Sir, We wish to protest against the decision by Oxford University Press to jettison its Oxford Poets' list, which it has maintained for more than half a century (report, Anger over dead poets society, November 21). Such an abandonment by Britain's leading university publishers amounts to a major betrayal of contemporary literature.
The explanation given by the OUP that it is "increasingly difficult to give such specialisms the atiention they deserve", and that "the Oxford Poets' list cannot by its nature contribute enough financially to justify the attention it needs", are deeply disingenuous. Oxford Poetry does not lose OUP money overall, since fees from its back list contribute valuably to the company's income.
We can only wonder what this famous publishing house believes is worthy of inclusion in that "core scholarly and educational publishing" on which it intends to concentrate.
Yours faithlully.
MICHAEL HOLROYD (Chairman),
PENELOPE FITZGERALD,
SELINA HASTINGS,
H. R. F. KEATING,
PETER PORTER,
The Royal Society of Literature, 1 Hyde Park Gardens, London W2 2LT
November 24.