I confess that I have often felt a sense of shame for humanity when I have observed men and women staring through the bars at the splendid African cats in cages, and have also observed that their foolish stare is returned by the lion or tiger with a dull look of infinite boredom. Nor is it pleasant to see small boys pushing sticks through the safe bars, in an endeavour to irritate the royal captives. One remembers Browning's superb lion in _The Glove_, whom the knight was able to approach in safety, because the regal beast was completely lost in thought--he was homesick for the desert, oblivious of the little man-king and his duodecimo court. Although the total production of Ralph Hodgson is slight in quantity, the percentage of excellence is remarkably high. The reason for this is clear. Instead of printing everything he writes, and leaving the employment of the cream-separator to his readers, he gives to the public only what has passed his own severe scrutiny. He is a true poet, with an original mind. As for the work of Lascelles Abercrombie, which has been much praised in certain circles, I should prefer to leave the criticism of that to those who enjoy reading it. If I should attempt to "do justice" to his poetry, I should seem to his friends to be doing just the opposite--the opposite of just. CHAPTER V BROOKE, FLECKER, DE LA MARE, AND OTHERS Rupert Brooke--a personality--the spirit of youth--his horror at old age--Henry James's tribute--his education--a genius--his poems of death--his affected cynicism--his nature poems--war sonnets--his supreme sacrifice--his charming humour--his masterpiece, _Grantchester_.--James Elroy Flecker--the editorial work of Mr. Squire--no posthumous puffery--the case of Crashaw--life of Flecker--his fondness for revision--his friendship with Rupert Brooke--his skill as a translator--his austerity--art for art's sake--his "brightness"--love of Greek mythology--steady mental development--his definition of the aim of poetry.--Walter De La Mare--the poet of shadow--Hawthorne's tales--his persistence--his reflective mood--his descriptive style--his Shakespeare characters--his sketches from life.--D. H. Lawrence--his lack of discipline--his subjectivity--absence of reserve--a master of colour--his glaring excesses.--John Drinkwater--the west of England--his healthy spirit.--W. H. Davies--the tramp poet.--Edward Thomas--his death--originality of his work.--Robert Nichols--Willoughby Weaving.--The young Oxford poets.