The Novelist (1870-1898)
the art of poetry itself, but the little that he did say is of the utmost significance. In the first place, he took pains to combat the popular notion of the poet and the poet's life. For instance, when Christopher Julian's simple-minded sister, Faith, is asked if Ethelberta is really a poetess, she replies, "That I cannot say. She is very clever at verses; but she don’t lean over gates to see the sun, and goes to church as regular as you or I, so I should hardly be inclined to say that she's the complete thing. . . ." One may notice also the following bit of burlesque dialogue in The Hand of Ethelberta, in which the same fallacious views of the practice of poetry are ridiculed with rather broad satirical strokes:
After a pause Neigh remarked half-privately to their host, who was his uncle: "Your butler Chickerel is a very intelligent man, as I have heard."
"Yes, he does very well," said Mr. Doncastle.
"But is he not a—very extraordinary man?"
"Not to my knowledge, " said Doncastle, looking up surprised. "Why do you think that, Alfred?"
"Well, perhaps it was not a matter to mention. He reads a great deal, I dare say?"
"I don’t think so. "
"I noticed how wonderfully his face kindled when we began talking about the poems during dinner. Perhaps he is a poet himself in disguise. Did you observe it?"
"No. To the best of my belief he is a very trustworthy and honorable man. He has been with us—let me see, how long?—five months, I think, and he was fifteen years in his last place. It certainly is a new side to his character if he publicly showed any interest in the conversation, whatever he may have felt."
"Since the matter has been mentioned," said Mr. Jones, "I may say that I too noticed the singularity of it."
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