Commentary, Line 835-838: Now I shall spy, etc. though Line 922: held up by Our Cream Summary

Kinbote praises Shade's wordplay in the opening of Canto Four and then notes that the rest of the canto does not stand up to it. He says Shade has left out a third method of composing poetry through the subconscious and then reminds the reader of Gradus on his way to the U.S.

At Shade's line mentioning that his biographer might be "too staid or know too little," Kinbote takes offense, assuring the reader that he's seen Shade shaving in the bathtub. At the word "king," Kinbote mentions that people on campus would occasionally mention Kinbote's uncanny likeness to King Charles. He relates one occurrence.

A visiting professor comments on Kinbote's uncanny likeness to...