第2章

CuriousandexquisiteexperimentinmetreisindicatedintheLeonineElegiacs，inClaribel，andseveralotherpoems。Qualitieswhichwerenotforlongtofindpublicexpression，speculativepowersbrooding，invariousmoods，onultimateandinsolublequestions，wereattestedbyTheMystic，andSupposedConfessionsofaSecond-rateSensitiveMindnotinUnitywithItself，anunluckytitleofaremarkableperformance。\"Inthis，themostagitatedofallhispoems，wefindthesoulurgingonward\'Thro\'utterdarkafull-sail\'dskiff，Unpilotedi\'theechoingdanceOfreboantwhirlwinds；\' andtothequestion，\'Whynotbelieve，then？\'wehaveasanswerasimileofthesea，whichcannotslumberlikeamountaintarn，or\'DrawdownintohisvexedpoolsAllthatblueheavenwhichhuesandpaves\' thetranquilinlandmere。\"{3} Thepoetlongsforthefaithofhisinfantdaysandofhismother- \"Thymilddeepeyesupraised，thatknewThebeautyandreposeoffaith，Andtheclearspiritshiningthro\'。\" Thatfaithisalreadyshaken，andthelongstruggleforbeliefhasalreadybegun。 Tennyson，accordingtoMatthewArnold，wasnotunespritpuissant。 Otherandyoungercritics，whohaveattainedtoacock-certainmoodofnegation，areapttoblamehimbecause，infact，hedidnotfinallyagreewiththeiropinions。Ifamanisnecessarilyaweaklingorahypocritebecause，aftertryingallthings，heisnotanatheistoramaterialist，thenthereproachofinsincerityoroffeeblenessofmindmustrestuponTennyson。Butitismanifestthat，almostinboyhood，hehadalreadyfacedtheideaswhich，tooneofhischaracter，almostmeantdespair:hehadnotkepthiseyesclosed。Tohisextremelyself-satisfiedaccuserswemightanswer，inlinesfromthisearliestvolume(TheMystic):- \"Yescornhimwithanundiscerningscorn； Yecannotreadthemarvelinhiseye，Thestillsereneabstraction。\" Hewouldbehold\"Oneshadowinthemidstofagreatlight，Onereflexfrometernityontime，Onemightycountenanceofperfectcalm，Awfulwithmostinvariableeyes。\" Hismysticoftheseboyishyears- \"Oftenlyingbroadawake，andyetRemainingfromthebody，andapartInintellectandpowerandwill，hathheardTimeflowinginthemiddleofthenight，Andallthingscreepingtoadayofdoom。\" Inthispoem，neverrepublishedbytheauthor，isanattempttoexpressanexperiencewhichinlateryearshemorethanonceendeavouredtosetforthinarticulatespeech，anexperiencewhichwasdestinedtocolourhisfinialspeculationsonultimateproblemsofGodandofthesoul。Weshalllaterhavetodiscusstheopinionofaneminentcritic，MrFredericHarrison，thatTennyson\'sideas，theological，evolutionary，andgenerallyspeculative，\"followed，ratherthancreated，thecurrentideasofhistime。\"\"Thetrainofthought\"(inInMemoriam)，writesMrHarrison，\"isessentiallythatwithwhichordinaryEnglishreadershadbeenmadefamiliarbyF。D。 Maurice，ProfessorJowett，DrMartineau，EcceHomo，Hypatia。\"OftheseinfluencesonlyMaurice，andMauriceonlyorally，couldhavereachedtheauthorofTheMysticandtheSupposedConfessions。EcceHomo，Hypatia，MrJowett，wereallinthebosomofthefuturewhenInMemoriamwaswritten。Now，TheMysticandtheSupposedConfessionsarepriortoInMemoriam，earlierthan1830。