InwritingthisbriefsketchoftheLifeofTennyson，andthisattempttoappreciatehiswork，IhaverestedalmostentirelyontheBiographybyLordTennysonwithhiskindpermissionandonthetextofthePoems。AstotheLife，doubtlesscurrentanecdotes，notgivenintheBiography，areknowntome，andtomostpeople。ButastheymustalsobefamiliartotheauthoroftheBiography，Ihavenotthoughtitdesirabletoincludewhatherejected。Theworksofthe"localisers"Ihavenotread:Tennysondislikedtheseresearches，asarule，andtheyappeartobeunessential，andoftenhazardous。
　　TheprofessedcommentatorsIhavenotconsulted。Itappearedbettertogiveone'sownimpressionsofthePoems，unaffectedbytheimpressionsofothers，exceptinoneortwocaseswheremattersoffactratherthanoftasteseemedtobeinquestion。ThusontwoorthreepointsIhaveventuredtodifferfromadistinguishedlivingcritic，andhavegiventhereasonsformydissent。ProfessorBradley'sCommentaryonInMemoriam{1}cameoutafterthissketchwasinprint。ManyofthecommentscitedbyMrBradleyfromhispredecessorsappeartojustifymyneglectofthesecuriousinquirers。
　　The"difficulties"whichtheyraisearenotlikely，asarule，topresentthemselvestopersonswhoreadpoetry"forhumanpleasure。"
　　Ihavenotoftendweltonparallelstobefoundintheworksofearlierpoets。InmanycasesTennysondeliberatelyreproducedpassagesfromGreek，Latin，andoldItalianwriters，justasVirgildidinthecaseofHomer，Theocritus，ApolloniusRhodius，andothers。
　　Thereare，doubtless，instancesinwhichaphraseisunconsciouslyreproducedbyautomaticmemory，fromanEnglishpoet。ButIamlessinclinedthanMrBradleytothinkthatunconsciousreminiscenceismorecommoninTennysonthaninthepoetsgenerally。IhavenotcloselyexaminedKeatsandShelley，forexample，toseehowfartheywereinfluencedbyunconsciousmemory。ButScott，confessedly，wasapttoreproducethephrasesofothers，andonceunwittinglyborrowedfromapoembythevaletofoneofhisfriends!IbelievethatmanyoftheallegedborrowingsinTennysonareeithernotrueparallelsatalloraretheunavoidablecoincidencesofexpressionwhichmustinevitablyoccur。Thepoethimselfstated，inalivelyphrase，hisopinionofthehuntersafterparallels，andIconfessthatIammuchofhismind。TheyoftenremindmeofMrPunch'sparodyonanunfriendlyreviewofAlexanderSmith-
　　"MostWOMENhaveNOCHARACTERatall。"——POPE。
　　"NoCHARACTERthatservantWOMANasked。"——SMITH。
　　IhavetothankMrEdmundGosseandMrVernonRendallfortheirkindnessinreadingmyproof-sheets。Theyhavesavedmefromsomeerrors，butImayhaveoccasionallyretainedmatterwhich，foronereasonoranother，didnotrecommenditselftothem。Innocasearetheyresponsiblefortheopinionsexpressed，orforthecriticalestimates。TheyarethoseofaTennysonian，and，nodoubt，wouldbeotherthantheyareifthewriterwereyoungerthanheis。Itdoesnotfollowthattheywouldnecessarilybemorecorrect，thoughprobablytheywouldbemoreinvogue。Thepointofviewmustshiftwitheachgenerationofreaders，asideasorbeliefsgoinoroutoffashion，areaccepted，rejected，orrehabilitated。TooneageTennysonmayseemweaklysuperstitious；toanotherneedlesslysceptical。Afterall，whathemustlivebyis，nothisopinions，buthispoetry。ThepoetryofMiltonsurviveshisideas；whatevermaybethefateoftheideasofTennysonhispoetrymustendure。
　　CHAPTERI——BOYHOOD——CAMBRIDGE——EARLYPOEMS。
