\"FromtheilluminedhallLonglanesofsplendourslantedo\'erapressOfsnowyshoulders,thickasherdedewes,Andrainbowrobes,andgemsandgem-likeeyes,Andgoldandgoldenheads;theytoandfroFluctuated,asflowersinstorm,somered,somepale。\"
The\"smallsweetIdyll\"from\"Avolumeofthepoetsofherland\"
pureTheocritus。IthasbeenadmirablyrenderedintoGreekbyMrGilbertMurray。Theexquisitebeautiesofstylearenotlessexquisitelyblendedintheconfusionsofadream,foradreamisthethingmostakintoThePrincess。TimedoesnotexistintherealmofGama,orintheidealuniversityofIda。WehaveabooklessNorth,severedbutbyafrontierpillarfromagoldenandlearnedSouth。
Thearts,fromarchitecturetominiature-painting,areintheirhighestperfection,whileknightsstilltourneyinarmour,andthequarreloftwonationsisdecidedasinthegentleandjoyouspassageofarmsatAshbydelaZouche。Suchconfusionsarepurposefullydream-like:thevisionbeingacompositething,asdreamsare,hauntedbythemodernsceneoftheholidayinthepark,the\"gallantgloriouschronicle,\"theAbbey,andthat\"oldcrusadingknightaustere,\"SirRalph。Thesevennarratorsoftheschemearelikethe\"splitpersonalities\"ofdreams,andthewholeschemeisofgreattechnicalskill。Theearliereditionslackedthebeautifulsongsoftheladies,andthatadditionaltraitofdream,thestrangetrance-
likeseizuresofthePrince:\"fallingsfromus,vanishings,\"inWordsworthianphrase;instancesof\"dissociation,\"inmodernpsychologicalterminology。Tennysonhimself,likeShelleyandWordsworth,hadexperienceofthiskindofdreamingawakewhichheattributestohisPrince,tostrengthentheshadowyyetbrilliantcharacterofhisromance。Itisathingofnormalandnaturalpointsderepere;ofdaylightsuggestion,touchedaswiththemagnifyingandintensifyingelementsofhaschish-begottenphantasmagoria。InthesamewayopiumraisedintotheregionofbrilliantvisionthatpassageofPurchaswhichColeridgewasreadingbeforehedreamedKublaKhan。ButinTennysontheeffectsweredeliberatelysoughtandsecured。
Onemightconjecture,thoughLordTennysonsaysnothingonthesubject,thatamongthesuggestionsforThePrincesswastheopeningofLove\'sLabour\'sLost。HeretheKingofNavarredevisestheCollegeofRecluses,whichisbrokenupbythearrivalofthePrincessofFrance,Rosaline,andtheotherladies:-
King。OurCourtshallbealittleAcademe,Stillandcontemplativeinlivingart。
Youthree,Biron,Domain,andLongaville,Haveswornforthreeyears\'termtolivewithme,Myfellow-scholars,andtokeepthosestatutes。
***
Biron。Thatis,toliveandstudyherethreeyears。
Butthereareotherstrictobservances;
As,nottoseeawomaninthatterm。
***
[Reads]\'ThatnowomanshaltcomewithinamileofmyCourt:\'Haththisbeenproclaimed?
