altogether we may be satisfied with A. C. S.’s article.
I venture to think that he rather overrates Landor and underrates
Calverley.
We should not have inserted ‘Youth and Art’ [the lines by
Browning referring to ‘Gibson’s hash’ to which Mr. Swinburne took
such objection] or ‘The Passionate Pilgrim’ or Croker’s ‘Miss
Peel.’ We ought to have put in Pope’s ‘I know a thing.’
I remember talking to Tennyson about Dirce, and he said it was
too classical for English taste. I do not think many people would
care for it, but perhaps it might be added. Stygean _Set_ is not
a cultivated expression, not better than _lot_, and if Dirce was
a shade it did not matter whether Charon forgot himself or not.
I really feel much obliged to Mr. Swinburne for whom I have
sincere regard. Perhaps if you see him you will tell him of my
obligation.
His article strengthens my decided opinion that the book is a
_very_ difficult one to edit. All the experts have different
ideas about it. Lang, Swinburne, Gosse, Dobson, and Palgrave are
all opposed.