　　ThelifeandworkofTennysonpresentsomethinglikethenormaltypeofwhat，incircumstancesasfortunateasmortalsmayexpect，thelifeandworkofamodernpoetoughttobe。Amodernpoet，onesays，becauseevenpoetryisnowaffectedbythedivisionoflabour。Wedonotlooktothepoetforalargeshareinthepracticalactivitiesofexistence:wedonotexpecthim，likeAEschylusandSophocles，TheognisandAlcaeus，totakeaconspicuouspartinpoliticsandwar；
　　oreven，asintheAgeofAnne，toshineamongwitsandinsociety。
　　Lifehasbecome，perhaps，toospecialisedforsuchmultifariousactivities。Indeed，eveninancientdays，asaCelticproverbandasthepictureoflifeintheHomericepicsprove，thepoetwasalreadyamanapart——notforemostamongstatesmenandratherbackwardamongwarriors。Ifweagreewithanotunpopularopinion，thepoetoughttobeakindof"Titanic"force，wreckinghimselfonhisownpassionsandonthenatureofthings，asdidByron，Burns，Marlowe，andMusset。ButTennyson'scareerfollowedlinesreallymorenormal，thelinesofthelifeofWordsworth，wisdomandself-controldirectingthecourseofalong，sane，sound，andfortunateexistence。ThegreatphysicalstrengthwhichiscommonlythebasisofgreatmentalvigourwasnotruinedinTennysonbypovertyandpassion，asinthecaseofBurns，norinforcedliterarylabour，asinthoseofScottandDickens。Forlonghewaspoor，likeWordsworthandSouthey，butneverdestitute。Hemadehisearlyeffort:hehadhistimeofgreatsorrow，andtrial，andapparentfailure。Withpracticalwisdomheconqueredcircumstances；hebecameeminent；heoutlivedreactionagainsthisgenius；hediedinthefulnessofahappyageandofrenown。Thisfull-orbedlife，withnotafewyearsofsorrowandstress，iswhatNatureseemstointendforthecareerofadivineminstrel。IfTennysonmissedthe"onecrowdedhourofgloriouslife，"hehadnottobecontentin"anagewithoutaname。"
　　ItwasnotTennyson'slottoillustrateanymoderntheoryoftheoriginofgenius。Bornin1809ofaLincolnshirefamily，longconnectedwiththesoilbutinconspicuousinhistory，TennysonhadnothingCelticinhisblood，asfaraspedigreesprove。Thisisunfortunateforoneschooloftheorists。Hismothergeniusispresumedtobederivedfrommothershadageniusmerelyformoralexcellenceandforreligion。SheisdescribedinthepoemofIsabel，andwas"aremarkableandsaintlywoman。"Inthemaleline，thefamilywasnotasthefamiliesofgeniusoughttobebriefoflifeandunhealthy。"TheTennysonsneverdie，"saidthesisterwhowasbetrothedtoArthurHallam。Thefather，aclergyman，was，sayshisgrandson，"amanofgreatability，"andhis"excellentlibrary"wasanelementintheeducationofhisfamily。"Myfatherwasapoet，"
　　Tennysonsaid，"andcouldwriteregularverseveryskilfully。"Inphysicaltypethesonsweretall，strong，andunusuallydark:
　　Tennyson，whenabroad，wasnottakenforanEnglishman；athome，strangersthoughthim"foreign。"Mostofthechildrenhadthetemperament，andseveralofthesonshadsomeoftheaccomplishments，ofgenius:whencederivedbywayofheredityisaquestionbeyondconjecture，forthefather'saccomplishmentwasnotunusual。AsWaltonsaysofthepoetandtheangler，they"wereborntobeso":
　　weknownomore。
　　TheregioninwhichthepaternalhamletofSomersbylies，"alandofquietvillages，largefields，greyhillsides，andnobletall-toweredchurches，onthelowerslopeofaLincolnshirewold，"doesnotappeartohavebeenrichinromanticlegendandtradition。Thefolk-loreofLincolnshire，ofwhichexampleshavebeenpublished，doesseemtohaveapeculiarpoetryofitsown，butitwasratherthehumorousthanthepoeticalaspectofthecountry-peoplethatTennysonappearstohaveknown。Inbrief，wehavenothingtoinformusastohowgeniuscameintothatgenerationofTennysonswhichwasbornbetween1807and1819。Asourceandacausetheremusthavebeen，butthesethingsarehidden，exceptfrompopularscience。
