第5章

wasnot\"faint，\"butstrengthenedwiththeyears。Therearesaidtohavebeenlesshopefulintervals。 Hisfaithis，ofcourse，noargumentforothers，——atleastitoughtnottobe。Weareallthecreaturesofourbias，ourenvironment，ourexperience，ouremotions。TheexperienceofTennysonwasunliketheexperienceofmostmen。Ityieldedhimsubjectivegroundsforbelief。He\"openedapathuntomany，\"likeYama，theVedicbeingwhodiscoveredthewaytodeath。ButTennyson\'spathlednottodeath，buttolifespiritual，andtohope，andhedid\"giveanewimpulsetothethoughtofhisage，\"asothergreatpoetshavedone。Ofcourseitmaybeanimpulsetowrongthought。AsthephilosophicalAustralianblacksaid，\"Weshallknowwhenwearedead。\" MrHarrisonarguesasif，unlikeTennyson，Byron，Wordsworth，Shelley，andBurnsproduced\"originalideasfreshfromtheirownspirit，andnotderivedfromcontemporarythinkers。\"Idonotknowwhatoriginalideasthesegreatpoetsdiscoveredandpromulgated； theirideasseemtohavebeen\"intheair。\"Thesepoets\"madethemcurrentcoin。\"ShelleythoughtthatheowedmanyofhisideastoGodwin，acontemporarythinker。WordsworthhasadebttoPlato，athinkernotcontemporary。Burns\'sdemocraticindependencewas\"intheair，\"andhadbeen，inScotland，sinceElderremarkedonitinalettertoInglesin1515。Itisnottheideas，itistheexpressionoftheideas，thatmarksthepoet。Tennyson\'sideasarerelativelynovel，thoughasoldasPlotinus，fortheyareappliedtoanovel，oratleastanunfamiliar，mentalsituation。Doubtwasabroad，asitalwaysis；but，forperhapsthefirsttimesincePorphyrywrotehislettertoAbammon，thedoubtersdesiredtobelieve，andsaid，\"Lord，helpThoumyunbelief。\"Torobust，notsensitiveminds，verymuchinunitywiththemselves，theattitudeseemscontemptible，oratbestdecentlyfutile。YetIcannotthinkitbelowthedignityofmankind，consciousthatitisnotomniscient。Thepoetdoesfailinlogic(InMemoriam，cxx。)whenhesays- \"Lethim，thewisermanwhospringsHereafter，upfromchildhoodshapeHisactionlikethegreaterape，ButIwasBORNtootherthings。\" Iamnotwellacquaintedwiththehabitsofthegreaterape，butitwouldprobablybeunwise，andperhapsindecent，toimitatehim，evenif\"wealsoarehisoffspring。\"Wemightaswellreverttopolyandryandpaint，becauseourCelticorPictishancestors，ifwehadany，practisedtheoneandworetheother。However，petulancesliketheverseonthegreaterapearerareinInMemoriam。Todeclarethat\"I wouldnotstay\"inlifeifscienceprovesustobe\"cunningcastsinclay，\"isbeneaththecourageoftheStoicalphilosophy。 Theologically，thepoemrepresentsthestrugglewithdoubtsandhopesandfears，whichhadbeenwithTennysonfromhisboyhood，asisprovedbythevolumeof1830。Butthedoubtshadexerted，probably，butlittleinfluenceonhishappinesstillthesuddenstrokeoflossmadelifeforatimeseemalmostunbearableunlessthedoubtsweresolved。TheyWEREsolved，orstoicallysetaside，intheUlysses，writteninthefreshnessofgrief，withtheconclusionthatwemustbe\"StronginwillTostrive，toseek，tofind，andnottoyield。\" Butthegnawingofgrieftillitbecomesaphysicalpain，thefeverfitsofsorrow，theachingdesiderium，bringbackinmanyguisestheoldquestions。Theserequirenewattemptsatanswers，andareanswered，\"thesadmechanicexercise\"ofverseallayingthepain。 ThisisthegenesisofInMemoriam，notoriginallywrittenforpublicationbutproducedatlastasamonumenttofriendship，andasabookofconsolation。 