YettheyalreadycontainthechiefspeculativetendenciesofInMemoriam；thegrowingdoubtscausedbyevolutionaryideas(thenfamiliartoTennyson，thoughnotto\"ordinaryEnglishreaders\")，thelongingforareturntochildlikefaith，andthemysticalexperienceswhichhelpedTennysontorecoverafaiththatabodewithhim。Inthesethingshewasoriginal。Evenasanundergraduatehewasnotfollowing\"atrainofthoughtmadefamiliar\"byauthorswhohadnotyetwrittenaline，andbybookswhichhadnotyetbeenpublished。 Somuch，then，ofthepoetthatwastobeandofthephilosopherexistedinthelittlevolumeoftheundergraduate。InTheMysticwenoticeaphrase，twowordslong，whichwaslatertobemadefamiliar，\"Daughtersoftime，divinelytall，\"reproducedinthepictureofHelen:- \"AdaughteroftheGods，divinelytall，Andmostdivinelyfair。\" Thereflectivepiecesarecertainlyofmoreinterestnow(thoughtheyseemtohavesatisfiedthepoetless)thanthegalleryofairyfairyLilians，Adelines，Rosalinds，andEleanores:- \"Daughtersofdreamsandofstories，\" like\"Faustine，Fragoletta，Dolores，Felise，andYolande，andJuliette。\" Cambridge，whichhewassoontoleave，didnotsatisfythepoet。 OxforddidnotsatisfyGibbon，orlater，Shelley；andyoungmenofgeniusarenot，infact，usuallycontentwithuniversitieswhich，perhaps，aredoingtheirbest，butareneithergovernednorpopulatedbymindsofthehighestandmostoriginalclass。 \"YouthatdoprofesstoteachAndteachusnothing，feedingnottheheart。\" Theuniversities，infact，teachagooddealofthatwhichcanbelearned，butthebestthingscannotbetaught。Theuniversitiesgivemenleisure，books，andcompanionship，tolearnforthemselves。Alltutorscannotbe，andatthattimefewdreamedofbeing，menlikeJowettandT。H。Green，Gamalielsatwhosefeetundergraduatessatwithenthusiasm，\"didEAGERLYfrequent，\"likeOmarKhayyam。InlateryearsTennysonfoundcloserrelationsbetweendonsandundergraduates，andrecordedhisaffectionforhisuniversity。Shehadsuppliedhimwithsuchcompanionshipasisrare，andpermittedhimto\"catchtheblossomoftheflyingterms，\"eveniftutorsandlecturerswerecreaturesofroutine，terriblementenfoncesdanslamatiere，likethesireofMadelonandCathos，thathonourablecitizen。 Tennysonjustmissed，bygoingdown，avisitofWordsworthtoCambridge。Theoldenthusiastofrevolutionwasjustifyingpassiveobedience:thirtyyearshadturnedthealmostJacobinintoanalmostJacobite。Suchisthetriumphoftime。Inthesummerof1830 Tennyson，withHallam，visitedthePyrenees。Thepurposewaspolitical——toaidsomeSpanishrebels。ThefruitisseeninOEnoneandMarianaintheSouth。 InMarch1831Tennysonlosthisfather。\"Hesleptinthedeadman\'sbed，earnestlydesiringtoseehisghost，butnoghostcame。\"\"Yousee，\"hesaid，\"ghostsdonotgenerallycometoimaginativepeople；\" aremarkverytrue，thoughghostsareattributedto\"imagination。\" Whatevercausesthesephantasms，itisnotthekindofphantasiawhichisconsciouslyexercisedbythepoet。Coleridgehadseenfartoomanyghoststobelieveinthem；andColeridgeandDonneapart，withthehallucinationsofGoetheandShelley，whometthemselves，whatpoeteverdid\"seeaghost\"？OnewhosawTennysonashewanderedaloneatthisperiodcalledhim\"amysteriousbeing，seeminglyliftedhighaboveothermortals，andhavingapowerofintercoursewiththespiritworldnotgrantedtoothers。