General Editor's Preface p. v
Acknowledgments p. xv
Note on the Selection and Text p. xix
Introduction p. 1
Abbreviations p. 76
'Paid on Both Sides: a Charade': 'Paid on Both Sides: a Charade' p. 77
1 on Defining the Attitude of a Generation 'Experiment' (cambridge) William Empson p. 78
'Poems': 'Poems' p. 81
2 Naomi Mitchison Advertises a New Generation, 'Weekend Review' p. 81
3 from a Review on New Poetry, 'sunday Times' Dilys Powell p. 83
4 on an Approach to Integration, 'Adelphi' Michael Roberts p. 84
5 on 'Up-To-Date' Auden, Untitled Review, 'Oxford Outlook' Louis Macneice p. 86
6 on Chaos and Defeat, in Poetry and Disintegration, 'times Literary Supplement' F. R. Leavis p. 88
7 on Auden's Certain Poetic Gifts, from a Dawn in Britain, 'Poetry' M. D. Zabel p. 91
8 Dudley Fitts, to Karthage Then I Came..., 'Hound and Horn' p. 92
'the Orators': 'the Orators' p. 94
9 on Auden's 'Vigorous Attack', 'sunday Referee' William Plomer p. 94
10 Over Meaning, from a Poetry Chronicle, 'London Mercury' Alan Pryce-Jones Puzzles p. 95
11 on Medium Before Meaning, Unsigned Review, 'times Literary Supplement' A. C. Brock p. 98
12 from an Unsigned Review, 'Listener' F. R. Leavis p. 100
13 Stephen Spender Explicates the Early Auden, 'twentieth Century' (promethean Society) p. 101
14 the Poet and the Enemy, 'saturday Review' Geoffrey Grigson p. 106
15 Untitled Review, 'Adelphi' Michael Roberts p. 107
16 Provisional Praise, 'spectator' Bonamy Dobr茅e p. 110
17 on Obscurity and Stimulus, Untitled Review, 'Criterion' John Hayward p. 112
18 on Auden's Virtuosity, Three Poets, 'Oxford Magazine' Graham Greene p. 115
19 on Value and Influence, 'twentieth Century' (promethean Society) Hugh Gordon Porteus p. 116
20 an Expatriate View, 'symposium' Henry Bamford Parkes p. 121
21 on a Poet of Courage, 'Poetry' (chicago) John Gould Fletcher p. 125
22 on the English 'Poetical Renascence', from Twelve Poets, 'American Review' Robert Penn Warren p. 128
23 on Psychology and Revolution Stephen Spender p. 133
An Uncompleted 'Epic': An Uncompleted 'Epic' p. 135
24 on Auden's Derision and Integrity Harold Nicolson p. 136
'the Witnesses': 'the Witnesses' p. 138
25 on Auden, from a Report on Poems Published in the 'Listener', 1931-3 T. S. Eliot p. 138
26 Replies to William Empson, from Auden, Bottrall, and Others, 'scrutiny' F. R. Leavis p. 140
'Poems', Second Edition: 'Poems', Second Edition p. 140
27 from Poetry and Satire, 'Week-End Review' John Pudney p. 144
28 Awaiting the Fulfilment of Promise, 'New English Weekly' D. G. Bridson p. 145
29 on the Dangers of Dilettantism C. Day-Lewis p. 148
30 on Auden's Dramatic Dynamite, 'New English Weekly' A. Desmond Hawkins p. 150
B. the Productions p. 150
31 Theatre at Last!, 'New English Weekly' Michael Sayers p. 151
32 on the Death of a Class, 'Daily Worker' A. L. Morton p. 152
33 Applauds a Pioneer, 'Christian Science Monitor' Harold Hobson p. 154
34 Predicts a Poet's Theatre, 'theatre Arts Monthly' Ashley Dukes p. 156
35 on Change and Reorientation, 'Nation' James Burnham p. 160
'Poems', American Edition: 'Poems', American Edition p. 160
36 New Poets Heard in England, 'New York Herald Tribune' Ruth Lechlitner p. 163
37 on Embattled Parables, from Spender and Auden, 'New Republic' Malcolm Cowley p. 165
38 on 'A Half-Baked Little Satire', 'spectator' I. M. Parsons p. 169
39 Shocked Satirists, 'Daily Worker' A. L. Morton p. 171
40 Two Reviews in 'Left Review' Montagu Slater p. 171
41 on the Conviction and Charity of a Good Play, 'New Republic' Louise Bogan p. 174
42 on a Career in Progress, 'International Literature' John Lehmann p. 176
43 on an Unconstructive Talent, 'spectator' Derek Verschoyle p. 183
44 Reluctantly Deploring Popularization, 'New Statesman and Nation' Cyril Connolly p. 185
45 on Focusing 'the Ascent of F6', Chormopuloda, 'Listener' E. M. Forster p. 189