　　Precocityisnotasignofgenius，butgeniusisperhapsalwaysaccompaniedbyprecocity。Thisisespeciallynotableinthecasesofpainting，music，andmathematics；butinthematterofliteraturegeniusmaychieflyshowitselfinacquisition，asinSirWalterScott，whowhenaboyknewmuch，butdidlittlethatwouldattractnotice。AsachildandaboyyoungTennysonwasremarkedbothforacquisitionandperformance。Hisownreminiscencesofhischildhoodvariedsomewhatindetail。InoneplacewelearnthatattheageofeighthecoveredaslatewithblankverseinthemannerofJamieThomson，theonlypoetwithwhomhewasthenacquainted。Inanotherpassagehesays，"Thefirstpoetrythatmovedmewasmyownatfiveyearsold。WhenIwaseightIremembermakingalineIthoughtgranderthanCampbell，orByron，orScott。Irolleditout，itwasthis-
　　'Withslaughteroussonsofthunderrolledtheflood'-
　　greatnonsense，ofcourse，butIthoughtitfine!"
　　ItWASfine，andwasthoroughlyTennysonian。Scott，Campbell，andByronprobablyneverproducedalinewiththequalitiesofthisnonsenseverse。"BeforeIcouldreadIwasinthehabitonastormydayofspreadingmyarmstothewindandcryingout，'Ihearavoicethat'sspeakinginthewind，'andthewords'far，faraway'hadalwaysastrangecharmforme。"Alatelyrichasthisoverword，FAR，FARAWAY!
　　Aboyofeightwhoknewthecontemporarypoetswasmoreorlessprecocious。TennysonalsoknewPope，andwrotehundredsoflinesinPope'smeasure。Attwelvetheboyproducedanepic，inScott'smanner，ofsomesixthousandlines。He"neverfelthimselfmoretrulyinspired，"forthesenseof"inspiration"asthelateMrMyershasarguedinanessayonthe"MechanismofGenius"haslittletodowiththeactualvalueoftheproduct。AtfourteenTennysonwroteadramainblankverse。Achorusfromthisplayasoneguesses，apiecefrom"anunpublisheddramawrittenveryearly，"ispublishedinthevolumeof1830:-
　　"Thevariedearth，themovingheaven，Therapidwasteofrovingsea，Thefountain-pregnantmountainsrivenToshapesofwildestanarchy，BysecretfireandmidnightstormsThatwanderroundtheirwindycones。"
　　TheselinesarealreadyTennysonian。Thereistheclassicaltranscript，"thevariedearth，"daedalatellus。Thereisthegeologicalinterestintheforcesthatshapethehills。Thereistheuseofthefavouriteword"windy，"andlaterinthepiece-
　　"Thetroublousautumn'sSALLOWgloom。"
　　Theyoungpoetfromboyhoodwasoriginalinhismanner。
　　Byronmadehimblaseatfourteen。ThenByrondied，andTennysonscratchedonarock"Byronisdead，"on"adaywhenthewholeworldseemeddarkenedforme。"LaterheconsideredByron'spoetry"toomuchakintorhetoric。""Byronisnotanartistorathinker，oracreatorinthehighersense，butastrongpersonality；heisendlesslyclever，andisnowundulydepreciated。"He"didgivetheworldanotherheartandnewpulses，andsowearekeptgoing。"But"hewasdominatedbyByrontillhewasseventeen，whenheputhimawayaltogether。"
　　Inhisboyhood，despitethesufferingswhichheenduredforawhileatschoolatLouth；despitebullyingfrombigboysandmasters，Tennysonwould"shouthisversestotheskies。""Well，Arthur，I
　　meantobefamous，"heusedtosaytooneofhisbrothers。Heobservednatureverycloselybythebrookandthethunderingsea-
