POET’S WIFE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19942, 29 October 1934, Page 12

POET’S WIFE

MRS MASEFIELD S OPINIONS. Her good humour and good sense, blended with an essentially sane outlook, are the first impressions one receives of Mrs John Masefield, who arrived with her husband in Melbourne as official guests for the Centenary celebrations. Her interests are those of her husband, and they share in common a love of English literature, particularly poetry. They both enjoy the same hobby—gardening. Mathematics first claimed Mrs Masefield's attention and she studied this subject at Newham College, Cambridge, afterwards lecturing on it. Mrs Masefield modestly disclaims any influence on her husband’s works: “I think the answer is ‘no.’ ” she said, when asked whether she helped him with his writing. “Of course I read his works before they are printed and we discuss them together, but I would never venture to correct them: I think only the artist can correct his own work.” Mrs Masefield’s favourite among her husband’s works is that delicious children’s tale, “The Midnight Folk,” which grew out of the imaginative stories he used to tell his own children. “Right Royal” and “August. 1914,” are her favourite poems, and of his novels she prefers “Bird of Dawning” and “The Hawbucks.” one of the lesser known ones.