46 on Disappointing Simplifications, from Fable and Reportage, 'Left Review' Stephen Spender p. 191
47 on 'Farce for the Salon', from Rugby and the Tragic Muse, 'Nation' Ben Belitt p. 197
48 on 'Marxian Playboys', from 'Blasting and Bombardiering' Wyndham Lewis p. 198
49 the Poetic Dramas of W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood, 'New Writing' Stephen Spender p. 199
50 on Vitality and Confusion, 'Cambridge Review' A. R. Humphreys p. 206
51 on a Successful Revival, 'New Statesman and Nation' G. W. Stonier p. 211
'Look, Stranger!': 'Look, Stranger!' p. 214
52 on the Poems and the Play Dilys Powell p. 214
53 on the Unaccommodating Play and the Powerful Poems, Untitled Reviews, 'University Forward' Gavin Ewart p. 219
54 on Irresponsible Immaturity, Mr. Auden's Talent, 'scrutiny' F. R. Leavis p. 222
55 on a Classic or a Curiosity, Paging Mankind, 'Poetry' C. Day-Lewis p. 226
56 on Complex Accuracy, 'Criterion' Janet Adam Smith p. 228
57 Regrets the Retrograde, the Oxford Boys Becalmed, 'New Republic' Edmund Wilson p. 232
58 Unsigned Review, 'Listener' C. Day-Lewis p. 236
'spain': 'spain' p. 236
59 Foresees True Revolutionary Poetry, from Perspectives for Poetry, 'Daily Worker' Richard Goodman p. 237
60 from To-Day the Struggle, 'New Statesman and Nation' Cyril Connolly p. 238
61 on Being Mainly Amused, 'New Statesman and Nation' Edward Sackville-West p. 240
'Letters from Iceland': Letters from Iceland p. 240
62 Unsigned Review, Cooling Waters, 'times Literary Supplement' p. 242
63 on Useful Entertainment, Poets on Holiday, 'London Mercury' Michael Roberts p. 245
64 Untitled Review, 'Criterion' Edwin Muir p. 247
From Auden Double Number: From Auden Double Number p. 248
65 Some Notes on Auden's Early Poetry Christopher Isherwood p. 248
66 Oxford to Communism Stephen Spender p. 253
67 Letter to W. H. Auden Louis Macneice p. 255
68 Auden as a Monster Geoffrey Grigson p. 257
69 Auden in the Theatre Kenneth Allott p. 261
70 Auden and Politics Edgell Rickword p. 265
71 Twelve Comments on Auden p. 267
'On the Frontier': 'On the Frontier' p. 275
72 Unsigned Review, a Poetic Drama of To-Day, 'times Literary Supplement' p. 275
73 on Honest, Outspoken Topicality, 'New Statesman and Nation' Kingsley Martin p. 277
74 on Unsuccessful Sincerity, Unsigned Review, 'Listener' C. Day-Lewis p. 280
75 Reviews the Dramatic Canon, 'Life and Letters Today' Julian Symons p. 281
76 on a Pantomime Appearance, Mr. Isherwood and Friend, 'spectator' Evelyn Waugh p. 288
'Journey to a War': 'Journey to a War' p. 288
77 on Being Uninvolved, Two Intellectuals in China, 'Daily Worker' Randall Swingler p. 291
78 Untitled Review, 'London Mercury' William Plomer p. 292
79 on Humane and Powerful Poetry, Twenty-Seven Sonnets, 'New Verse' Geoffrey Grigson p. 294
80 on the Greatest Poetry of Our Speech, Poets Under Fire, 'Nation' Lincoln Kirstein p. 297
81 on a Failure to Affirm, Not This Time?, 'spectator' Michael Roberts p. 301
'Another Time': 'Another Time' p. 301
82 on Understanding the Life of Our Day, Major Poet, 'New Statesman and Nation' T. C. Worsley p. 303
83 on Simplifying the Machinery, Untitled Review, 'Life and Letters Today' William Empson p. 306
84 on the Idea of Guilt, Auden in America, 'New Republic' Malcolm Cowley p. 309
'the Double Man': 'the Double Man' p. 309
85 on a Limited Success, 'Nation' Randall Jarrell p. 312
86 on Auden's Analytic Ethics, 'sirs, What Must I Do to Be Saved?', 'Poetry' Babette Deutsch p. 315
87 on Misuse of Form, Hudibrasticks, 'spectator' Herbert Read p. 318
88 on Life and Mr. Auden, Untitled Review, 'Dublin Review' Charles Williams p. 321
89 Mr Auden's Weltanschauung, 'scrutiny' Raymond Winkler p. 323
'For the Time Being': 'For the Time Being' p. 328
90 on Auden's Beautiful Flights, 'New York Times' Mark Schorer p. 328
91 Through the Looking Glass, 'New Republic' Harry Levin p. 331