Nobooksofconsolationcanconsoleexceptbysympathy；andinInMemoriamsympathyandreliefhavebeenfound，andwillbefound，bymany。Another，wefeel，hastroddenourdarkandstonypath，hasbeenshadowedbytheshapesofdreadwhichhauntourvalleyoftribulation:amindalmostinfinitelygreaterthanourshasbeenourfellow-sufferer。Hehasemergedfromthedarknessoftheshadowofdeathintothelight，whither，asitseemstous，wecanscarcelyhopetocome。Itisthesympathyandtheexample，Ithink，notthespeculations，mysticalorscientific，whichmakeInMemoriam，inmorethanname，abookofconsolation:eveninhoursofthesharpestdistress，whenitstechnicalbeautiesandwonderfulpicturesseemshadowyandunreal，liketheyellowsunshineandthewoodsofthatautumndaywhenamanlearnedthathisfriendwasdead。No，itwasnotthespeculationsandargumentsthatconsoledorencouragedus。 WedidnotlistentoTennysonastoMrFredericHarrison\'sglorifiedAnglicanclergyman。Wecouldnotmurmur，liketheQueenoftheMay- \"Thatgoodman，theLaureate，hastoldtiswordsofpeace。\" Whatwevaluedwasthepoet\'scompanionship。TherewasayoungreadertowhomAllalongtheValleycameasanewpoeminatimeofrecentsorrow。 \"Thetwo-and-thirtyyearswereamistthatrollsaway，\" saidthesingerofInMemoriam，andinthathouritseemedasifnonecouldendurefortwo-and-thirtyyearsthecompanionshipofloss。Buttheyearshavegoneby，andhaveleft\"EveryoungthefacethatdwellsWithreasoncloister\'dinthebrain。\"{10} InthiswaytomanyInMemoriamisalmostalife-longcompanion:wewalkwithGreat-heartforourguidethroughthevalleyPerilous。 InthisrespectInMemoriamisunique，forneithertoitspraisenordispraiseisittobecomparedwiththeotherfamouselegiesoftheworld。Thesearebriefoutburstsofgrief——real，asinthehopelesswordsofCatullusoverhisbrother\'stomb；oracademic，likeMilton\'sLycidas。WearenottosupposethatMiltonwasheart-brokenbythedeathofyoungMrKing，orthatShelleywasgreatlydesolatedbythedeathofKeats，withwhomhispersonalrelationshadbeenslight，andofwhosepoetryhehadspokenevil。Hewasnoblystirredasapoetbyapoet\'sdeath——likeMrSwinburnebythedeathofCharlesBaudelaire；butneitherShelleynorMrSwinburnewaslamentingdimidiumanimaesuae，ormourningforafriend\"Dearasthemothertotheson，Morethanmybrothersaretome。\" ThepassionofInMemoriamispersonal，isacute，islife-long，andthusitdiffersfromtheotherelegies。Moreover，itcelebratesanobleobject，andthusisunliketheambiguousaffection，realordramatic，whichinformsthesonnetsofShakespeare。Sothepoemstandsalone，cloistered；notfierywithindignation，notbreakingintoactualprophecy，likeShelley\'sAdonais；notcapable，byreasonevenofitsmeditativemetre，oftheorganmusicofLycidas。Yetitisnottobereckonedinferiortothesebecauseitsaimandplanareotherthantheirs。 Itisfarfrommypurposeto\"class\"Tennyson，ortodisputeabouthisrelativegreatnesswhencomparedwithWordsworthorByron，Coleridge，Shelley，orBurns。HeratedonesongofLovelaceaboveallhislyrics，and，infact，couldnomorehavewrittentheCavalier\'sToAltheafromPrisonthanLovelacecouldhavewrittentheMorted\'Arthur。\"Itisnotreasonable，itisnotfair，\"saysMrHarrison，aftercomparingInMemoriamwithLycidas，\"tocompareTennysonwithMilton，\"anditisnotreasonabletocompareTennysonwithanypoetwhatever。Criticismisnottheconstructionofaclasslist。ButwemayreasonablysaythatInMemoriamisanoblepoem，anoriginalpoem，apoemwhichstandsaloneinliterature。