第6章

Thesemeritshaveceasedtobedisputed，but，thoughaloyalTennysonian，IhaveneverquitebeenabletoreconcilemyselftoMaudasawhole。Theheroisanunwholesomeyoungman，andnotofanoriginalkind。Heisunbeautenebreuxof1830。IsupposeithasbeenobservedthatheismerelyTheMasterofRavenswoodinmoderncostume，andwithoutLadyAshton。HerpartistakenbyMaud\'sbrother。ThesituationsoftheheroandoftheMaster(whoseacquaintanceThackerayneverrenewedafterhelosthishatintheKelpieFlow)arenearlyidentical。Thefamiliesandfathersofbothhavebeenruinedby\"thegrayoldwolf，\"andbySirWilliamAshton，representingthehouseofStair。Bothheroeslivedawdlingon，hardbytheirlostancestralhomes。Bothfallinlovewiththedaughtersoftheenemiesoftheirhouses。Thelovesofbotharebaffled，andendintragedy。Bothareconcernedinaduel，thoughtheMaster，onhiswaytotheground，\"stableshissteedintheKelpieFlow，\"andthewooerinMaudshootsLucyAshton\'sbrother，——ImeanthebrotherofMaud，——thoughduellinginEnglandwasoutofdate。Thencomesanintervalofmadness，andherecoversamidthepatrioticemotionsoftheill-fatedCrimeanexpedition。Bothloversaregloomy，thoughtheMasterhasbettercause，fortheTennysonianheroismorecomfortablyprovidedforthanEdgarwithhis\"manandmaid，\"hisCalebandMysie。 Finally，bothTheBrideofLammermoor，whichaffectedTennysonsopotentlyinboyhood(\"Amerrymerrybridal，Amerrymerryday\")，andMaud，excelinpassagesratherthanaswholes。 TheheroofMaud，withhisclandestinewooingofagirlofsixteen，hasthisapology，thatthematchhadbeen，asitwere，predestined，anddesiredbythemotherofthelady。Still，thebrotherdidnotilltobeangry；andthepeevishnessoftheheroagainstthebrotherandtheparvenulordandrivalstrikesajarringnote。InEngland，atleast，thegeneralsentimentisopposedtothismoody，introspectivekindofyoungman，ofwhomTennysonisnottobesupposedtoapprove。Wedonotfeelcertainthathismanandmaidwere\"everreadytoslanderandsteal。\"Thatseemstobepartofhisjaundicedwayoflookingateverythingandeverybody。Hehasevenabadwordforthe\"man-god\"ofmoderndays，- \"Themanofsciencehimselfisfonderofglory，andvain，Aneyewell-practisedinnature，aspiritboundedandpoor。\" Rienn\'estsacreforthiscynic，whothinkshimselfaStoic。ThusMaudwasmadetobeunpopularwiththeauthor\'scountrymen，whoconceivedaprejudiceagainstMaud\'slover，describedbyTennysonas\"amorbidpoeticsoul，……anegotistwiththemakingsofacynic。\" Thatheis\"raisedtosanity\"(stillinTennyson\'swords)\"byapureandholylovewhichelevateshiswholenature，\"theworldfailedtoperceive，especiallyasthesanitywasonlyabrieflucidinterval，temperedbyhangingaboutthegardentomeetagirlofsixteen，unknowntoherrelations。Tennysonaddedthat\"differentphasesofpassioninonepersontaketheplaceofdifferentcharacters，\"towhichcriticsrepliedthattheywanteddifferentcharacters，ifonlybywayofrelief，anddidnotcareforanyofthephasesofpassion。 ThelearnedMonsieurJanethasmaintainedthatloveisadiseaselikeanother，andthatnobodyfallsinlovewheninperfecthealthofmindandbody。Thistheoryseemsopentoexception，buttheheroofMaudisunhealthyenough。Atbestandlast，heonlyhelpstogiveamartialforcea\"send-off\":- \"IstoodonagiantdeckandmixedmybreathWithaloyalpeopleshoutingabattle-cry。