27 FEBRUARY 1904, Page 17

IS THE TASTE FOR POETRY DECLINING?

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]

Sur,,—I cannot help thinking that the number of educated people who have practically given up the serious reading of poetry is considerably larger than you imagine. They are not totally indifferent to the charm of verse, but having only a definite amount of time for reading, put the poets aside in favour of prose writers. May I venture to quote my own .case ? As a schoolmaster, both my time and means are limited, but, thanks to holidays and circulating libraries, I was able last year to read some sixty books. About half of these were works on mediaeval and modern history, travel