The Sound of Distant Laughter: Clough

Abstract

Clough sent an early draft of Amours de Voyage to J. C. Shairp, who wrote:

The state of soul of which it is a projection I do not like. It strikes me as the most Werterish (not that I ever read Werter) of all you have yet done. There is no hope, nor strength, nor belief in these; — everything crumbles to dust beneath a ceaseless self-introspection and criticism which is throughout the one only inspiration. The gaiety of manner where no gaiety is, becomes flippancy.… The Ambarvalia, if Werterish, was honest serious Werterism — but this is Beppoish or Don Juanish (If I remember them right). The Hexameters still do not go down with me. They give me a sense of Travestie — which is their place I think … I won’t flatter; but you were not made, my dear Clough, to make sport before The Philistines in this way, but for something else.¹