Long。Fourdaysago。
Biron。Let\'sseethepenalty。[Reads]\'Onpainoflosinghertongue。\'
ThePrincessthenarriveswithherladies,asthePrincedoeswithCyrilandFlorian,asCharlesdid,withBuckingham,inSpain。TheconclusionofShakespeareisTennyson\'sconclusion-
\"Wecannotcrossthecausewhyweareborn。\"
ThelaterpoetreversestheattitudeofthesexesinLove\'sLabour\'sLost:itisthewomenwhomakeandbreakthevow;andthewomeninThePrincessinsistonthe\"grand,epic,homicidal\"scenes,whilethemenaredebarred,moreorless,fromasportivetreatmentofthesubject。ThetaverncatchofCyril;thelaughablepursuitofthePrincebythefeminineProctors;thedraggledappearanceoftheadventurersinfemalegarb,areconcessionstothehumourofthesituation。ShakespearewouldcertainlyhavegivenusthesongofCyrilatthepicnic,andcomicenoughtheeffectwouldhavebeenonthestage。Itmaybeagrossemployment,butThePrincess,withtheprettychorusofgirlundergraduates,\"Incoloursgayerthanthemorningmist,\"
wentreasonablywellinopera。Merelyconsideredasaromanticfiction,ThePrincesspresentshigherproofsoforiginalnarrativegeniusthananyothersuchattemptbyitsauthor。
ThepoemisfarfrombeingdeficientinthathumaninterestwhichShelleysaidthatitwasasvaintoaskfromHIM,astoseektobuyalegofmuttonatagin-shop。Thecharacters,theprotagonists,withCyril,Melissa,LadyBlanche,thechildAglaia,KingGama,theotherking,Arac,andthehero\'smother——beautifullystudiedfromthemotherofthepoet——areallsufficientlyhuman。Buttheyseemtowaverinthemagicair,\"asallthegoldenautumnwoodlandreelsathwartthefiresofautumnleaves。Forthesereasons,andbecauseofthedesignedfantasyofthewholecomposition,ThePrincessisessentiallyapoemforthetrueloversofpoetry,ofSpenserandofColeridge。Theseriousmotive,thequestionofWoman,herwrongs,herrights,hereducation,hercapabilities,wasnot\"intheair\"in1847。Tobesureithadoftenbeen\"intheair。\"TheAlexandrianPlatonists,theRenaissance,eventheageofAnne,hadtheiremancipatedandlearnedladies。EarlyGreecehadSappho,Corinna,andErinna,thefirstthechiefoflyricpoets,eveninherfragments,thetwoothersapplaudedbyallHellas。TheFrenchRevolutionhadbegottenMaryWollstonecraftGodwinandherVindicationoftheRightsofWomen,andinFranceGeorgeSandwasprominentandemancipatedenoughwhilethepoetwrote。But,thequestionofloveapart,GeorgeSandwas\"very,verywoman,\"shiningasadomesticcharacterandfondofneedlework。Englandwasnotexcitedaboutthequestionwhichhassinceproducedsomanydisputants,inevitablyshrill,andhasnotbeengreatlymeddledwithbywomenofgenius,GeorgeEliotorMrsOliphant。Thepoem,inthepublicindifferenceastofeminineeducation,cameratherprematurely。Wehavenowladies\'colleges,notinhauntsremotefromman,butbythesedgedbanksofCamandCherwell。Therehavebeennorevolutionaryresults:noboyshavespiedthesechastenests,withechoingromanticconsequences。ThebeautyandsplendourofthePrincess\'suniversityhavenotariseninlightandcolour,anditisonlyatStAndrewsthatgirlsweartheacademicandbecomingcostumeofthescarletgown。Therealisfarbelowtheideal,buttherealin1847seemedeminentlyremote,orevenimpossible。
ThelearnedPrincessherselfwasnotonourlevelastoknowledgeandthepastofwomankind。SheknewnotoftheirmasterlypositioninthelawofancientEgypt。Gynaeocracyandmatriarchy,thewomantheheadofthesavageorprehistoricgroup,werethingshiddenfromher。
She\"glancedattheLyciancustom,\"butnotatthePictish,acustomwhichwouldhavesuitedGeorgeSandtoamarvel。ShemalignedtheHottentots。
\"Thehighestisthemeasureoftheman,AndnottheKaffir,Hottentot,Malay。\"