Thewonderfulbeauty，everfresh，howsoeveroftenread，ofmanystanzas，isnotdeniedbyanycritic。Themarvelisthatthesameserenecertaintyofartbroodsovereventhestanzaswhichmusthavebeenconceivedwhilethesorrowwasfresh。Thesecondpiece，\"Oldyew，whichgraspestatthestones，\" musthavebeencomposedsoonafterthestrokefell。Yetitisasperfectastheproemof1849。Asarule，thepoeticalexpressionofstrongemotionappearsusuallytoclothethememoryofpassionwhenithasbeensoftenedbytime。Butherealready\"therhythm，phrasing，andarticulationareentirelyfaultless，exquisitelyclear，melodious，andrare。\"{11}Itweresuperfluouslabourtopointatspecialbeauties，attheexquisiterenderingofnature；andcopiouscommentariesexisttoexplainthecourseoftheargument，ifaseriesofmoodsistobecalledanargument。Onemaynotesuchapointasthat(xiv。)wherethepoetsaysthat，werehetomeethisfriendinlife，\"Ishouldnotfeelittobestrange。\" Itmayhavehappenedtomanytomistake，forasectionofasecond，thefaceofastrangerforthefaceseenonlyindreams，andtofindthattherecognitionbringsnosurprise。 Piecesofacharacterapartfromtherest，andplacedinadesignedsequence，arexcii。，xciii。，xcv。Inthefirstthepoetsays- \"IfanyvisionshouldrevealThylikeness，ImightcountitvainAsbutthecankerofthebrain； Yea，tho\'itspakeandmadeappealTochanceswhereourlotswerecastTogetherinthedaysbehind，Imightbutsay，IhearawindOfmemorymurmuringthepast。 Yea，tho\'itspakeandbaredtoviewAfactwithinthecomingyear； Andtho\'themonths，revolvingnear，Shouldprovethephantom-warningtrue，Theymightnotseemthyprophecies，Butspiritualpresentiments，AndsuchrefractionofeventsAsoftenriseseretheyrise。\" Theauthorthusshowshimselfdifficileastorecognisingthepersonalidentityofaphantasm；norisiteasytoseewhatmodeofprovinghisidentitywouldbelefttoaspirit。Thepoet，therefore，appealstosomeperhapslesssatisfactoryexperience:- \"Descend，andtouch，andenter；hearThewishtoostrongforwordstoname； ThatinthisblindnessoftheframeMyGhostmayfeelthatthineisnear。\" ThethirdpoemisthecrownofInMemoriam，expressingalmostsuchthingsasarenotgiventomantoutter:- Andallatonceitseem\'datlastThelivingsoulwasflash\'donmine，Andmineinthiswaswound，andwhirl\'dAboutempyrealheightsofthought，Andcameonthatwhichis，andcaughtThedeeppulsationsoftheworld，AEonianmusicmeasuringoutThestepsofTime——theshocksofChance- TheblowsofDeath。AtlengthmytranceWascancell\'d，strickenthro\'withdoubt。 Vaguewords!butah，howhardtoframeInmatter-mouldedformsofspeech，Orev\'nforintellecttoreachThro\'memorythatwhichIbecame。\" Experienceslikethis，subjective，andnotmatterforargument，werefamiliartoTennyson。Jowettsaid，\"Hewasoneofthosewho，thoughnotanupholderofmiracles，thoughtthatthewondersofHeavenandEarthwereneverfarabsentfromus。\"InTheMystic，Tennyson，whenalmostaboy，hadshownfamiliaritywithstrangepsychologicalandpsychicalconditions。Poemsofmuchlaterlifealsodealwiththese，and，moreorlessconsciously，hisphilosophywastinged，andhisconfidencethatwearemorethan\"cunningcastsinclay\"wasincreased，byphenomenaofexperience，whichcanonlybeevidenceforthemystichimself，ifevenforhim。Butthisdimaspectofhisphilosophy，ofcourse，is\"totheGreeksfoolishness。\" Hiswasaphilosophyofhisown；notaphilosophyfordisciples，and\"thosethateddyroundandround。\"Itwasthesumofhisreflectiononthemassofhisimpressions。