\"Butitwastheworldofthepoet，notofthe\"medium。\" TheTennysonsstayedonattheparsonageforsixyears。But，anticipatingtheirremoval，ArthurHallamin1831dealtinprophecyabouttheidentificationinthedistrictofplacesinhisfriend\'spoems——\"criticaftercriticwilltracethewanderingsofthebrook，\" as，——infact，criticaftercritichasdone。Tennysondisliked——these\"localisers。\"Thepoet\'swalksweresharedbyArthurHallam，thenaffiancedtohissisterEmily。 CHAPTERII——POEMSOF1831-1833。 By1832mostofthepoemsofTennyson\'ssecondvolumewerecirculatinginMS。amonghisfriends，andnopoeteverhadfriendsmoreencouraging。Perhapsbardsofto-daydonotfindaneagernessamongtheiracquaintanceforeffusionsinmanuscript，orinproof- sheets。Thecharmedvolumeappearedattheendoftheyear(dated1833)，andHallamdenouncedas\"infamous\"Lockhart\'sreviewintheQuarterly。Infamousornot，itisextremelydiverting。HowLockhartcouldmissthegreatandabundantpoetryremainsamarvel。TenyearslatertheScorpionrepented，andinvitedSterlingtoreviewanybookhepleased，forthepurposeofenablinghimtopraisethetwovolumesof1842，whichhedidgladly。Lockharthatedallaffectationand\"preciosity，\"ofwhichthenewbookwasnotdestitute。HehadbeenamongWordsworth\'smostardentadmirerswhenWordsworthhadfew，butthememoriesofthewarwiththe\"CockneySchool\"clungtohim，thewarwithLeighHunt，andnowhegavehimselfuptosatire。ProbablyhethoughtthatthepoetwasamemberofaLondonclique。ThereisreallynoexcuseforLockhart，exceptthatheDIDrepent，thatmuchofhisbanterwasamusing，andthat，aboveall，hiscensureswereacceptedbythepoet，whoaltered，later，manypassagesofafineabsurditycriticisedbytheinfamousreviewer。Onecouldnamegreatprose-writers，historians，whoneveralteredthewondrouserrorstowhichtheirattentionwascalledbycritics。Prose-writershavebeenmoresensitivelyattachedtotheirglaringblundersinverifiablefactsthanwasthisverysensitivepoettohisoccasionallapsesintaste。 TheLadyofShalott，eveninitsearlyform，wasmorethanenoughtogiveassuranceofapoet。Ineffectitisevenmorepoetical，inamysteriousway，ifinfinitelylesshuman，thanthelatertreatmentofthesameorasimilarlegendinElaine。IthasthecharmofColeridge，andanallegoryofthefatalescapefromtheworldofdreamsandshadowsintothatofrealitiesmayhavebeenreallypresenttothemindoftheyoungpoet，awarethathewas\"livinginphantasy。\"Thealterationsareusuallyforthebetter。Thedaffodilisnotanaquaticplant，asthepoetseemstoassertinthefirstform- \"Theyellow-leavedwater-lily，Thegreensheatheddaffodilly，Trembleinthewaterchilly，RoundaboutShalott。\" Nobodycanprefertokeep\"ThoughthesquallyeastwindkeenlyBlew，withfoldedarmsserenelyBythewaterstoodthequeenlyLadyofShalott。\" HoweverstoicaltheLadymayhavebeen，thereaderistooseriouslysympatheticwithherinevitablediscomfort- \"AllraimentedinsnowywhiteThatlooselyflew，\" asshewas。Theoriginalconclusionwasdistressing；weweredroppedfromtheairsofmysteriousromance:- \"Theycrossedthemselves，theirstarstheyblest，Knight，minstrel，abbot，squire，andguest； Therelayaparchmentonherbreast，ThatpuzzledmorethanalltherestThewell-fedwitsatCamelot。