TheHottentotshadlongagoanticipatedthePrincessandhershrillmodernsisterhood。IfwetaketheGreeks,orevenourselves,wemaysay,withDampier1689,\"TheHodmadods,thoughanastypeople,yetaregentlementothese\"asregardsthepositionofwomen。LetushearMrHartland:\"IneveryHottentot\'shousethewifeissupreme。
Herhusband,poorfellow,thoughhemaywieldwidepowerandinfluenceoutofdoors,athomedarenoteventakeamouthfulofsour-milkoutofthehouseholdvatwithoutherpermission……Thehighestoathamancantakeistoswearbyhiseldestsister,andifheabusesthisnameheforfeitstoherhisfinestgoodsandsheep。\"
However,in1847EnglandhadnotyetthoughtofimitatingtheHodmadods。Consequently,andbyreasonofthepurelyliteraryandelaboratelyfantasticalcharacterofThePrincess,itwasnotofanaturetoincreasethepoet\'sfameandsuccess。\"Mybookisout,andIhateit,andsonodoubtwillyou,\"TennysonwrotetoFitzGerald,whohateditandsaidso。\"LikeCarlyle,IgaveupallhopesofhimafterThePrincess,\"indeeditwasnotapttoconciliateCarlyle。
\"Noneofthesongshadtheoldchampagneflavour,\"saidFitz;andLordTennysonadds,\"NothingeitherbyThackerayorbymyfathermetFitzGerald\'sapprobationunlesshehadfirstseenitinmanuscript。\"
Thisprejudicewasveryhuman。LordTennysonremarks,astothepoet\'smeaninginthiswork,borntooearly,that\"thesoonerwomanfindsout,beforethegreateducationalmovementbegins,that\'womanisnotundevelopedman,butdiverse,\'thebetteritwillbefortheprogressoftheworld。\"
Butprobablythe\"educationalmovement\"willnotmakemuchdifferencetowomankindonthewhole。TheoldPlatonicremarkthatwoman\"doesthesamethingsasman,butnotsowell,\"willeternallyholdgood,atleastinthearts,andinletters,exceptinrarecasesofgenius。
AnewJeanned\'Arc,themostsignalexampleofabsolutegeniusinhistory,willnotcomeagain;andtheageshavewaitedvainlyforanewSapphooranewJaneAusten。Literature,poetry,painting,havealwaysbeenfieldsopentowoman。Buttwonamesexhausttherollofwomenofthehighestrankinletters——SapphoandJaneAusten。And\"whendidwomaneveryetinvent?\"In\"artsofgovernment\"Elizabethhadcourage,andjustsavingsenseenoughtoyieldtoCecilattheeleventhhour,andescapethefateof\"hersisterandherfoe,\"thebeautifulunhappyqueenwhotoldherladiesthatshedaredtolookonwhatevermendaredtodo,andherselfwoulddoitifherstrengthsoservedher。\"{6}\"ThefoundressoftheBabylonianwalls\"isamyth;
\"theRhodopethatbuiltthePyramid\"isnotacreditablemyth;forexceptionstoKnox\'s\"MonstrousRegimentofWomen\"wemustfallbackon\"ThePalmyrenethatfoughtAurelian,\"andthereverednameofthegreatestofEnglishqueens,Victoria。Thushistorydoesnotencouragethehopethataman-likeeducationwillraisemanywomentothelevelofthehighestoftheirsexinthepast,oreventhattheenormousmajorityofwomenwilltakeadvantageoftheopportunityofaman-likeeducation。Aglanceatthenumerousperiodicalsdesignedforthereadingofwomendepressesoptimism,andthePrincess\'sprophecyof\"TwoplummetsdroppedforonetosoundtheabyssOfscience,andthesecretsofthemind,\"
isnotnearfulfilment。Fortunatelythesexdoesnot\"lovetheMetaphysics,\"andperhapshasnotyetproducedevenamanualofLogic。Itmustsufficemanandwomanto\"WalkthisworldYokedinallexerciseofnobleend,\"
ofamorepracticalcharacter,whilewomanisatliberty\"ToliveandlearnandbeAllthatnotharmsdistinctivewomanhood。\"
Thiswastheconclusionofthepoetwhohadthemostchivalrousreverenceforwomanhood。Thisistheeireniconofthatoldstrifebetweenthewomenandthemen——thatwarinwhichbotharmiesarecaptured。Itmaynotbeacceptabletoexcitedladycombatants,whothinkmantheirfoe,whentherealenemyiswhatPorsondamnedtheNatureofThings。
AnewpoemlikeThePrincesswouldsoonreachthepublicofourday,sogreatlyincreasedaretheusesofadvertisement。ButThePrincessmovedslowlyfromeditiontorevisedandimprovededition,bringingneithermoneynormuchincreaseoffame。ThepoetwaslivingwithhisfamilyatCheltenham,whereamonghisnewacquaintanceswereSydneyDobell,thepoetofafewexquisitepieces,andF。W。
