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