ways in
which our ideal is nearer and more native to men; but I will not
prolong this debate. I should be very sorry that you should think it
is only a debate. I only ask you to believe that we sympathise where
we do not agree; but on this we do not agree.

Mr. Murry wrote later of Gilbert: "I liked the man immensely and he
was a very honourable opponent of mine, much the most honourable I
ever encountered."*

[* Mark Twain Quarterly, Chesterton Memorial No.]

_G.K.'s Weekly_ was of course Gilbert's own platform, so perhaps
his care to apologise and his great magnanimity are more remarkable
in incidents outside its columns. T. S. Eliot had his platform--he
edited the _Criterion_. Chesterton on being reproached by him for a
hasty article not only apologised but dedicated a book to Mr. Eliot.
He had written confusing him with another critic who disapproved of
alliteration and had also misquoted a stanza of his poetry. Mr. Eliot
had written:

I should like you to know that it was apparently your "sympathetic
reviewer," not I, who made the remark about alliteration; to which it
seems he added a more general criticism of mine: so that _snob_ is
not the right corrective. Some of your comments seem to be based on a
belief that I object to alliteration.

And may I add, as a humble versifier, that I _prefer_ my verse to
be quoted correctly, if at all.

Chesterton replied:

I am so very sorry if my nonsense in the _Mercury_ had any general
air of hostility, to say nothing of any incidental injustices of
which I was quite unaware. I meant it to be quite amiable; like the
tremulous badinage of the Oldest Inhabitant in the bar parlour, when
he has been guyed by the brighter lads of the village. I cannot
imagine that I ever said anything about you or any particular person
being a snob; for it was quite out of my thoughts and too serious for
the whole affair. I certainly did have the impression, from the way
the reviewer put it, that you disapproved of my alliteration; I also
added that you would be quite right if you did. I certainly did quote
you from memory, and even quote from a quotation; I also mentioned
that I was doing so casual a thing. Of course, on the strictest
principles, all quotations should be verified; and I should certainly
have done so if I had in any way resented anything you said, or been
myself writing in a spirit of resentmen