\" Hedidnotgooutasavolunteer，andprobablytheCrimeanwintersbroughthimbacktohisoriginalestateofcynicalgloom——andverynaturally。 ThereconciliationwithLifeisnotlikethereconciliationofInMemoriam。Thepoemtookitsriseinoldlines，andmostbeautifullines，whichTennysonhadcontributedin1837toamiscellany:- \"Othat\'twerepossible，Afterlonggriefandpain，TofindthearmsofmytrueloveRoundmeonceagain。\" Thencethepoet，workingbacktofindtheoriginofthesituation，encounteredtheideasandthepersonsofMaud。 Ihavetriedtostatethesources，inthegeneralmind，ofthegeneraldislikeofMaud。Thepublic，\"drivingatpractice，\" disapprovedofthe\"criticismoflife\"inthepoem；confusedthesufferingnarratorwiththeauthor，andneglectedthepoetry。\"Nomodernpoem，\"saidJowett，\"containsmorelinesthatringintheearsofmen。IdonotknowanyverseoutofShakespeareinwhichtheecstacyoflovesoarstosuchaheight。\"Withthesecommentswemayagree，yetmayfailtofollowJowettwhenhesays，\"NopoemsinceShakespeareseemstoshowequalpowerofthesamekind，orequalknowledgeofhumannature。\"Shakespearecouldnotinanarrativepoemhavepreferredthevaryingpassionsofonecharactertothecharactersofmanypersons。 Tennysonwas\"nettledatfirst，\"hissonsays，\"bythesecaptiousremarksofthe\'indolentreviewers，\'butafterwardshewouldtakenonoticeofthemexcepttospeakoftheminahalf-pitiful，half- humorous，half-mournfulmanner。\"Thebesettingsinanderrorofthecriticswas，ofcourse，toconfoundTennyson\'sherowithhimself，asifweconfusedDickenswithPip。 LikeAuroraLeigh，Lucile，andotherworks，Maudisunderthedisadvantageofbeing，practically，anovelofmodernlifeinverse。 Criticisedasataleofmodernlife(anditwascriticisedinthatcharacter)，itcouldnotbeveryhighlyesteemed。ButtheessenceofMaud，ofcourse，liesinthepoeticalvehicle。Nobodycancavilattheimpressivenessoftheopeningstanzas- \"Ihatethedreadfulhollowbehindthelittlewood\"； withthekeynotesofcolourandofdesolationstruck；thelipsofthehollow\"dabbledwithblood-redheath，\"the\"red-ribb\'dledges，\"and\"theflyinggoldoftheruin\'dwoodlands\"；andthecontrastinthepictureofthechildMaud- \"Maudthedelightofthevillage，theringingjoyoftheHall。\" Thepoemaboundsinlineswhichliveinthememory，asinthevernaldescription- \"Amillionemeraldsbreakfromtheruby-buddedlime\"； andthevoiceheardinthegardensinging\"Apassionateballadgallantandgay，\" asLovelace\'sAlthea，andthelinesonthefar-offwavingofawhitehand，\"betwixtthecloudandthemoon。\"Thelyricof\"BirdsinthehighHall-gardenWhentwilightwasfalling，Maud，Maud，Maud，Maud，Theywerecryingandcalling，\" wasafavouriteofthepoet。 \"Whatbirdswerethese？\"heissaidtohaveaskedaladysuddenly，whenreadingtoasilentcompany。 \"Nightingales，\"suggestedalistener，whodidnotprobablyrememberanyotherfowlthatisvocalinthedusk。 \"No，theywererooks，\"answeredthepoet。 \"ComeintotheGarden，Maud，\"isasfinealove-songasTennysoneverwrote，withatriumphantring，andasoaringexultantnote。Thenthepoemdropsfromitsheight，likealarkshothighinheaven；tragedycomes，andremorse，andthebeautifulinterludeofthe\"lovelyshell，Smallandpureasapearl。\" Thenfollowstheexquisite\"Othat\'twerepossible，\" andthedullconsciousnessofthepoemofmadness，withitsdumbgnawingconfusionofpainandwanderingmemory；theherobeingfinallyleft，intheauthor\'swords，\"sanebutshattered。