Correspondence with English poet, editor and critic Roger Garfitt and his wife, Priscilla Eckhard. Garfitt was a friend of Schmidt at Oxford and was involved with Carcanet from the outset. He wrote frequently to Schmidt in these early years, and his letters are often long and entertaining. The correspondence contains numerous references to Garfitt's work, including: his poetry collection West of elm (Carcanet, 1974), the cover of which was designed by Eckhard (see /26, /32, /50, /53, /57, /70, /74, /76-77, /82-84, /86, /88, /92, /111-112, and /114-116); poems by Garfitt submitted to Poetry Nation; advice from Schmidt on particular poems by Garfitt, including 'September Morning' and 'Titchwell' (/4), 'In Memoriam W.H. Auden' (/58), 'Gardening in Avernus' (/76) and 'Rosehill' (/87); Garfitt's success in getting his poetry published in other literary journals; support received for his poetry from Schmidt, Alan Ross and Peter Porter; his receipt of poetry awards, including the Guiness International Poetry Competition (/44) and a Gregory Award (/53); his desire not to be treated as a country versifier (/25); his reviewing work; his work on Irish poets in 1974 (/50, /52 and /62); his thoughts on the direction of his poetry in 1974 (/59); plans for new projects in 1975 (/71) and 1976 (/100); and his work as Arts Council Creative Writing Fellow at the University of Wales, Bangor.
Other topics include: the illustrations for the 1972 Carcanet volume Monarchs and the muse, which were drawn by Priscilla Eckhard (/1 and /125); Eckhard's other work as an illustrator and writer of children's books; the reception of British poetry since 1960: a critical survey (ed. Michael Schmidt and Grevel Lindop, 1972) (/4); Garfitt's thoughts on the first issue of Poetry Nation and its subsequent editorial direction (/6 and /106); Schmidt's Desert of the lions (1972) (/19 and /26); poets recommended by Garfitt, including Jeremy Hooker and Andrew Waterman (/19), Michael Longley and Nigel Wells (/21), Rhyll McMaster (/40), John Moat (/57) and Lawrence Sail (/94); the work of various poets associated with Peter Jay and Anvil poetry pamphlets (/20); the work of C.H. Sisson (/58-59, /102 and /104), Jenny Joseph (/83) and Hugo Williams (/84); George Buchanan; and Garfitt's suggestions for poets to be included in an anthology being prepared by Schmidt in 1976 (/96-98).
The file also includes numerous typescript poems by Garfitt, some of which are annotated, and many of which have been separated from their covering letters. They are as follows: 'Spring Grazing' (/5); 'Out of a Clear Blue Sky' (/7); 'An Apology for Violence' (/8); 'Fragment' (/9); 'Winter Economy' (/10); 'The Quiet Craft' (/11); 'Bullocks in Spring' (/12); 'En Famille', 'Skies' and 'Factory Chimney' (/13); untitled (version of 'Carnage') (/14); 'The Hitch-Hiker' (/16); 'Carnage' (/17); 'The Basement' (/18); 'Spring Grazing' (/27); 'On Gangsdown Hill' and 'A Perfect Cruise' (/31); 'Taedium Vitae' and 'Strix' (/38); 'B Roads' and 'The Emperor Hadrian's address to his soul written on his death bed' (/47); 'Hadrian's Last Goodnight, written on his death bed' (/55); 'In Memoriam W.H. Auden' (/60); Taedium Vitae' (/61); 'animula vagula blandula' (/63); 'Hares Boxing' (/64); 'On Gangsdown Hill' (/65); 'Equinox' (/66); 'Skies' (/67); final three stanzas of 'Hares Boxing' (/68); 'Kestrel' (/73); 'Gardening in Avernus' (/77); 'Queensbury Rules' (/80); 'Homage to James K. Baxter' (/85); 'Rosehill' and 'Old Hat' (/89); 'the maiden' (/91); 'Instead of an heirloom' (/98); 'Buzzards', 'In Transit' and 'The Doppel Gang' (/104); 'Privateer' (/104); and 'The Gap' (/107);
The file also includes a number of cartoons by Priscilla Eckhard, all depicting Carcanet personnel (see /77, and /126-127).
Dated at: Oxford; Wantage, Berkshire; Bideford and Holsworthy, Devon; Beaumaris, Anglesey; and Bangor, Caernarvonshire.
Holograph and typescript.