　　shores:hewasneverasportsman，andhisanglingwasinthemanneroftheloverofTheMiller'sDaughter。Hewasseventeen1826whenPoemsbyTwoBrothershimselfandhisbrotherFrederickwaspublishedwiththedate1827。Thesepoemscontain，asfarasIhavebeenabletodiscover，nothingreallyTennysonian。Whathehaddoneinhisownmannerwasomitted，"beingthoughttoomuchoutofthecommonforthepublictaste。"Theyoungpoethadalreadysavingcommon-sense，andunderstoodthepublic。Fragmentsofthetruegoldarefoundinthevolumeof1830，othersarepreservedintheBiography。TheballadsuggestedbyTheBrideofLammermoorwasnotunworthyofBeddoes，andthatnovel，onecannotbutthink，suggestedtheopeningsituationinMaud，wheretheheroisamodernMasterofRavenswoodinhisrelationtotherichinterlopingfamilyandthebeautifuldaughter。Tothispointweshallreturn。ItdoesnotappearthatTennysonwasconsciousinMaudofthesuggestionfromScott，andthecoincidencemaybemerelyaccidental。
　　TheLover'sTale，publishedin1879，wasmainlyaworkofthepoet'snineteenthyear。Afewcopieshadbeenprintedforfriends。Oneofthese，witherrorsofthepress，andwithouttheintendedalterations，waspiratedbyanunhappymanin1875。InoldageTennysonbroughtouttheworkofhisboyhood。"ItwaswrittenbeforeIhadeverseenShelley，thoughitiscalledShelleyan，"hesaid；andindeedhebelievedthathisworkhadneverbeenimitative，afterhisearliesteffortsinthemannerofThomsonandofScott。TheonlythingsinTheLover'sTalewhichwouldsuggestthatthepoetherefollowedShelleyaretheItaliansceneofthestory，thecharacteroftheversification，andtheextraordinaryluxurianceandexuberanceoftheimagery。{2}Asearlyas1868TennysonheardthatwrittencopiesofTheLover'sTalewereincirculation。Hethenremarked，astotheexuberanceofthepiece:"Allowancemustbemadeforabundanceofyouth。Itisrichandfull，buttherearemistakesinit……Thepoemisthebreathofyounglove。"
　　HowtrulyTennysonianthemannerismaybeunderstoodevenfromtheopeninglines，fulloftheoriginalcadenceswhichweretobecomesofamiliar:-
　　"Herefaraway，seenfromthetopmostcliff，FillingwithpurplegloomthevacanciesBetweenthetuftedhills，theslopingseasHunginmid-heaven，andhalfwaydownraresails，Whiteaswhiteclouds，floatedfromskytosky。"
　　Thenarrativeinpartsoneandtwowhichalonewerewritteninyouthissochokedwithimagesanddescriptionsastobealmostobscure。Itisthestory，practically，ofalovelikethatofPaulandVirginia，buttheloveisnotreturnedbythegirl，whoprefersthefriendofthenarrator。LiketheheroofMaud，thespeakerhasaperiodofmadnessandillusion；whilethethirdpart，"TheGoldenSupper"——suggestedbyastoryofBoccaccio，andwritteninmaturity——
　　isputinthemouthofanothernarrator，andisinadifferentstyle。
　　Thediscardedlover，visitingthevaultwhichcontainsthebodyofhislady，findsheralive，andrestoreshertoherhusband。Thewholefinishedlegendisnecessarilynotamongtheauthor'smasterpieces。ButperhapsnotevenKeatsinhisearliestworkdisplayedmoreofpromise，andgavemoreassuranceofgenius。Hereandtherecometurnsandphrases，"allthecharmofalltheMuses，"
　　whichremindareaderofthingslaterwellknowninpiecesmoremature。Suchlinesare-
　　"Strangetomeandsweet，Sweetthroughstrangeyears，"
　　and-
　　"Liketoalow-hungandafieryskyHungroundwithRAGGEDRIMSandburningfolds。"
　　And-
　　"Likesoundswithoutthetwilightrealmofdreams，Whichwanderroundthebasesofthehills。"
　　Wealsonotecloseobservationofnatureinthecuriousphrase-
　　"CriesofthepartridgelikearustykeyTurnedinalock。"