Robertson,latersopopularasapreacheratBrighton。Meetinghimforthefirsttime,andknowingRobertson\'s\"wishtoplucktheheartfrommymystery,frompurenervousnessIwouldonlytalkofbeer。\"
ThiskindofshynessbesetTennyson。Aladytellsmethatasagirlandaverybeautifulgirlsheandhersister,andathird,necdiversa,metthepoet,andexpectedhighdiscourse。Buthisspeechwasallofthatwinglessinsectwhich\"getsthere,allthesame,\"
accordingtoanAmericanlyrist;theinsectwhichfillsMrsCarlyle\'sletterswithbulletinsofhersuccessorfailureindomesticcampaigns。
TennysonkeptvisitingLondon,wherehesawThackerayandthedespairofCarlyle,andatBathHousehewastoomodesttobeintroducedtothegreatDukewhoserequiemhewastosingsonobly。OddlyenoughDouglasJerroldenthusiasticallyassuredTennyson,atadinnerofaSocietyofAuthors,that\"youaretheonewhowilllive。\"Tothatend,humanlyspeaking,heplacedhimselfunderthecelebratedDrGullyandhis\"water-cure,\"afoibleofthatperiod。In1848hemadeatourtoKingArthur\'sCornishbounds,andanothertoScotland,wherethePassofBranderdisappointedhim:perhapshesawitonafineday,and,likeGlencoe,itneedstempestandmistlitupbythewhitefiresofmanywaterfalls。BybonnyDoonhe\"fellintoapassionoftears,\"forhehadallofKeats\'ssentimentforBurns:
\"Thereneverwasimmortalpoetifhebenotone。\"OfallEnglishpoets,thewarmestinthepraiseofBurnshavebeenthetwomostunlikehimself——TennysonandKeats。ItwasthesongsthatTennysonpreferred;WordsworthlikedtheCottar\'sSaturdayNight。
CHAPTERV——INMEMORIAM。
InMay1850afew,copiesofInMemoriamwereprintedforfriends,andpresentlythepoemwaspublishedwithoutauthor\'sname。Thepieceshadbeencomposedatintervals,from1833onwards。Itistobeobservedthatthe\"sectionaboutevolution\"waswrittensomeyearsbefore1844,whentheingenioushypothesesofRobertChambers,inVestigesofCreation,weregiventotheworld,andcausedagooddealoftalk。Tenyears,again,afterInMemoriam,cameDarwin\'sOriginofSpecies。Thesedatesareworthobserving。Thetheoryofevolution,ofcourseinarudemythicalshape,isatleastasoldasthetheoryofcreation,andisfoundamongthespeculationsofthemostbackwardsavages。TheAruntaofCentralAustralia,araceremotefromthepolite,haveahypothesisofevolutionwhichpostulatesonlyafewrudimentaryformsoflife,amarineenvironment,andtheminimumofsupernormalassistanceinthewayofstimulatingtheprimalformsinthedirectionofmorehighlydifferentiateddevelopments。\"Therudimentaryforms,Inapertwa,wereinrealitystagesinthetransformationofvariousplantsandanimalsintohumanbeings……Theyhadnodistinctlimbsororgansofsight,hearing,orsmell。\"Theyexistedinakindoflumps,andweresetfreefromthecaulswhichenvelopedthembytwobeingscalledUngambikula,\"awordwhichmeans\'outofnothing,\'or\'self-
existing。\'Mendescendfromloweranimalsthusevolved。\"{7}
Thisexampleofthedoctrineofevolutioninanearlyshapeisonlymentionedtoprovethattheideahasbeenfamiliartothehumanmindfromthelowestknownstageofculture。Notlessfamiliarhasbeenthetheoryofcreationbyakindofsupremebeing。Thenotionofcreation,however,upto1860,heldtheforemostplaceinmodernEuropeanbelief。ButLamarck,theelderDarwin,Monboddo,andothershadsubmittedhypothesesofevolution。NowitwaspartoftheoriginalityofTennyson,asaphilosophicpoet,thathehadbroodedfromboyhoodontheseearlytheoriesofevolution,inanagewhentheywerepracticallyunknowntotheliterary,andwerenotpatronisedbythescientific,world。InNovember1844hewrotetoMrMoxon,\"IwantyoutogetmeabookwhichIseeadvertisedintheExaminer:itseemstocontainmanyspeculationswithwhichIhavebeenfamiliarforyears,andonwhichIhavewrittenmorethanonepoem。