Thesemeritshaveceasedtobedisputed，but，thoughaloyalTennysonian，IhaveneverquitebeenabletoreconcilemyselftoMaudasawhole。Theheroisanunwholesomeyoungman，andnotofanoriginalkind。Heisunbeautenebreuxof1830。IsupposeithasbeenobservedthatheismerelyTheMasterofRavenswoodinmoderncostume，andwithoutLadyAshton。HerpartistakenbyMaud\'sbrother。ThesituationsoftheheroandoftheMasterwhoseacquaintanceThackerayneverrenewedafterhelosthishatintheKelpieFlowarenearlyidentical。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。
Criticisedasataleofmodernlifeanditwascriticisedinthatcharacter，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\"reviewerswerethecause。
\"ThereisanoteneededtoshowthegoodsideofhumannatureandtocondoneitsfrailtieswhichThackeraywillneverstrike。\"ToothersitseemsthatThackeraywaseternallystrikingthisnote:atthattimeinGeneralLambert，hiswife，anddaughters，nottospeakofothercharactersinTheVirginians。WhodoesnotcondonethefrailtiesofCaptainCostigan，andF。B。，andtheChevalierStrong？
Inanycase，Tennysontookhisowntime，hewas1858onlybeginningElaine。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，askedtheMasterthentutorofBallioltosuggestthemes。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？\"heaskedDarwinlater1868，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，sinceaboutthreeweeksagothreeweeksoramonthwasit？whenI
readthebook。Itisonthetableyonder，andIdon\'tlike，somehow，todisturbit，butthedelightandgratitude!YouhavemademeashappyasIwasasachildwiththeArabianNights，——everystepIhavewalkedinElflandhasbeenasortofParadisetome。ThelandlordgaveTWObottlesofhisclaretandIthinkIdrankthemostandhereIhavebeenlyingbackinthechairandthinkingofthosedelightfulIdylls，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。Hesendsyouandyourshisverybestregardsinthismostheartfeltandartlessnoteofadmiration!
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，exceptamongsurvivingplaysinthePersaeofAEschylus。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。TheIdyllsoughttobereadandtherightreadersneverdreamofdoinganythingelseasromanticpoems，justlikeBrowning\'sChildeRoland，inwhichthewrongreadersthemembersoftheBrowningSocietysoughtformysticmountainsandmarvels。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\'Amourtheoriginalsfromwhomtheoldromancersdrewwerenothingifnotcasuists。\"Spiritualdelicacy\"astheyunderstooditwastheirdelight。
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