Ihaveshown，bytheaidofdates，thatitwasnotborrowedfromHuxley，MrStopfordBrooke，orthelateDukeofArgyll。But，nodoubt，manyoftheideaswere\"intheair，\" andmusthavepresentedthemselvestomindsatonceofreligioustendency，andattractedbytheevolutionarytheorieswhichhadalwaysexistedasfloatingspeculations，tilltheyweremadecurrentcoinbythegeniusandpatientstudyofDarwin。ThatTennyson\'sopinionsbetween1830and1840wereinfluencedbythoseofF。D。MauriceisreckonedprobablebyCanonAinger，authorofthenoticeofthepoetinTheDictionaryofNationalBiography。IntheLifeofMaurice，Tennysondoesnotappeartill1850，andthetwomenwerenotatCambridgetogether。ButMaurice\'sideas，astheythenexisted，mayhavereachedTennysonorallythroughHallamandothermembersoftheTrinityset，whoknewpersonallytheauthorofLetterstoaQuaker。 However，thisisnoquestionofscientificpriority:tomyselfitseemsthatTennyson\"beathismusicout\"forhimself，asperhapsmostpeopledo。LikehisownSirPercivale，\"Iknownotallhemeant。\" AmongtheopinionsastoInMemoriamcurrentatthetimeofitspublicationLordTennysonnoticesthoseofMauriceandRobertson。 They\"thoughtthatthepoethadmadeadefinitesteptowardstheunificationofthehighestreligionandphilosophywiththeprogressivescienceoftheday。\"Neithersciencenorreligionstandsstill；neitherstandsnowwhereitthendid。Conceivablytheyaretravellingonpathswhichwillultimatelycoincide；butthisopinion，ofcourse，mustseemfoolishnesstomostprofessorsofscience。 BishopWestcottwasatCambridgewhenthebookappeared:heisoneofMrHarrison\'spossiblesourcesofTennyson\'sideas。Herecognisedthepoet\'s\"splendidfaith(inthefaceofeverydifficulty)inthegrowingpurposeofthesumoflife，andinthenobledestinyoftheindividualman。\"TenyearslaterProfessorHenrySidgwick，amindsufficientlysceptical，foundinsomelinesofInMemoriam\"theindestructibleandinalienableminimumoffaithwhichhumanitycannotgiveupbecauseitisnecessaryforlife；andwhichIknowthatI，atleastsofarasthemaninmeisdeeperthanthemethodicalthinker，cannotgiveup。\"Butweknowthatmanypersonsnotonlydonotfindanirreducibleminimumoffaith\"necessaryforlife，\"butarehighlyindignantandcontemptuousifanyoneelseventurestosuggestthelogicalpossibilityofanyfaithatall。 Themassofmankindwillprobablyneverbeconvincedunbelievers—— nay，probablythebackwardorforwardswingofthependulumwilltouchmoreconvincedbelief。Buttherealwayshavebeen，sincetheRishisofIndiasang，superiorpersonswhobelieveinnothingnotmaterial——whateverthematerialmaybe。Tennysonwas，itissaid，\"impatient\"oftheseespritsforts，andtheyareimpatientofhim。 Itisanerrortobeimpatient:weknownotwhitherthelogosmayleadus，orlatergenerations；andweoughtnottobeirritatedwithothersbecauseitleadsthemintowhatwethinkthewrongpath。Itisunfortunatethataworkofart，likeInMemoriam，shouldarousetheologicaloranti-theologicalpassions。Thepoetonlyshowsusthepathsbywhichhismindtravelled:theymaynotbetherightpaths，norisiteasytotracethemonaphilosophicalchart。HeescapedfromDoubtingCastle。Othersmay\"takethatforahermitage，\"andbehappyenoughintheresidence。Wearealldeterminedbyourbias: Tennyson\'sisunconcealed。Hispoemisnotatract:itdoesnotaimattheconversionofpeoplewiththecontrarybias，itisirksome，inwritingaboutapoet，tobeobligedtodiscussaphilosophywhich，certainly，isnotstatedinthemannerofSpinoza，butismerelytheequilibriumofcontendingforcesinasinglemind。 