Resident Poets

Robert Bridges, ancient poet laureate of England, was invited to succeed Robert Frost, poet of the New England pastureland, as the chief cultural embellishment of Michigan University.

A fellowship was begun at Michigan in 1921 by Chase S. Osborn, former Governor of the state, with a fund of $5,000 to provide a " fellow of creative art" with a " salary which will allow him to live without worrying about means of subsistence, to provide working facilities, to relieve him of all academic duties, and simply to allow him to work at the production of his own pictures, poems or whatever it may be." Last year, and again this, an anonymous donor supported the fellowship.

Dr. Marion LeRoy Burton, President of the University, tendered Mr. Bridges' invitation personally in London and his cable of announcement intimated that Poet Bridges would accept. If so, Bridges will come in December, stay till June.

Schooled at Eton and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, Mr. Bridges followed medicine until 1882, thereafter devoting himself to letters. He is the author of many volumes of classical verse and numerous critical monographs. He was named laureate in 1913. He will be 79 next month.

Robert Frost, a Californian transplanted to Vermont soil, took book-learning fitfully at Dartmouth, then at Harvard, reverted early to the teachings of nature in open fields and wooded hill country. He was and is a farmer, by temperament and occupation, but has found time to teach, first at a local academy, later at normal school and Amherst College (1916-20). His published works are contained in four slim volumes. He has a reputation for thinking much, transcribing little. He returns this Fall to Amherst.