In his book Lenten Lands, C. S. Lewis's stepson, Douglas Gresham, recalls the following incident which took place when he was 14 years old.

"Once, I [came into] the common room to find them both sitting still, tears rolling down their face. Alarmed, I cried out, 'What's wrong? What's the matter?' 'Nothing's wrong, Doug,' said Jack, smiling through his tears. 'We're reading the poems of A. E. Housman and they always do this to us.' I ... left them, not understanding the strange way in which the recognition of great beauty can bring tears. I am older now, but I still have not read the poems of A. E. Housman."