\" Tennyson\'slettersofthetimeshowthatthecriticssucceededinwoundinghim:itwasnotadifficultthingtodo。Maudwasthreatenedwithabroadsidefrom\"thatpompholygous，broad-blownApollodorus，thegiftedX。\"PeoplewhohavereadAytoun\'sdivertingFirmilian，whereApollodorusplayshispart，andwhoremember\"giftedGilfillan\"inWaverley，knowwhothegiftedX。was。ButX。wasnogreatauthoritysouthofTay。 Despitethealmostunanimouscondemnationbypubliccritics，thesuccessofMaudenabledTennysontobuyFarringford，sohemusthavebeenbetterappreciatedandunderstoodbytheworldthanbythereviewers。 InFebruary1850TennysonreturnedtohisoldArthurianthemes，\"theonlybigthingnotdone，\"forMiltonhadmerelyglancedatArthur，Drydendidnot\"RaisetheTableRoundagain，\" andBlackmorehasneverbeenreckonedadequate。VivienwasfirstcomposedasMerlinandNimue，andthenGeraintandEnidwasadaptedfromtheMabinogion，theWelshcollectionofMarchenandlegends，thingsofwidelydifferentages，nowratherCeltic，orBrythonic，nowamplificationsmadeundertheinfluenceofmediaevalFrenchromance。 EnidwasfinishedinWalesinAugust，andTennysonlearnedWelshenoughtobeabletoreadtheMabinogion，whichismuchmoreofWelshthanmanyArthuriancriticspossess。ThetwofirstIdyllswereprivatelyprintedinthesummerof1857，beingveryrareandmuchdesiredofcollectorsinthisembryonicshape。InJulyGuineverewasbegun，inthemiddle，withArthur\'svaledictoryaddresstohiserringconsort。InautumnTennysonvisitedthelateDukeofArgyllatInveraray:hewasmuchattachedtotheDuke——unlikeProfessorHuxley。Theirloveofnature，theDukebeingaskeen-eyedasthepoetwasshort-sighted，wasonetieofunion。TheIndianMutiny，oratleastthedeathofHavelock，wastheoccasionoflineswhichtheauthorwastoowisetoincludeinanyofhisvolumes:thepoemonLucknowwasoflatercomposition。 GuineverewascompletedinMarch1858；andTennysonmetMrSwinburne，thenveryyoung。\"WhatIparticularlyadmiredinhimwasthathedidnotpressuponmeanyversesofhisown。\"Tennysonwouldhavefoundmoretoadmireifhehadpressedforasightoftheverses。NeitherhenorMrMatthewArnoldwasveryencouragingtoyoungpoets:theyhadnosonsinApollo，likeBenJonson。Butbothwerekeptinaperpetualstateofapprehensionbythearmyofversifierswhosendvolumesbypost，towhomthatcanonlybesaidwhatTennysondidsaytooneofthem，\"Asanamusementtoyourselfandyourfriends，thewritingit\"(verse)\"isallverywell。\"Itisthefriendswhodonotfinditamusing，whilethestrangerbecomesthefoe。ThepsychologyofthesepestsoftheMusesisbewildering。Theydonotseemtoreadpoetry，onlytowriteitandlaunchitatunoffendingstrangers。Iftheyboughteachother\'sbooks，allofthemcouldaffordtopublish。 TheMasterofBalliol，themostadvicefulman，ifonemayusetheterm，ofhisage，appearstohaveadvisedTennysontopublishtheIdyllsatonce。TherehadbeenyearsofsilencesinceMaud，andtheMastersuspectedthat\"mosquitoes\"(reviewers)werethecause。 \"ThereisanoteneededtoshowthegoodsideofhumannatureandtocondoneitsfrailtieswhichThackeraywillneverstrike。\"ToothersitseemsthatThackeraywaseternallystrikingthisnote:atthattimeinGeneralLambert，hiswife，anddaughters，nottospeakofothercharactersinTheVirginians。WhodoesnotcondonethefrailtiesofCaptainCostigan，andF。B。，andtheChevalierStrong？ Inanycase，Tennysontookhisowntime，hewas(1858)onlybeginningElaine。ThereisnodoubtthatTennysonwaseasilyprickedbyunsympatheticcriticism，evenfromthemostinsignificantsource，and，asheconfessed，hereceivedlittlepleasurefrompraise。Allauthors，withoutexception，aresensitive。Asturdierauthorwrotethathewouldsometimeshavebeengladtomeethisassailant\"wherethemuir-cockwasbailie。\"WeknowhowtestilyWordsworthrepliedindefencetothegentlestcommentsbyLamb。 TheMasterofBalliolkeptinsisting，\"Astothecritics，theirpowerisnotreallygreat……Onedropofnaturalfeelinginpoetryorthetruestatementofasinglenewfactisalreadyfelttobeofmorevaluethanallthecriticsputtogether。\"Yetevencriticsmaybeintheright，andofallgreatpoets，Tennysonlistenedmostobedientlytotheircensures，aswehaveseeninthecaseofhisearlypoems。 Hisprolongedsilencesaftertheattacksof1833and1855wereoccupiedinworkandreflection:Achilleswasnotmerelysulkinginhistent，assomeofhisfriendsseemtohavesupposed。Anepicinaseriesofepicidyllscannotbedashedofflikearomanticnovelinrhyme；andTennyson\'smethodwasalwaysoneofwaitingformaturityofconceptionandexecution。 MrsTennyson，doubtlessbyherlord\'sdesire，askedtheMaster(thentutorofBalliol)tosuggestthemes。Oldagewassuggested，andistreatedinTheGrandmother。Othertopicswerenothandled。\"Iholdmoststrongly，\"saidtheMaster，\"thatitisthedutyofeveryonewhohasthegoodfortunetoknowamanofgeniustodoanytriflingservicetheycantolightenhiswork。\"TodoeveryserviceinhispowertoeverymanwastheMaster\'slife-longpractice。Hewasnotmuchathome，hislettersshow，withBurns，towhomheseemstohaveattributedJohnAnderson，myjo，John，whilehetellsananecdoteofBurnscomposingTamo\'Shanterwithemotionaltears，which，iftrueatall，istrueofthemakingofToMaryinHeaven。IfBurnsweptoverTamo\'Shanter，thetearsmusthavebeentearsoflaughter。 ThefirstfourIdyllsoftheKingwerepreparedforpublicationinthespringof1859；whileTennysonwasatworkalsoonPelleasandEttarre，andtheTristramcycle。InautumnhewentonatourtoLisbonwithMrF。T。PalgraveandMrCraufurdGrove。Returning，hefelleagerlytoreadinganearlycopyofDarwin\'sOriginofSpecies，thecrownofhisownearlyspeculationsonthetheoryofevolution。 \"YourtheorydoesnotmakeagainstChristianity？\"heaskedDarwinlater(1868)，whoreplied，\"No，certainlynot。\"ButDarwinhasstatedthewaveringsofhisownmindincontactwithatopictoohighforapriorireasoning，andonlytobeapproached，ifatall，onthestrengthofthescientificmethodappliedtofactswhichscience，sofar，neglects，ordenies，or\"explainsaway，\"ratherthanexplains。 TheIdylls，unlikeMaud，werewellreceivedbythepress，betterbythepublic，andbestofallbyfriendslikeThackeray，theDukeofArgyll，theMasterofBalliol，andClough，whileRuskinshowedsomereserve。TheletterfromThackerayIcannotdenymyselfthepleasureofcitingfromtheBiography:itwaswritten\"inanardourofclaretandgratitude，\"butpostedsomesixweekslater:- FOLKESTONE，September。 36ONSLOWSQUARE，October。 MyDearOldAlfred，——Ioweyoualetterofhappinessandthanks。 Sir，aboutthreeweeksago，whenIwasillinbed，IreadtheIdyllsoftheKing，andIthought，\"Oh，Imustwritetohimnow，forthispleasure，thisdelight，thissplendourofhappinesswhichIhavebeenenjoying。\"ButIshouldhaveblottedthesheets，\'tisillwritingonone\'sback。