WILLIAM PHILLIPS
519
tive beginnings in simple stories, and animal pictures, and rhythmic songs,
and have become complicated by intellectual experience and formal de–
velopment - to some extent in the direction of abstraction - in the plas–
tic arts and music. The literary arts have added other components.
Perhaps the most that can be said is that the arts present a verbal or a
visual or an aural experience that is partly intellectual, partly formal,
partly entertaining - though not entertaining in the ordinary sense. If we
can use the term "aesthetic," it has to be used as a limiting experience,
one that is distinct from morality or truth-seeking, or simply pleasure in
the usual sense of the term. Perhaps there is a form of intellectual pleasure
that also involves the other senses and is separate from the common con–
notation of the word - or the idea - of sensual pleasure.
Stephen Spender
was one of the few surviving members of an endan–
gered species, a man of letters, and of a related genre, the literary intel–
lectual. He was not only a poet; he was a critic, an essayist, a memoirist,
a writer of fiction. He was also at times a political activist; in fact , he
was one of the early anti-Communists, a contributor to the famous
volume, The
God That Failed .
He was indeed an outstanding poet, though somewhat underrated
because of his supposed flat, understated tone, and its purposeful, slightly
awkward diction.
Spender was generous and kind in his personal relations. He had a
mask of friendliness, however, that prevented too much intimacy. But it
is my impression that he was not envious or competitive. Certainly not
ruthless , as so many writers are.
He has left a large space in contemporary literature.
w.
P.
Kidstuff?
Upon my return from Italy, the June 5th issue of
New York
Magazine was waiting for me. Among its contents were eight pages
devoted to the forthcoming movie,
Kids.
I first became aware of this
film when, on May 23rd, I read
la Repubblica's
front-page summary of it,
titled "Cannes, Violent Sex at the Age of 13."
"The first scandal of the film festival," said
la Repubblica,
"has arrived
from America with the film
Kids ,
which describes rapes, violence, and use
