Briefwisseling 1 juli 1885 tot 15 december 1888

J.C.G. Grasé aan A. Verwey 28.1.86

Wellington House.

Eton Rd N-W.

28th Jany 1886

My dear Verwey,

At last I have settled down into something like quietude. Ever since my feet touched British soil, I have had the restless spirit of the natives infused into me, and I have had to work my way through piles of labour awaiting me here on my arrival. However I did not in the meantime discard all intellectual work. I made myself acquainted with Macmillans Magazine and find that so far as literature is concerned it is decidedly preferable to 19th Century. In the January number, which I am going to send to vKampen¹ in a week or so, you will find two articles that will greatly interest you, one on Poetic Imagination & the other treating on the revival of Budhism in Modern Engeland.² The former is not very remarkable for originality; but it will show you that a high standard does not seem to be required for having an article placed in that Magazine. It is a fair example of literary patch work except in a few places, and could not be favorably compared with your essay on the Sonnets. What about that, when is it coming out and where?³ I should like to know very much. Excuse my rambling style, but I seem not to be in happy mood for decent composition today; I have a beastly cold. Characteristic is the Englishmans finish up of the first article. ‘Unworldliness is the help to imagination, unbelief the hindrance.’ Byron is very strongly attacked and unfavorably compared with Shelley.

The Sonnet is also alluded to, and ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’⁴ is quoted.

The other article is my quaint. A young novelist, dies, and leaves his works unknown to the world: His friend at the entreaty of the novelist's sister publishes them. This man is afterwards visited by the spirits of all the

1 De boekhandel P.N. van Kampen.

2 Nadere gegevens ontbreken: van Macmillan's magazine zijn geen jaargangen van na 1870 in Nederlandse bibliotheken aanwezig.

3 Verwey en Grasé waren voor Grasés vertrek naar Engeland bezig geweest fragmenten van ‘Het sonnet en de sonnetten van Shakespeare’ in het Engels te vertalen. Zie a. verwey aan j.c.g. grasé [begin april? 86].

4 W. Wordsworth, ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’. In: The poetical works of William Wordstworth. London 1860, p. 342.

[p. 131]

characters in the book, who doomed to lead a life such as the author thought fit, are in eternal pain & despair, not able to deviate from the lines laid down for them, conscious of their misery, but not strong enough to break their bonds and pass into the world of reality. So many sins to be committed, so many loves and fears to be felt. They call upon the author, to destroy the book and with it the reason of their existence; which he does and they pass away into unconsciousness.

You know the Buddhism maxims: Consciousness is ignorance & knowledge will be to pass away into unconsciousness. The article is anonymous, but evinces some power of description. The ghost scenes remind one of Dickens. It is worth while making acquaintance with it. If you cannot get it, I am sure vKampen will let you have it with pleasure. I also sent him a Moulton⁵ on Shakespeare you remember us talking about the book; have you seen it yet?

Don't forget ‘Old friend across the water’

Gunning⁶ is fashionable at present in Engeland, so are funny horribles.

Sincerely yours

J.C.G. Grasé.

5 Richard G. Moulton, Shakespeare as a dramatic artist. Oxford 1885.

6 Niet geïdentificeerd.