92 Desmond Maccarthy, Beauty and Bugbear, 'sunday Times' p. 334
93 on Auden's Self-Consciousness, Occluded Pastures, 'New English Review' Hugh Kingsmill p. 337
94 on Argument or Experience, Auden, 'time and Tide' Stephen Spender p. 341
95 Auden's Inverted Development, 'scrutiny' R. G. Lienhardt p. 344
The Collected Poetry of W. H. Auden': The Collected Poetry of W. H. Auden' p. 350
96 Reviews 'An Agile Intelligence', 'New York Times' F. Cudworth Flint p. 350
97 Untitled Review, 'New Yorker' Louise Bogan p. 356
98 He Bridged the Atlantic, 'Kenyon Review' John Van Druten p. 358
99 Speaking Greatly in an Age of Confusion, 'New York Herald Tribune' M. L. Rosenthal p. 363
'the Age of Anxiety': 'the Age of Anxiety' p. 363
100 on a Philosophical Poem, 'Harper's Magazine' Jacques Barzun p. 365
101 on Auden's 'Most Self-Indulgent Book', 'Partisan Review' Delmore Schwartz p. 368
102 the Age of Despair, 'New Statesman and Nation' Giles Romilly p. 371
103 Untitled Review, 'Horizon' Patric Dickinson p. 374
'Collected Shorter Poems, 1930-1944': 'Collected Shorter Poems, 1930-1944' p. 377
104 Letters from Wasteland, 'Listener' George D. Painter p. 377
'Nones': 'Nones' p. 380
105 the Cheerful Eschatologist, 'New Statesman and Nation' G. S. Fraser p. 380
106 the Latest Auden, 'scrutiny' Robin Mayhead p. 383
107 Unsigned Review, Diverse Occasions, 'times Literary Supplement' p. 389
108 Versus..., 'New York Times' Karl Shapiro and W. H. Auden p. 393
'the Shield of Achilles': 'the Shield of Achilles' p. 393
109 Auden's New Poems Invoke Echoes of Don Giovanni, 'New York Herald Tribune' Horace Gregory p. 395
110 on Mitigated Triumphs, 'Yale Review' Randall Jarrell p. 396
111 on Auden's Playfulness, from an Untitled Review, 'shenandoah' Donald Davie p. 401
112 on Auden's Total Cosmos, 'spectator' Anthony Hartley p. 403
113 in America, 'New Statesman and Nation' Edmund Wilson and W. H. Auden p. 405
'Homage to Clio': 'Homage to Clio' p. 412
114 Dry Farming, 'New Statesman' Donald Hall p. 412
115 What's Become of Wystan?, 'spectator' Philip Larkin p. 414
116 on Talented Glibness, from an Untitled Review, 'Listener' Graham Hough p. 420
117 on Auden's Tired Mannerisms, from Manner and Mannerism, 'Yale Review' Thom Gunn p. 421
'About the House': 'About the House' p. 424
118 on Auden's Humanistic Relaxation, Untitled Review, 'Motive' John Updike p. 424
119 at Home with Auden, 'spectator' C. B. Cox p. 429
120 Winking, 'New Statesman' Christopher Ricks p. 434
121 Unsigned Review, Well Bred, 'times Literary Supplement' p. 436
122 on a Savour of Dereliction, 'New Statesman' John Carey p. 439
'Collected Shorter Poems 1927-1957': 'Collected Shorter Poems 1927-1957' p. 439
123 Vin Audenaire, 'Essays in Criticism' John Whitehead p. 440
'Collected Longer Poems': 'Collected Longer Poems' p. 448
124 Choric Oracular Uncle, 'New Statesman' Richard Mayne p. 448
125 Auden's Longer Poems, 'Encounter' Jeremy Robson p. 451
'City Without Walls': 'City Without Walls' p. 456
126 Halcyon Structures, 'Listener' John Bayley p. 456
127 on Classical Simplicity and Directness, 'spectator' John Fletcher p. 460
128 a Sabine Farm Near Kirchstetten, 'Yale Review' Monroe K. Spears p. 463
129 Faithing and Blithing, 'Listener' Frank Kermode p. 470
'Epistle to a Godson': 'Epistle to a Godson' p. 470
130 Unsigned Review, a Testament to Self-Control, 'times Literary Supplement' Clive James p. 473
131 Good Grief, 'New York Review of Books' Denis Donoghue p. 480
'thank You, Fog': 'thank You, Fog' p. 485
132 Goodbye to Auden, 'Observer' Philip Toynbee p. 485
133 Footnotes, 'New Review' John Fuller p. 488
134 Shorts for Auden, 'Hibernia' Seamus Heaney p. 493
'Collected Poems': 'Collected Poems' p. 493
135 Inside Auden's Landscape, 'New York Review of Books' Irvin Ehrenpreis p. 496
Select Bibliography p. 505
Index p. 516