　　OfthiskindwasTennyson'sadolescentvein，whenheleft"ThepoplarsfourThatstoodbesidehisfather'sdoor，"
　　theSomersbybrook，andthemillsandgranges，theseasoftheLincolnshirecoast，andthehillsanddalesamongthewolds，forCambridge。HewaswellreadinoldandcontemporaryEnglishliterature，andintheclassics。Alreadyhewasacquaintedwiththesingulartrance-likeconditiontowhichhispoemsoccasionallyallude，asubjectforcommentlater。HematriculatedatTrinity，withhisbrotherCharles，onFebruary20，1828，andhadaninterviewofanotquitefriendlysortwithaproctorbeforeheworethegown。
　　ThatTennysonshouldgotoCambridge，nottoOxford，waspartofthenatureofthings，bywhichCambridgeeducatesthemajorityofEnglishpoets，whereasOxfordhasonly"turnedout"afew——likeShelley。Atthattime，asinMacaulay'sday，thepathofuniversityhonoursatCambridgelaythroughMathematics，and，exceptforhisprizepoemin1829，Tennysontooknohonoursatall。Hisclassicalreadingwaspursuedasliterature，notasacourseofgrammarandphilology。NoEnglishpoet，atleastsinceMilton，hadbeenbetterreadintheclassics；butTennyson'sstudiesdidnotaimatthegainingofacademicdistinction。HisaspectwassuchthatThompson，laterMasterofTrinity，onfirstseeinghimcomeintohall，said，"Thatmanmustbeapoet。"LikeByron，Shelley，andprobablyColeridge，Tennysonlookedthepoetthathewas:"Sixfeethigh，broad-chested，strong-limbed，hisfaceShakespearianandwithdeepeyelids，hisforeheadample，crownedwithdarkwavyhair，hisheadfinelypoised。"
　　NotmuchisrecordedofTennysonasanundergraduate。Inourdayseffortswouldhavebeenmadetoenlistsopromisingarecruitinoneofthecollegeboats；butrowingwasinitsinfancy。Itisapeculiarityoftheuniversitiesthatlittleflocksofmenofunusualabilitycomeupatintervalstogether，breakingthemonotonyofidlers，prizescholars，andhonoursmen。SuchagroupappearedatBalliolinMatthewArnold'stime，andratherlater，atvariouscolleges，inthedawnofPre-Raphaelitism。TheTennysons——Alfred，Frederick，andCharles——weremembersofsuchaset。TherewasArthurHallam，sonofthehistorian，fromEton；therewasSpedding，theeditorandbiographerofBacon；MilnesLordHoughton，BlakesleyDeanofLincoln，Thompson，Merivale，Trenchapoet，andlater，ArchbishopofDublin，Brookfield，Buller，and，afterTennysonthegreatest，Thackeray，acontemporaryifnotan"Apostle。"CharlesBuller's，likeHallam's，wastobean"unfulfilledrenown。"OfHallam，whosenameisforeverlinkedwithhisown，Tennysonsaidthathewouldhavebeenagreatman，butnotagreatpoet；"hewasasnearperfectionasmortalmancouldbe。"HisscantyremainsarechieflynotableforhisdivinationofTennysonasagreatpoet；fortherest，wecanonlytrusttheauthorofInMemoriamandtheverdictoftradition。
　　ThestudiesofthepoetatthistimeincludedoriginalcompositioninGreekandLatinverse，history，andathemethathealonehasmadepoetical，naturalscience。Allpoetryhasitsrootsintheagebeforenaturalsciencewasmorethanaseriesofnature-myths。Thepoetshaveusually，likeKeats，regrettedthedayswhen"Therewasanawfulrainbowonceinheaven，"
　　whenthehillsandstreamswerenotyet"dispeopledoftheirdreams。"
