“It is the little rift within the lute
That by and by will make the music mute,
And ever widening, slowly silence all,”
will be found in Tennyson’s “Merlin and Vivien,” Idylls of the King.—2. Eugene Field’s poems are published by Scribner’s Sons, New York, and John Lane, London.
Anne Weinhäupt (Innspruck).—1. We have a great many subscribers in Austria, but must not give the exact numbers.—2. A “gooseberry-picker” gathers a very thorny fruit for others to eat, having only the trouble for his share. So a third person who accompanies a pair of lovers for propriety’s sake has all the trouble and none of the pleasure of the expedition. This at least is the explanation we have read of the phrase, “to play goose-berry.” We may add that the expression is seldom used nowadays. Many thanks for your kind letter.
K. K.—Your poems are far above the average of those we receive for criticism. In the first verse of “Only” we should demur to the use of the present tense “ends” for the sake of rhyme, in one instance. The tense should be kept the same throughout one statement. In “Happiness,” “best” and “happiness” do not rhyme. We thoroughly agree with the sentiment of your concluding verse. We can quite understand that your work has found acceptance for publication, but we have our own staff of writers, and should not at present have use for your poems. Many thanks for your good wishes.
“A Dutch Girl.”—As the author you admire is still living, there is no biography published of her. Biographies, as a rule, are not compiled until people are dead. Write to her publishers for any information you desire, and they will give it to you if it is in accordance with her wishes.
Mildred.—You do not give us your address, so all we can advise you to do is to write to the Secretary, Technical Education Board, St. Martin’s Lane, London, W.C., inquiring for the nearest school where you can study “black and white.” As to the length of the time it would take you to learn to illustrate books, all depends on your previous knowledge of drawing and natural capacity.
Winton writes to tell Cherea of an Early Rising Society; secretary, Mrs. Eastes, 2, Church Hill, Walthamstow, Essex.
Pink.—We applaud your courage in wishing to learn Spanish, if your hours of work are from 8 A.M. to 8.30 P.M. The First Spanish Book, by A. M. Bower, is published at 2s. (actual cost, 1s. 6d.). There are also Hossfield’s New Method of Spanish, and Sauer’s Spanish Grammar, published at 3s. and 5s. (4s.) respectively. At any large second-hand book-shop you would probably pick up a Spanish grammar for a few pence.