“Jan. 10th.—Wrote a chapter of Basil Hope. In evening we went to Mona’s. A pretty large gathering. Roussel told me he wanted to paint my portrait, and asked me to give him sittings. Some one was speaking of a poem by Browning being superlatively fine because of its high optimism and ethical message. The question is not one of weighty message, but of artistic presentation. To praise a poem because of its optimism is like commending a peach because it loves the sunshine, rather than because of its distinguishing bloom and savour. To urge that a poem is great because of its high message is almost as uncritical as it would be obviously absurd to aver that a postman is illustrious because of some epic or history he may carry in his bag. In a word, the first essential concern of the artist must be with his vehicle. In the instance of a poet, this vehicle is language emotioned to the white-heat of rhythm.”
“Jan. 12th.—Wrote first portion of Elegiac Poem on ‘Browning’ commencing:
There is darkness everywhere;
Scarce is the city limned
In shadow on the lagoon.
No wind in the heavy air.
The stars themselves are dimmed,
And a mist veils the moon.
“After lunch took T. Mavor to Alfred East’s to see his Japanese pictures. Then I took T. M. to John M. Swan’s Studio. Then we went to spend half an hour with Stepniak and his wife at 13 Grove Gardens.”
“Jan. 13th.—Late in settling down, and then disinclined to write except in verse. Wrote the second and final part of the Elegaic Browning Poem for Belford’s Magazine. It is not often that I indulge in inversions: but the gain is sometimes noticeable. I think it is in this stanza:
Alas, greatness is not, nor is
There aught that is under the sun,
Nor any mortal thing,