ThemostfamousreviewofInMemoriamisthatwhichdeclaredthat\"thesetouchinglinesevidentlycomefromthefullheartofthewidowofamilitaryman。\"Thisisonlyequalled，ifequalled，byarecentcritiquewhichtreatedafresheditionofJaneEyreasanewnovel，\"notwithoutpower，inparts，andshowingsomeknowledgeofYorkshirelocalcolour。\" CHAPTERVI——AFTERINMEMORIAM。 OnJune13Tennysonmarried，atShiplake，theobjectofhisold，long-tried，andconstantaffection。Themarriagewasstill\"imprudent，\"——eightyearsofthenuncontestedsupremacyinEnglishpoetryhadnotbroughtagoldenharvest。MrMoxonappearstohavesupplied300pounds\"inadvanceofroyalties。\"Thesum，socontemptibleintheeyesoffirst-ratemodernnovelists，wasacompetencetoTennyson，addedtohislittlepensionandtheepavesofhispatrimony。\"ThepeaceofGodcameintomylifewhenImarriedher，\"hesaidinlaterdays。Thepoetmadeacharmingcopyofversestohisfriend，theRev。MrRawnsley，whotiedtheknot，asheandhisbridedrovetothebeautifulvillageofPangbourne。ThencetheywenttothestatelyClevedonCourt，theseatofSirAbrahamElton，hardbythechurchwhereArthurHallamsleeps。Theplaceisveryancientandbeautiful，andwasafavouritehauntofThackeray。TheypassedontoLynton，andtoGlastonbury，whereacollateralancestorofMrsTennyson\'sisburiedbesideKingArthur\'sgrave，inthatgreenvalleyofAvilion，amongtheapple-blossoms。TheysettledforawhileatTentLodgeonConistonWater，inalandofhospitableMarshalls。 AftertheirreturntoLondon，onthenightofNovember18，TennysondreamedthatPrinceAlbertcameandkissedhim，andthathehimselfsaid，\"Verykind，butveryGerman，\"whichwasverylikehim。NextdayhereceivedfromWindsortheofferoftheLaureateship。Hedoubted，andhesitated，butaccepted。SinceWordsworth\'sdeaththerehad，asusual，beenagooddealofbanterabouttheprobablenewLaureate:examplesofcompetitiveodesexistinBonGaultier。ThatbyTennysonisAnacreontic，buthewasnotreallysetonkissingtheMaidsofHonour，asheismadetosing。Rogershaddeclined，onthepleaofextremeoldage；butitwasworthyofthegreatandgoodQueennottooverlooktheNestorofEnglishpoets。Fortherest，theQueenlookedfor\"anamebearingsuchdistinctionintheliteraryworldastodocredittotheappointment。\"InthepreviouscenturythegreatpoetshadrarelybeenLaureates。ButsinceSirWalterScottdeclinedthebaysinfavourofSouthey，forwhom，again，thetaleofbricksinthewayofOdeswaslightened，andwhenWordsworthsucceededSouthey，theofficebecamehonourable。Tennysongaveitanincreaseofrenown，while，thoughinitselfofmerelynominalvalue，itservedhispoems，tospeakprofanely，asanadvertisement。Neweditionsofhisbookswereatonceindemand；whilefewreadershadeverheardofMrBrowning，alreadyhisfriend，andalreadyauthorofMenandWomen。 TheLaureateshipbroughtthepoetacquaintedwiththeQueen，whowastobehisdebtorinlaterdaysforencouragementandconsolation。TohisLaureateshipweowe，amongothergoodthings，thestatelyandmovingOdeontheDeathoftheDukeofWellington，asplendidheroicpiece，unappreciatedatthemoment。ButTennysonwas，ofcourse，noBirthdaypoet。SincetheexileoftheHouseofStuartourkingsinEnglandhavenotmaintainedtheoldfamiliaritywithmanyclassesoftheirsubjects。LiteraturehasnotbeenfashionableatCourt，andTennysoncouldinnoagehavebeenacourtier。Wehearthecomplaint，everynowandthen，thatofficialhonoursarenotconferred(excepttheLaureateship)onmenofletters。