\" Hithertowehavebeen\"puzzled，\"butaswiththesublimeincoherencesofadream。Nowwemeetwell-fedwits，whosay，\"Blessmystars!\"asperhapsweshouldalsohavedoneinthecircumstances——adeadladyarriving，inaverycoldeastwind，aloneinaboat，for\"herbloodwasfrozenslowly，\"aswasnatural，grantingtheweatherandthelady\'sairycostume。Itiscertainlymatterofsurprisethattheyoungpoet\'svisionbrokeupinthishumorousmanner。And，afterall，itislesssurprisingthattheScorpion，findingsuchmatterinanewlittlebookbyanewyoungman，wasmoresensitivetotheabsurditythantotheromance。ButnoloverofpoetryshouldhavebeenblindtothealmostflawlessexcellenceofMarianaintheSouth，inspiredbythelandscapeoftheProvencaltourwithArthurHallam。 InconsequenceofLockhart\'scensures，orindeferencetothematurertasteofthepoet，TheMiller\'sDaughterwasgreatlyalteredbefore1842。Itisoneoftheearliest，ifnottheveryearliest，ofTennyson\'sdomesticEnglishidylls，poemswithconspicuousbeauties，butnotwithoutsacrificestothatMuseofthehomeaffectionsonwhomSirBarnesNewcomedeliveredhisfamouslecture。Theseventhstanzaperhapshardlydeservedtobealtered，asitis，soastobringin\"minnows\"where\"fish\"hadbeenthereading，andwhere\"trout\"wouldbestrecallanEnglishchalkstream。Totheanglertherisingtrout，whichleftthepoetcold，isatleastaswelcomeasthe\"reflexofabeauteousform。\"\"Everywomanseemsanangelatthewater-side，\"said\"thatgoodoldangler，nowwithGod，\"ThomasToddStoddart，andso\"thelongandlistlessboy\"foundittobe。Itisnowonderthatthemotherwas\"SLOWLYbroughttoyieldconsenttomydesire。\"Thedomesticaffections，infact，donotadaptthemselvessowelltopoetryasthepassion，uniqueinTennyson，ofFatima。Thecriticswhohuntforparallelsorplagiarismswillnote- \"OLove，Ofire!oncehedrewWithonelongkissmywholesoulthro\' Mylips，\" andwillobserveMrBrowning\'s\"OncehekissedMysouloutinafierymist。\" AstoOEnone，thesceneryofthatearliestoftheclassicalidyllsisborrowedfromthePyreneesandthetourwithHallam。\"ItispossiblethatthepoemmayhavebeensuggestedbyBeattie\'sJudgmentofParis，\"saysMrCollins；itisalsopossiblethatthetalewhich\"QuintusCalaberSomewhatlazilyhandledofold\" mayhavereachedTennyson\'smindfromanolderwriterthanBeattie。 HeisatleastaslikelytohavebeenfamiliarwithGreekmythaswiththelamented\"Minstrel。\"Theformof1833，greatlyalteredin1842，containedsuchunluckyphrasesas\"cedarshadowy，\"and\"snowycoloured，\"\"marblecold，\"\"violet-eyed\"——easyspoilsofcriticism。ThealterationswhichconvertedabeautifulbutfaultyintoabeautifulandflawlesspoemperhapsobscurethesignificanceofOEnone\'s\"Iwillnotdiealone，\"whichintheearliervolumedirectlyreferstotheforeseenendofallasnarratedinTennyson\'slatepiece，TheDeathofOEnone。ThewholepoembringstomindtheglowinghuesofTitianandthefamousHomericlinesonthedivinewedlockofZeusandHera。 TheallegoryormoralofThePalaceofArtdoesnotneedexplanation。 Notmanyofthepoemsowemoretorevision。TheearlystanzaaboutIsaiah，withfierceEzekiel，and\"EasternConfutzee，\"didundeniablyremindthereader，asLockhartsaid，ofTheGrovesofBlarney。 \"Withstatuesgracingthatnobleplacein，Allhaythengoddessesmostrare，Petrarch，Plato，andNebuchadnezzar，Allstandingnakedintheopenair。\" IntheearlyversiontheSoul，beingtoomuch\"uptodate，\" \"Litwhitestreamsofdazzlinggas，\" likeSirWalterScottatAbbotsford。 \"Thusherintense，untolddelight，Indeeporvividcolour，smell，andsound，Wasflattereddayandnight。\" LockhartwasnotfondofSirWalter\'sexperimentsingas，the\"smell\" gavehimno\"deep，untolddelight，\"andhis\"infamousreview\"wasbiassedbythesecircumstances。 Thevolumeof1833wasinnothingmoreremarkablethaninitsproofofthemany-sidednessoftheauthor。Heofferedmediaevalromance，andclassicalperfectiontouchedwiththeromanticspirit，anddomesticidyll，ofwhichTheMayQueenisprobablythemostpopularexample。The\"mysteriousbeing，\"conversantwith\"thespiritualworld，\"mighthavebeenexpectedtodisdaintopicswellwithintherangeofElizaCook。Hedidnotdespisebutelevatedthem，andtherebydidmoretointroducehimselftothewideEnglishpublicthanhecouldhavedonebyacenturyofFatimasorLotos-Eaters。Ontheotherhand，atastemorefastidious，ormoreperverse，willscarcelybesatisfiedwithpathoswhichinprocessoftimehascometoseem\"obvious。\"ThepathosofearlydeathintheprimeofbeautyislessobviousinHomer，whereAchillesistobethevictim，orinthelamentsoftheAnthology，whereweonlyknowthatthedeadbrideormaidenwasfair；butthepoorMayQueenisofhernaturerathercommonplace。 \"Thatgoodman，theclergyman，hastoldmewordsofpeace，\" strikesanoteratherresemblingtheTennysonianparodyofWordsworth- \"AMrWilkinson，aclergyman。\" TheLotos-Eaters，ofcourse，isattheoppositepoleofthepoet\'sgenius。AfewplainversesoftheOdyssey，almostbaldintheirreticence，arethepointderepereofthemostmagicalvisionexpressedinthemostmusicalverse。HereisthelanguidcharmofSpenser，enrichedwithmanyclassicalmemories，andpicturesofnaturalbeautygorgeouslyyetdelicatelypainted。Aftertheexcisionofsomeverses，ratherfantastical，in1842，thepoembecameaflawlessmasterpiece，——oneoftheeternalpossessionsofsong。 Ontheotherhand，theopeningofTheDreamofFairWomenwasmarredin1833bythegrotesqueintroductoryversesabout\"amanthatsailsinaballoon。\"YoungasTennysonwas，thesefreakishpassagesareapsychologicalmarvelintheworkofonewhodidnotlackthesavingsenseofhumour。Thepoet，waftedonthewingand\"pinionthattheThebaneaglebear，\"cannotconceivablybelikenedtoanaeronautwavingflagsoutofaballoon——exceptinaspiritofself-mockerywhichwasnotTennyson\'s。Hisremarkableself-disciplineinexcisingthefantasticandsuperfluous，andreducinghisworktoitsclassicalperfectionofthoughtandform，isnowheremoreremarkablethaninthismagnificentvision。Itisprobablybymereaccidentalcoincidenceofthoughtthat，intheversesToJ。S。(JamesSpedding)，Tennysonreproducesthenoblespeechonthewarrior\'sdeathwhichSirWalterScottplacesinthelipsofthegreatDundee:\"Itisthememorywhichthesoldierleavesbehindhim，likethelongtrainoflightthatfollowsthesunkensun，THATisallthatisworthcaringfor，\"thelightwhichlingerseternallyonthehillsofAtholl。 