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,inlinesfromthisearliestvolumeTheMystic:-
\"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;thegrowingdoubtscausedbyevolutionaryideasthenfamiliartoTennyson,thoughnotto\"ordinaryEnglishreaders\",thelongingforareturntochildlikefaith,andthemysticalexperienceswhichhelpedTennysontorecoverafaiththatabodewithhim。Inthesethingshewasoriginal。Evenasanundergraduatehewasnotfollowing\"atrainofthoughtmadefamiliar\"byauthorswhohadnotyetwrittenaline,andbybookswhichhadnotyetbeenpublished。
Somuch,then,ofthepoetthatwastobeandofthephilosopherexistedinthelittlevolumeoftheundergraduate。InTheMysticwenoticeaphrase,twowordslong,whichwaslatertobemadefamiliar,\"Daughtersoftime,divinelytall,\"reproducedinthepictureofHelen:-
\"AdaughteroftheGods,divinelytall,Andmostdivinelyfair。\"
ThereflectivepiecesarecertainlyofmoreinterestnowthoughtheyseemtohavesatisfiedthepoetlessthanthegalleryofairyfairyLilians,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。Thecharmedvolumeappearedattheendoftheyeardated1833,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。
Manypoemswereproducedandevenwrittenout,whichanumberofhispiecesneverwere,andwereleftinmanuscripttilltheyappearedintheBiography。Mostofthesearesolittleworthyoftheauthorthatthemarvelishowhecametowritethem——inwhatuninspiredhours。
UnlikeWordsworth,hecouldweedthetaresfromhiswheat。HisstudieswereinGreek,German,Italian,historyalittle,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。