Theletterfullofgratitudeneverwentasfarasthepost-office，andhowcomesitnow？ D\'abord，abottleofclaret。(Thelandlordofthehotelaskedmedowntothecellarandtreatedme。)Thenafterwardssittinghere，anoldmagazine，Fraser\'sMagazine，1850，andIcomeonapoemoutofThePrincesswhichsays，\"IhearthehornsofElflandblowing，blowing，\"——no，it\'s\"thehornsofElflandfaintlyblowing\"(Ihavebeenintomybedroomtofetchmypenandithasmadethatblot)，and，readingthelines，whichonlyonemanintheworldcouldwrite，I thoughtabouttheotherhornsofElflandblowinginfullstrength，andArthuringoldarmour，andGuinevereingoldhair，andallthoseknightsandheroesandbeautiesandpurplelandscapesandmistygraylakesinwhichyouhavemademelive。Theyseemlikefactstome，sinceaboutthreeweeksago(threeweeksoramonthwasit？)whenI readthebook。Itisonthetableyonder，andIdon\'tlike，somehow，todisturbit，butthedelightandgratitude!YouhavemademeashappyasIwasasachildwiththeArabianNights，——everystepIhavewalkedinElflandhasbeenasortofParadisetome。(ThelandlordgaveTWObottlesofhisclaretandIthinkIdrankthemost)andhereIhavebeenlyingbackinthechairandthinkingofthosedelightfulIdylls，mythoughtsbeingturnedtoyou:whatcouldIdobutbegratefultothatsurprisinggeniuswhichhasmademesohappy？DoyouunderstandthatwhatImeanisalltrue，andthatIshouldbreakoutwereyousittingoppositewithapipeinyourmouth？Goldandpurpleanddiamonds，Isay，gentlemen，andgloryandloveandhonour，andifyouhaven\'tgivenmeallthesewhyshouldIbeinsuchanardourofgratitude？ButIhavehadoutofthatdearbookthegreatestdelightthathasevercometomesinceIwasayoungman；towriteandthinkaboutitmakesmealmostyoung，andthisIsupposeiswhatI\'mdoing，likeanafter-dinnerspeech。 P。S——Ithoughtthe\"Grandmother\"quiteasfine。Howcanyouat50 bedoingthingsaswellasat35？ October16th——(Ishouldthinksixweeksafterthewritingoftheabove。) Therhapsodyofgratitudewasneversent，andforapeculiarreason: justaboutthetimeofwritingIcametoanarrangementwithSmith& Eldertoedittheirnewmagazine，andtohaveacontributionfromT。 wasthepublishers\'andeditor\'shighestambition。Buttoaskamanforafavour，andtopraiseandbowdownbeforehiminthesamepage，seemedtobesolikehypocrisy，thatIheldmyhand，andleftthisnoteinmydesk，whereithasbeenlyingduringalittleFrench- Italian-Swisstourwhichmygirlsandtheirpapahavebeenmaking。 MeanwhileS。E。&Co。havebeenmakingtheirownproposalstoyou，andyouhaverepliednotfavourably，Iamsorrytohear；butnowthereisnoreasonwhyyoushouldnothavemyhomages，andIamjustasthankfulfortheIdylls，andloveandadmirethemjustasmuch，asIdidtwomonthsagowhenIbegantowriteinthatardourofclaretandgratitude。Ifyoucan\'twriteforusyoucan\'t。Ifyoucanbychancesomeday，andhelpanoldfriend，howpleasedandhappyI shallbe!Thishowevermustbelefttofateandyourconvenience:I don\'tintendtogiveuphope，butacceptthegoodfortuneifitcomes。Iseeone，two，threequarterliesadvertisedto-day，asallbringinglaurelstolaureatus。Hewillnotrefusetheprivatetributeofanoldfriend，willhe？Youdon\'tknowhowpleasedthegirlswereatKensingtont\'otherdaytohearyouquotetheirfather\'slittleverses，andhetooIdaresaywasnotdisgusted。Hesendsyouandyourshisverybestregardsinthismostheartfeltandartless(noteofadmiration)! Alwaysyours，mydearAlfred，W。