Tennyson\'slinesareacloseparallel:- \"HismemorylongwilllivealoneInallourhearts，asmournfullightThatbroodsabovethefallensun，Anddwellsinheavenhalfthenight。\" ThoughTennysondislikedtheexhibitionof\"thechipsoftheworkshop，\"wehavecommentedonthem，ontheearlyreadingsoftheearlyvolumes。Theymayberegardedmoreproperlyasthesketchesofamasterthanas\"chips，\"anddomorethanmerelyengagetheidlecuriosityofthefanaticsoffirsteditions。Theyprovethatthepoetwasstudiousofperfection，andwiselystudious，forhisalterations，unlikethoseofsomeauthors，werealmostinvariablyforthebetter，thesaner，themorematureintaste。Theearlyreadingsarealsoworthnotice，becausetheypartiallyexplain，bytheiroccasionallyfantasticandhumourlesscharacter，thelackofearlyandgeneralrecognitionofthepoet\'sgenius。Thenativeprejudiceofmankindisnotinfavourofanewpoet。Ofnewpoetstherearealwayssomany，mostofthembad，thatnaturehasprotectedmankindbyanarmourofsuspiciousness。Theworld，andLockhart，easilyfoundgoodreasonsfordistrustingthisnewclaimantoftheivyandthebays:moreover，sinceabout1814therehadbeenareactionagainstnewpoetry。Themarketwasglutted。Scotthadseteverybodyonreading，andtoomanyonwriting，novels。Thegreatreactionofthecenturyagainstallformsofliteratureexceptprosefictionhadbegun。NeartheverydateofTennyson\'sfirstvolumeBulwerLytton，aswesaw，hadfranklyexplainedthathewrotenovelsbecausenobodywouldlookatanythingelse。Tennysonhadtoovercomethisuniversal，orallbutuniversal，indifferencetonewpoetry，and，afterbeingsilentfortenyears，overcomeithedid——aremarkablevictoryofartandofpatientcourage。Timeswereevenworseforpoetsthanto-day。Threehundredcopiesofthenewvolumeweresold! ButTennyson\'sfriendswerenotpuffersinleaguewithpushingpublishers。 Meanwhilethepoetin1833wentonquietlyandundefeatedwithhiswork。HecomposedTheGardener\'sDaughter，andwasatworkontheMorted\'Arthur，suppressedtilltheninthyear，ontheHoratianplan。 Manypoemswereproduced(andevenwrittenout，whichanumberofhispiecesneverwere)，andwereleftinmanuscripttilltheyappearedintheBiography。Mostofthesearesolittleworthyoftheauthorthatthemarvelishowhecametowritethem——inwhatuninspiredhours。 UnlikeWordsworth，hecouldweedthetaresfromhiswheat。HisstudieswereinGreek，German，Italian，history(alittle)，andchemistry，botany，andelectricity——\"cross-grainedMuses，\"theselast。 ItwasonSeptember15，1833，thatArthurHallamdied。Unheraldedbysignorsymptomofdiseaseasitwas，thenewsfelllikeathunderboltfromaserenesky。Tennyson\'sandHallam\'slovehadbeen\"passingtheloveofwomen。\"Ablowlikethisdrivesamanontherocksoftheultimate，theinsolubleproblemsofdestiny。\"Isthistheend？\"Nourishedasonthemilkoflions，ontheelevatingandstrengtheningdoctrinesofpopularscience，trainedfromchildhoodtoforegohopeandattendeveninglectures，theyoungcriticsofourgenerationfindTennysonaweaklingbecausehehadhopesandfearsconcerningtheultimaterenewalofwhatwasmorethanhalfhislife—— hisfriendship。 \"ThatfaithIfainwouldkeep，ThathopeI\'llnotforego: Eternalbethesleep- Unlesstowakenso，\" wroteLockhart，andtheversesechoedceaselesslyinthewidowedheartofCarlyle。