A LETTER TO THE NEW REPUBLIC
127
New Republic
a few weeks ago which argued that Yeats was saved
from "a broken career and an early death" by his political interests,
even though he had "in many cases the wrong opinions"? "Some
other week," concluded Mr. Cowley, "I should like to talk about
Yeats and political criticism, as it is represented in this country by
magazines like PARTISAN REVIEW." But when he came to writing
the article, he said nothing about Yeats. Perhaps he realized the
cases were hardly parallel. Yeats was "wrong" on Irish political
issues which have only an academic interest here today, and so his
political interests enriched his poetry. But PARTISAN REVIEW is
"wrong" on issues which very intimately and tenderly concern Mr.
Cowley, and so
our
political interests have destroyed and corrupted
our literary perceptions.
Mr. Cowley concludes his high-minded defense of literary
values by remarking of PARTISAN REVIEW: "Put a green cover on it,
and today you could hardly tell it from the
American Mercury.''
This
is Red-baiting, C.P. style, no more and no less.
The Editors of PA,RTISAN REVIEW.
October 17, 1938.