Butmostofthemprobablythinkitratherdistinguishednottobedecorated，ortocarrytitlesbornebymanydeservingpersonsunvisitedbytheMuses。Eventheappointmenttothebaysusuallyprovokesagreatdealofjealousandspitefulfeeling，whichwouldonlybemultipliedifofficialhonoursweredistributedamongmenofthepen。PerhapsTennyson\'slaurelswerenotfornothinginthechorusofdispraisewhichgreetedtheOdeontheDukeofWellington，andMaud。 Theyear1851waschieflynotableforatourtoItaly，madeimmortalinthebeautifulpoemofTheDaisy，inameasureofthepoet\'sowninvention。Thenextyear，followingontheCoupd\'etatandtheriseofthenewFrenchempire，producedpatrioticappealstoBritonsto\"guardtheirown，\"whichtoagreatextentformeralienownershadbeenunsuccessfulinguardingfromBritons。TheTennysonshadlosttheirfirstchildathisbirth:perhapsheisrememberedinTheGrandmother，\"thebabehadfoughtforhislife。\"InAugust1852thepresentLordTennysonwasborn，andMrMauricewasaskedtobegodfather。TheWellingtonOdewasofNovember，andwasmetby\"thealmostuniversaldepreciationofthepress，\"——why，exceptbecause，asIhavejustsuggested，TennysonwasLaureate，itisimpossibletoimagine。Theverseswereworthyoftheoccasion:moretheycouldnotbe。 Intheautumnof1853thepoetvisitedArdtornishontheSoundofMull，abeautifulplaceendearedtohimwhonowwritesbytheearliestassociations。ItchancedtohimtopasshisholidaystherejustwhenTennysonandMrPalgravehadleft——\"MrTinsmithandMrPancake，\"asRoberttheboatman，averyblackCelt，calledthem。 Beingthennineyearsofage，Iheardofapoet\'svisit，andasked，\"Arealpoet，likeSirWalterScott？\"withwhomIthensupposedthat\"theMusehadgoneaway。\"\"Oh，notlikeSirWalterScott，ofcourse，\"mymothertoldme，withloyaltyunashamed。OnecanthinkofthepoetasMrsSellar，hishostess，describeshim，beneaththelimesoftheavenueatAcharn，planted，MrsSellarsays，byacousinofFloraMacdonald。Ihavebeentoldthattheladywhoplantedthelilies，ifnotthelimes，wasthefamedJacobite，MissJennieCameron，mentionedinTomJones。AnEnglishengravingof1746showsthePrincebetweenthesetwobeauties，FloraandJennie。 \"Noone，\"saysMrsSellar，\"couldhavebeenmoreeasy，simple，anddelightful，\"andindeeditisnomarvelthatinhersocietyandthatofherhusband，theGreekprofessor，andhercousin，MissCross，andinsuchscenes，\"heblossomedoutinthemostgenialmanner，makingusallfeelasifhewereanoldfriend。\" InNovemberTennysontookahouseatFarringford，\"asitwasbeautifulandfarfromthehauntsofmen。\"Therehesettledtoacountryexistenceinthesocietyofhiswife，histwochildren(thesecond，Lionel，beingin1854thebaby)，andtherehecomposedMaud，whilethesoundoftheguns，inpracticeforthewaroftheCrimea，boomedfromthecoast。InMayTennysonsawtheartists，ofschoolsoddlyvarious，whoillustratedhispoems。Millais，Rossetti，andHolmanHuntgavethetonetotheart，butMrHorsley，Creswick，andMulgravewerealsoengaged。WhileMaudwasbeingcomposedTennysonwroteTheChargeoftheLightBrigade；afamouspoem，notinamannerinwhichhewasborntoexcel——atleastinmypooropinion。\"SomeoneHADblundered，\"andthatlinewasthefirstfashionedandthekeynoteofthepoem；but，afterall，\"blundered\"isnotanexquisiterhymeto\"hundred。\"Thepoem，inanycase，wasmostwelcometoourarmyintheCrimea，andisaspiritedpieceforrecitation。 InJanuary1855Maudwasfinished；inAprilthepoetcopieditoutforthepress，andrefreshedhimselfbyreadingaverydifferentpoem，TheLadyoftheLake。