M。THACKERAY。 NaturallythislettergaveTennysonmorepleasurethanalltheconvertedcriticswiththeirfavourablereviews。TheDukeofArgyllannouncedtheconversionofMacaulay。TheMasterfoundElaine\"thefairest，sweetest，purestlovepoemintheEnglishlanguage。\"Astothewhole，\"TheallegoryinthedistanceGREATLYSTRENGTHENS，ALSO ELEVATES，THEMEANINGOFTHEPOEM。\" Ruskin，likesomeothercritics，felt\"theartandfinishinthesepoemsalittlemorethanIliketofeelit。\"YetGuinevereandElainehadbeenrapidlywrittenandlittlecorrected。Iconfesstotheopinionthatwhatamandoesmosteasilyis，asarule，whathedoesbest。Weknowthatthe\"artandfinish\"ofShakespearewerespontaneous，andsowerethoseofTennyson。Perfectioninartissometimesmoresuddenthanwethink，butthen\"thelongpreparationforit，——thatunseengermination，THATiswhatweignoreandforget。\" Buthewiselykepthispiecesbyhimforalongtime，restudyingthemwithafresheye。The\"unreality\"ofthesubjectalsofailedtopleaseRuskin，asitisastumbling-blocktoothers。Hewantedpoemson\"thelivingpresent，\"athemenotselectedbyHomer，Shakespeare，Spenser，Milton，Virgil，ortheGreekdramatists，except(amongsurvivingplays)inthePersaeofAEschylus。Thepoetwhocantransfigurethehotpresentisfortunate，butmost，andthegreatest，havevisitedthecoolquietpurlieusofthepast。 CHAPTERVII——THEIDYLLSOFTHEKING。 TheIdyllsmayprobablybebestconsideredintheirfinalshape: theyarenotanepic，butaseriesofheroicidylliaofthesamegenreastheheroicidylliaofTheocritus。Hewrotelongafterthenaturalageofnationalepic，theageofHomer。HesawthelaterliteraryepicriseintheArgonauticaofApolloniusRhodius，apoemwithmanybeauties，ifratheranarchaisticandelaboraterevivalasawhole。Thetimeforlongnarrativepoems，Theocritusappearstohavethought，waspast，andheonlyventuredontheheroicidylliaofHeracles，andcertainadventuresoftheArgonauts。Tennyson，too，fromthefirstbelievedthathispiecesoughttobeshort。 Therefore，thoughhehadaconceptionofhisworkasawhole，aconceptionlongmusedon，andsketchedinvariouslights，heproducednoepic，onlyaseriesofepicidyllia。Hehadaspiritualconception，\"anallegoryinthedistance，\"anallegorynottobeinsistedupon，thoughitspresencewastobefelt。Nolonger，asinyouth，didTennysonintendMerlintosymbolise\"thescepticalunderstanding\"(asifonewereto\"breakintoblankthegospelof\" HerrKant)，orpoorGuineveretostandfortheBlessedReformation，ortheTableRoundforLiberalInstitutions。MercifullyTennysonneveractuallyallegorisedArthurinthatfashion。LaterhethoughtofamusicalmasqueofArthur，andsketchedascenario。FinallyTennysondroppedboththeallegoryofLiberalprinciplesandthemusicalmasqueinfavouroftheseriesofheroicidylls。Therewasonlya\"parabolicdrift\"intheintention。\"ThereisnosinglefactorincidentintheIdylls，howeverseeminglymystical，whichcannotbeexplainedwithoutanymysteryorallegorywhatever。TheIdyllsoughttoberead(andtherightreadersneverdreamofdoinganythingelse)asromanticpoems，justlikeBrowning\'sChildeRoland，inwhichthewrongreaders(themembersoftheBrowningSociety)soughtformysticmountainsandmarvels。YetTennysonhadhisowninterpretation，\"adreamofmancomingintopracticallifeandruinedbyonesin。\"Thatwashis\"interpretation，\"or\"allegoryinthedistance。