In response to:

Private Poet from the November 5, 1964 issue

To The Editors:

In connection with W. H. Auden’s fine review of Lincoln Kirstein’s Rhymes Of a Pfc in your November issue, I think there is a misunderstanding about the role of New Directions in its publication. We accepted the book enthusiastically soon after it was brought to us, but already Mr. Kirstein had made arrangements to have it printed in Japan, so that our role became more that of distributor than publisher in the usual sense. I want to make it clear that Mr. Kirstein did not pay us to publish or distribute it, that we are putting behind it our full publishing means, and are proud to have this work on our list.

Robert M. MacGregor

Vice President,

New Directions

This Issue

November 19, 1964