Theauthor，SirWalter，hadsuffered，liketheheroofMaud，byanunhappyloveaffair，whichjustfaintlycoloursTheLadyoftheLakebyasingleallusion，inthedescriptionofFitz-James\'sdreams:- \"Then，——frommycouchmayheavenlymightChasethatworstphantomofthenight!- Againreturnedthescenesofyouth，Ofconfidentundoubtingtruth； AgainhissoulheinterchangedWithfriendswhoseheartswerelongestranged。 Theycome，indimprocessionled，Thecold，thefaithless，andthedead； Aswarmeachhand，eachbrowasgay，Asiftheypartedyesterday。 Anddoubtdistractshimattheview- Oh，werehissensesfalseortrue？ Dreamedheofdeath，orbrokenvow，Orisitallavisionnow？\" WelearnfromLadyLouisaStuart，towhomScottreadtheselines，thattheyreferredtohislostlove。IcitethepassagebecausetheextremereticenceofScott，inhisundyingsorrow，isincontrastwithwhatTennyson，afterreadingTheLadyoftheLake，wasputtingintothemouthofhiscomplainingloverinMaud。 WehavenoreasontosupposethatTennysonhimselfhadevertobewailafaithlesslove。Tobesure，theheroofLocksleyHallisinthisattitude，butthenLocksleyHallisnotautobiographical。Lessdramaticandimpersonalinappearancearethestanzas- \"Comenot，whenIamdead，Todropthyfoolishtearsuponmygrave；\" and\"Child，ifitwerethineerrororthycrimeIcarenolonger，beingallunblest。\" Nobiographertellsuswhetherthiswasapersonalcomplaintorameresetofversesonanimaginaryoccasion。InInMemoriamTennysonspeaksoutconcerningthelossofafriend。InMaud，asinLocksleyHall，hemakeshisherorevealtheagonycausedbythelossofamistress。Thereisnoreasontosupposethatthepoethadeveranysuchmischance，butmanyreadershavetakenLocksleyHallandMaudforautobiographicalrevelations，likeInMemoriam。Theyare，ontheotherhand，imaginativeanddramatic。Theyillustratethepangsofdisappointedloveofwoman，pangsmorecomplexandmoreranklingthanthoseinflictedbydeath。Ineachcase，however，thepoet，whohassungsonoblythehappinessoffortunateweddedloves，haschosenaherowithwhomwedonotreadilysympathise——aHamletinminiature，\"Withaheartoffuriousfancies，\" asintheoldmadsong。Thischoice，thankstothepopularmisconception，didhimsomeharm。Asa\"monodramaticIdyll，\"aromanceinmanyrichlyricmeasures，Maudwasatfirstexcessivelyunpopular。\"Tennyson\'sMaudisTennyson\'sMaudlin，\"saidasatirist，and\"morbid，\"\"mad，\"\"rampant，\"and\"rabidbloodthirstinessofsoul，\" wereamongtheamenitiesofcriticism。Tennysonhatedwar，buthishero，atleast，hopesthatnationalunioninanationalstrugglewillawakeanoblerthanthecommercialspirit。IntotherightsandwrongsofourquarrelwithRussiawearenottogo。Tennyson，rightlyorwrongly，tookthepartofhiscountry，andmust\"tholethefeud\"ofthosehigh-souledcitizenswhothinktheircountryalwaysinthewrong——asperhapsitveryfrequentlyis。Wearenottoexpectatranquilabsenceofbiasinthemidstofmilitaryexcitement，whenverylaudablesentimentsareapttomisguidemeninbothdirections。 Inanycase，politicalpartisanshipaddedtotheenemiesofthepoem，whichwasapplaudedbyHenryTaylor，Ruskin，GeorgeBrimley，andJowett，whileMrsBrowningsentconsolingwordsfromItaly。Thepoemremainedafavouritewiththeauthor，whochosepassagesfromitoften，whenpersuadedtoreadaloudbyfriends；andmoderncriticismhasnotfailedtoapplaudthesplendouroftheverseandthesubtletyofthemadscenes，thepassionofthelovelyrics。