Thesemen，itispartofthedutyofcriticslaterborntoremember，werenotchildrenorcowards，thoughtheydreamed，andhoped，andfeared。Weoughttomakeallowanceforfailingsincidenttoanagenotyetfullyenlightenedbypopularscience，andstillundivorcedfromspiritualideasthatareasoldasthehumanrace，andperhapsnotlikelytoperishwhilethatraceexists。Nowandthenevenscientificmenhavebeenmistaken，especiallywhentheyhavedeclinedtoexamineevidence，asinthisproblemofthetranscendentalnatureofthehumanspirittheyusuallydo。AtalleventsTennysonwasunconvincedthatdeathistheend，andshortlyafterthefataltidingsarrivedfromViennahebegantowritefragmentsinversepreludingtothepoemofInMemoriam。Healsobegan，inamoodofgreatmisery，TheTwoVoices；or，ThoughtsofaSuicide。ThepoemseemstohavebeenpartlydonebySeptember1834，whenSpeddingcommentedonit，andonthebeautifulSirGalahad，\"intendedforsomethingofamalecounterparttoStAgnes。\"TheMorted\'ArthurTennysonthenthought\"thebestthingIhavemanagedlately。\"Veryearlyin1835manystanzasofInMemoriamhadtakenform。\"Idonotwishtobedraggedforwardinanyshapebeforethereadingpublicatpresent，\"wrotethepoet，whenheheardthatMilldesiredtowriteonhim。HisOEnonehehadbroughttoitsnewperfection，anddidnotdesirecommentsonworknowseveralyearsold。HealsowrotehisUlyssesandhisTithonus。 Ifevertheterm\"morbid\"couldhavebeenappliedtoTennyson，itwouldhavebeenintheyearsimmediatelyfollowingthedeathofArthurHallam。Buttheapplicationwouldhavebeenunjust。True，thepoetwaslivingoutoftheworld；hewasunhappy，andhewas，aspeoplesay，\"doingnothing。\"HewassopoorthathesoldhisChancellor\'sprizegoldmedal，andhedidnot\"ScanhiswholehorizonInquestofwhathecouldclapeyeson，\" inthewayofmoney-making，whichanotherpoetdescribesasthenormalattitudeofallmenaswellasofpirates。Acarelessobserverwouldhavethoughtthatthepoetwasdawdling。ButhedweltinnoCastleofIndolence；hestudied，hecomposed，hecorrectedhisverses:likeSirWalterinLiddesdale，\"hewasmakinghimsel\'a\'thetime。\"Hedidnotneglectthemovementsofthegreatworldinthatdawnofdiscontentwiththephilosophyofcommercialism。Butitwasnothisvocationtoplungeintothefray，andontoplatforms。 Itisaveryrarethinganywhere，especiallyinEngland，foramandeliberatelytochoosepoetryasthedutyofhislife，andtoremainloyal，asaconsequence，tothebrideofStFrancis——Poverty。ThisloyaltyTennysonmaintained，evenunderthetemptationtomakemoneyinrecognisedwayspresentedbyhisnew-bornloveforhisfuturewife，MissEmilySellwood。Theyhadfirstmetin1830，whenshe，agirlofseventeen，seemedtohimlike\"aDryadoranOreadwanderinghere。\"ButadmirationbecametheaffectionofalifetimewhenTennysonmetMissSellwoodasbridesmaidtohersister，thebrideofhisbrotherCharles，in1836。Thepoetcouldnotaffordtomarry，and，liketheheroofLocksleyHall，hemayhaveaskedhimself，\"WhatisthatwhichIshoulddo？\"By1840hehaddonenothingtangibleandlucrative，andcorrespondencebetweentheloverswasforbidden。ThatneitherdreamedofTennyson\'sdesertingpoetryforamorenormalprofessionprovedofgreatbenefittotheworld。Thecourseisonewhichcouldonlybejustifiedbytheabsolutecertaintyofpossessinggenius。