Hi Jeremy,
Kind of you to write this. Robin’s really the one who merits the thanks and
actually knows about Hobsbaum (so David deserves some credit for bestirring
him). I’d read a few poems of his in anthologies, one I remember being cleverly
made, quite cynical and amusing, but really nothing like Mahon, Longley or
Heaney, so even on that small evidence I had reasons to doubt the Svengali-like
role that he so often now seems to have ascribed to him.
Who knows where the strange and winding paths will lead us. Me to the north
west in a few hours.
Best wishes,
Jamie
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2013 11:05 PM
Subject: Re: In Fairness
I feel odd tacking anything onto the long series of posts on Hobsbaum and
other matters, but I did want to say thanks – esp. to Jamie and Robin – for all
the information and pointers and opinions (I look to this list, quixotically
perhaps, for alleviation of my ignorance and interruption of dogmatic
slumbers). And perhaps thanks too – to all – for the reminder that the
paths out of or away from modernism are many, various, and winding (so strange
and winding, perhaps, that Powell and Pressburger can end up alongside
Larkin??)
Best,
Jeremy