\"ThisbookwasVestigesofCreation。ThesepoemsarethestanzasinInMemoriamabout\"thegreaterape,\"andaboutNatureascarelessofthetype:\"allshallgo。\"ThepoeticandphilosophicoriginalityofTennysonthusfacedthepopularinferencesastotheeffectofthedoctrineofevolutionuponreligiousbeliefslongbeforetheworldwasmovedinallitsdeepsbyDarwin\'sOriginofSpecies。Thusthegeologicalrecordisinconsistent,welearned,withtherecordofthefirstchaptersofGenesis。Ifmanisadifferentiatedmonkey,andifamonkeyhasnosoul,orfuturelifewhichistakenforgranted,whereareman\'stitle-deedstothesepossessions?Withotherdifficultiesofanobviouskind,thesepresentedthemselvestothepoetwithrenewedforcewhenhisonlychanceofhappinessdependedonbeingabletobelieveinafuturelife,andreunionwiththebeloveddead。Unbeliefhadalwaysexisted。WehearofatheistsintheRigVeda。Intheearlyeighteenthcentury,intheageofSwift-
\"Menproved,assureasGod\'sinGloucester,ThatMoseswasagreatimpostor。\"
distrustofMosesincreasedwiththeincreaseofhypothesesofevolution。ButwhatEnglishpoet,beforeTennyson,everattempted\"tolaythespectresofthemind\";everfacedworld-oldproblemsintheirmostrecentaspects?Iamnotacquaintedwithanypoetwhoattemptedthistask,and,whateverwemaythinkofTennyson\'ssuccess,Idonotseehowwecandenyhisoriginality。
MrFredericHarrison,however,thinksthatneither\"thetheologynorthephilosophyofInMemoriamarenew,original,withanindependentforceanddepthoftheirown。\"\"Theyareexquisitelygracefulre-
statementsofthetheologyoftheBroadChurchmanoftheschoolofF。
D。MauriceandJowett——acombinationofMaurice\'ssomewhatillogicalpietywithJowett\'sphilosophyofmystification。\"ThepietyofMauricemaybeasillogicalasthatofPositivismislogical,andthephilosophyoftheMasterofBalliolmaybewhateverMrHarrisonpleasestocallit。ButasJowett\'searliestworkexceptanessayonEtruscanreligionisof1855,onedoesnotseehowitcouldinfluenceTennysonbefore1844。AndwhathadtheDukeofArgyllwrittenonthesethemessomeyearsbefore1844?ThelateDuke,towhomMrHarrisonrefersinthisconnection,wasbornin1823。Hisphilosophicideas,iftheyweretoinfluenceTennyson\'sInMemoriam,musthavebeensetforthbyhimatthetenderageofseventeen,orthereabouts。MrHarrison\'ssentenceis,\"ButdoesInMemoriamteachanything,ortransfigureanyideawhichwasnotaboutthattime\"thetimeofwritingwasmainly1833-1840\"commonformwithF。D。
Maurice,withJowett,C。Kingsley,F。Robertson,StopfordBrooke,MrRuskin,andtheDukeofArgyll,BishopsWestcottandBoydCarpenter?\"
ThedatesanswerMrHarrison。JowettdidnotpublishanythingtillatleastfifteenyearsafterTennysonwrotehispoemsonevolutionandbelief。DrBoydCarpenter\'sworkspreviousto1840areunknowntobibliography。F。W。RobertsonwasayoungparsonatCheltenham。
RuskinhadnotpublishedthefirstvolumeofModernPainters。HisOxfordprizepoemisof1839。MrStopfordBrookewasatschool。TheDukeofArgyllwasbeingprivatelyeducated:andsowiththerest,exceptthecontemporaryMaurice。HowcanMrHarrisonsaythat,inthetimeofInMemoriam,Tennysonwas\"intouchwiththeideasofHerschel,Owen,Huxley,Darwin,andTyndall\"?{8}WhenTennysonwrotethepartsofInMemoriamwhichdealwithscience,nobodybeyondtheirfamiliesandfriendshadheardofHuxley,Darwin,andTyndall。