\" PeoplemaybeheardobjectingtothesuggestionofanyspiritualinterpretationoftheArthurlegends，andeventotheexistenceofelementarymoralityamongtheArthurianknightsandladies。Thereseemstobeanotionthat\"boldbawdryandopenmanslaughter，\"asRogerAschamsaid，arethestapleofTennyson\'ssources，whetherinthemediaevalFrench，theWelsh，orinMalory\'scompilation，chieflyfromFrenchsources。Tennysonisaccusedof\"Bowdlerising\"these，andofintroducinggentleness，courtesy，andconscienceintoaliteraturewheresuchqualitieswereunknown。Imustconfessmyselfignorantofanyearlyandpopular，or\"primitive\"literature，inwhichhumanvirtues，andthehumanconscience，donotplaytheirpart。ThosewhoobjecttoTennyson\'shandlingofthegreatArthuriancycle，onthegroundthatheistoorefinedandtoomoral，musteitherneverhavereadormustlonghaveforgottenevenMalory\'sromance。Thusweread，inarecentnovel，thatLancelotwasanhommeauxbonnesfortunes，whereasLancelotwasthemostloyaloflovers。 Amongothercritics，MrHarrisonhasobjectedthattheArthurianworldofTennyson\"isnotquiteanidealworld。Thereinliesthedifficulty。Thescene，thoughnotofcoursehistoric，hascertainhistoricsuggestionsandcharacters。\"Itisnotapparentwhothehistoriccharactersare，fortherealArthurisbutahistoricphantasm。\"Butthen，inthemidstofsomuchrealism，theknights，fromArthurdownwards，talkandactinwayswithwhichwearefamiliarinmodernethicalandpsychologicalnovels，butwhichareasimpossibleinrealmediaevalknightsasaBengaltigeroraPolarbearwouldbeinadrawing-room。\"Iconfesstolittleacquaintancewithmodernethicalnovels；butrealmediaevalknights，andstillmoretheknightsofmediaevalromance，werecapableofveryethicalactions。Tohaltanarmyfortheprotectionandcomfortofalaundresswasahighlyethicalaction。PerhapsSirRedversBullerwoulddoit:Brucedid。MrHarrisonaccusestheladiesoftheIdyllsofsoul-bewilderingcasuistry，likethatofwomeninMiddlemarchorHelbeckofBannisdale。NowIamnotremindedbyGuinevere，andElaine，andEnid，ofladiesintheseethicalnovels。 ButthewomenofthemediaevalCoursd\'Amour(theoriginalsfromwhomtheoldromancersdrew)werenothingifnotcasuists。\"Spiritualdelicacy\"(astheyunderstoodit)wastheirdelight。 MrHarrisonevenarguesthatMalory\'smenlivedhot-bloodedlivesinfiercetimes，\"beforeanideahadarisenintheworldof\'reverencingconscience，\'\'leadingsweetlives，\'\"andsoon。Butheadmitsthattheyhad\"fantasticidealsof\'honour\'and\'love。\'\"Asto\"fantastic，\"thatisamatterofopinion，buttohaveidealsandtoliveinaccordancewiththemisto\"reverenceconscience\"，whichtheheroesoftheromancesaresaidbyMrHarrisonnevertohavehadanideaofdoing。Theyaredeniedeven\"amiablewordsandcourtliness。\" Needonesaythatcourtlinessisthedominantnoteofmediaevalknights，inhistoryasinromance？WithdiscourtesyFroissartwould\"headthecountofcrimes。\"Afterabattle，hesays，ScotsknightsandEnglishwouldthankeachotherforagoodfight，\"notliketheGermans。\"\"Andnow，Idaresay，\"saidMalory\'sSirEctor，\"thou，SirLancelot，wastthecurtiestknightthateverbareshield，……andthouwastthemeekestmanandthegentlestthateverateinhallamongladies。\"ObserveSirLancelotinthedifficultpasswheretheLilyMaidoffersherlove:\"Jesudefendme，forthenIrewardedyourfatherandyourbrotherfullevilfortheirgreatgoodness