and
popular. Byron was a popular poet, and the world agrees in the verdict
of their own generation. But Montgomery, though he sold so well, was no
poet, nor, Sir, I fear, was your verse made of the stuff of immortality.
Criticism cannot hurt what is truly great; the Cardinal and the Academy
left Chimene as fair as ever, and as adorable. It is only pinchbeck that
perishes under the acids of satire: gold defies them. Yet I sometimes
ask myself, does the existence of popularity like yours justify the
malignity of satire, which blesses neither him who gives, nor him who
takes? Are poisoned arrows fair against a bad poet? I doubt it, Sir,
holding that, even unpricked, a poetic bubble must soon burst by its own
nature. Yet satire will assuredly be written so long as bad poets are
successful, and bad poets will assuredly reflect that their assailants
are merely envious, and, while their vogue lasts, that Prime Ministers
and the purchasing public are the only judges.

Monsieur,
Votre tres humble serviteur,
Andrew Lang.

XI. To Sir John Manndeville, Kt.

(Of the Ways Into Ynde.)

Sir John,--wit you well that men holden you but light, and some clepen
you a Liar. And they say that you never were born in Englond, in the
town of Seynt Albones, nor have seen and gone through manye diverse
Londes. And there goeth an old knight at arms, and one that connes
Latyn, and hath been beyond the sea, and hath seen Prester John's
country. And he hath been in an Yle that men clepen Burmah, and there
bin women bearded. Now men call him Colonel Henry Yule, and he hath writ
of thee in his great booke, Sir John, and he holds thee but lightly. For
he saith that ye did pill your tales out of Odoric his book, and that ye
never saw snails with shells as big as houses, nor never met no Devyls,
but part of that ye say, ye took it out of William of Boldensele
his book, yet ye took not his wisdom, withal, but put in thine own
foolishness. Nevertheless, Sir John, for the frailty of Mankynde, ye are
held a good fellow, and a merry; so now, come, I shall tell you of the
new ways into Ynde.

In that Lond they have a Queen that governeth all the Lond, and all they
ben obeyssant to her. And she is the Queen of Englond; for Englishmen
have taken all the Lond of Ynde. For they were right good werryoures of
old, and wyse, noble, and worthy. But of late hath risen a new sort of
Englishman very puny and