Theyhadnotdeveloped,muchlesshadtheypublished,their\"generalideas。\"EveninhisjournaloftheCruiseoftheBeagleDarwin\'sideaswerereligious,andhenaivelyadmiredtheworksofGod。ItisstrangethatMrHarrisonhasbasedhiscriticism,andhistheoryofTennyson\'swantoforiginality,onwhatseemstobeahistoricalerror。HecitespartsofInMemoriam,andremarks,\"Noonecandenythatallthisisexquisitelybeautiful;thattheseeternalproblemshaveneverbeencladinsuchinimitablegrace……ButthetrainofthoughtisessentiallythatwithwhichordinaryEnglishreadershavebeenmadefamiliarbyF。D。Maurice,ProfessorJowett,EcceHomo,Hypatia,andnowbyArthurBalfour,MrDrummond,andmanyvaliantcompaniesofSeptem[whySeptem?]contraDiabolum。\"OnemustkeeprepeatingthehistoricalveritythattheideasofInMemoriamcouldnothavebeen\"madefamiliarby\"authorswhohadnotyetpublishedanything,orbybooksyetundreamedofandunborn,suchasEcceHomoandJowett\'sworkonsomeofStPaul\'sEpistles。IfthesebookscontaintheideasofInMemoriam,itisbydintofrepetitionandborrowingfromInMemoriam,orbycoincidence。TheoriginalitywasTennyson\'s,forwecannotdisputetheevidenceofdates。
Whenonespeaksof\"originality\"onedoesnotmeanthatTennysondiscoveredtheexistenceoftheultimateproblems。ButatCambridge1828-1830hehadvoted\"No\"inanswertothequestiondiscussedby\"theApostles,\"\"Isanintelligible[intelligent?]FirstCausededuciblefromthephenomenaoftheuniverse?\"{9}Hehadalsopropoundedthetheorythat\"thedevelopmentofthehumanbodymightpossiblybetracedfromtheradiatedvermicularmolluscousandvertebrateorganisms,\"thirtyyearsbeforeDarwinpublishedTheOriginofSpecies。Tobeconcernedsoearlywithsuchhypotheses,andtoface,inpoetry,thereligiousorirreligiousinferenceswhichmaybedrawnfromthem,decidedlyconstitutespartofthepoeticoriginalityofTennyson。Hisattitude,asapoet,towardsreligiousdoubtisonlysofarnotoriginal,asitispartofthegeneralreactionfromthefreethinkingoftheeighteenthcentury。Menhadthenbeenfreethinkersavecdelices。Itwasajoyousthingtobeanatheist,orsomethingverylikeone;atallevents,itwasglorioustobe\"emancipated。\"Manystillfinditglorious,aswereadinthetoneofMrHuxley,whenhetriumphsandtramplesoverpiousdukesandbishops。Shelleysaidthatacertainschoolgirl\"wouldmakeadearlittleatheist。\"Butby1828-1830menwerelessjoyousintheirescapefromallthathadhithertoconsoledandfortifiedhumanity。
LongbeforehedreamedofInMemoriam,inthePoemschieflyLyricalof1830Tennysonhadwritten-
\"\'Yet,\'saidI,inmymornofyouth,Theunsunn\'dfreshnessofmystrength,WhenIwentforthinquestoftruth,\'Itisman\'sprivilegetodoubt。\'……
Ayme!IfearAllmaynotdoubt,buteverywhereSomemustclaspIdols。Yet,myGod,WhomcallIIdol?LetThydoveShadowmeover,andmysinsBeunremember\'d,andThyloveEnlightenme。OhteachmeyetSomewhatbeforetheheavyclodWeighsonme,andthebusyfretOfthatsharp-headedwormbeginsInthegrossblacknessunderneath。
Ohwearylife!ohwearydeath!
Ohspiritandheartmadedesolate!
Ohdamnedvacillatingstate!\"
NowthephilosophyofInMemoriammaybe,indeedis,regardedbyrobust,first-rate,andfarfromsensitiveminds,asa\"damnedvacillatingstate。\"Thepoetisnotsoimbuedwiththespiritofpopularscienceastobesurethatheknowseverything:knowsthatthereisnothingbutatomsandether,withnoroomforGodorasoul。
Heisfarfromthathappycock-certainty,andconsequentlyisexposedtothecontemptofthecock-certain。Thepoem,saysMrHarrison,\"hasmadeTennysontheidoloftheAnglicanclergyman——theworldinwhichhewasbornandtheworldinwhichhislifewasideallypassed——
theidolofallculturedyouthandofallaestheticwomen。Itisanhonourableposttofill\"——thatofidol。\"TheargumentofInMemoriamapparentlyis……thatweshouldfaintlytrustthelargerhope。\"
That,Ithink,isnottheargument,nottheconclusionofthepoem,butisacasualexpressionofonemoodamongmanymoods。
TheargumentandconclusionofInMemoriamaretheargumentandconclusionofthelifeofTennyson,andoftheloveofTennyson,thatimmortalpassionwhichwasapartofhimself,andwhich,ifaughtofusendure,islivingyet,andmustliveeternally。FromtherecordofhisLifebyhissonweknowthathistrustin\"thelargerhope\"