"To know anything of a poet but his poetry is, so far as the poetry is concerned, to know something that may be entertaining, even delightful, but is certainly inessential"

This quote by John Drinkwater recommends that understanding of a poet's life and works beyond their poetry is not necessary to value their poetry. He indicates that understanding of a poet's life can be entertaining and wonderful, however it is not necessary to comprehending their poetry. Drinkwater recommends that the poetry itself is the most crucial aspect of a poet's work, and that knowledge of their life and other works is secondary. He indicates that the poetry is the most important part of a poet's tradition, which understanding of their life and other works is not necessary to value their poetry. This quote encourages readers to focus on the poetry itself, rather than the poet's life, in order to get a deeper understanding of their work.