　　Tennyson，ontheotherhand，wasalreadyfindingmaterialforpoetryintheworldasseenthroughmicroscopeandtelescope，andasdevelopedthrough"aeonian"processesofevolution。Inanotebook，mixedwithGreek，isapoemontheMoon——notthemoonofSelene，"theorbedMaiden，"butofastronomicalscience。InMemoriamrecallstheconversationsonlabourandpolitics，discussionsoftheageoftheReformBill，ofrick-burningexpectedto"maketaterscheaper"，andofCatholicemancipation；alsotheemancipationofsuchnegroesashadnotyettastedtheblessingsoffreedom。InpoliticsTennysonwaswhatheremained，apatriot，afriendoffreedom，afoeofdisorder。Hispolitics，hesaid，werethose"ofShakespeare，Bacon，andeverysaneman。"HewasoneoftheSocietyofApostles，andcharacteristicallycontributedanessayonGhosts。Onlytheprefacesurvives:itisnotwritteninascientificstyle；butbidsus"notassumethatanyvisionISbaseless。"Perhapstheauthorwentontodiscuss"veridicalhallucinations，"buthisideasaboutthesethingsmustbeconsideredlater。
　　Itwasbyhisfather'swishthatTennysoncompetedfortheEnglishprizepoem。Thetheme，Timbuctoo，wasnotinspiring。ThackeraywroteagoodparodyoftheordinaryprizepoeminPope'smetre:-
　　"Iseehersonsthehillofglorymount，Andselltheirsugarsontheirownaccount；
　　Pronetoherfeettheprostratenationscome，Sueforherriceandbarterforherrum。"
　　Tennyson'sworkwasnotmuchmoreserious:hemerelypatchedupanoldpiece，inblankverse，onthebattleofArmageddon。ThepoemisnotdestituteofTennysoniancadence，andends，notinappropriately，with"Allwasnight。"Indeed，allWASnight。
　　AningeniousmythaccountsforTennyson'ssuccess:AtOxford，saysCharlesWordsworth，theauthorwasmorelikelytohavebeenrusticatedthanrewarded。Butalready1829ArthurHallamtoldMrGladstonethatTennyson"promisedfairtobethegreatestpoetofourgeneration，perhapsofourcentury。"
　　In1830Tennysonpublishedthefirstvolumeofwhichhewassoleauthor。Browning'sPaulinewasoftheyear1833。ItwastheverydeadhoursoftheMuses。ThegreatMrMurrayhadceased，asonedespairingofsong，topublishpoetry。BulwerLytton，intheprefacetoPaulClifford1830，announcedthatpoetry，witheveryotherformofliteratureexcepttheNovel，wasunremunerativeandunread。
　　ColeridgeandScottweresilent:indeedSirWalterwasnearhisdeath；Wordsworthhadshothisbolt，thoughanarrowortwowereleftinthequiver。Keats，Shelley，andByronweredead；Milman'sbriefvoguewasdeparting。Itseemedasifnovelsalonecouldappealtoreaders，sogreatachangeintastehadbeenwroughtbythesixteenyearsofWaverleyromances。TheslimvolumeofTennysonwasnaturallyneglected，thoughLeighHuntrevieweditintheTatler。
　　Hallam'scommentsintheEnglishman'sMagazine，thoughenthusiasticaswasrightandnatural，werejudicious。"Theauthorimitatesnoone。"Coleridgedidnotreadallthebook，butnoted"thingsofagooddealofbeauty。Themisfortuneisthathehasbeguntowriteverseswithoutverywellunderstandingwhatmetreis。"AsTennysonsaidin1890，"SoI，anoldman，whogetapoemorpoemseveryday，mightcastacasualglanceatabook，andseeingsomethingwhichI
　　couldnotscanorunderstand，mightpossiblydecideagainstthebookwithoutfurtherconsideration。"Asarule，thesaidbooksareworthless。Thenumberofversifiersmakesithard，indeed，forthepoettowinrecognition。Onelittlenewbookofrhymeissolikeanother，andalmostallareofsolittleinterest!
　　Therarebookthatdiffersfromtheresthasabizarreriewithitsoriginality，andinthepoemsof1830therewas，assuredly，morethanenoughofthebizarre。Therewerenohyphensinthedoubleepithets，andwordslike"tendriltwine"seemedprovokinglyaffected。Akindoflusciousness，likethatofKeatswhenundertheinfluenceofLeighHunt，mayhereandtherebeobserved。Suchfaultsasthesecatchtheindifferenteyewhenanewbookisfirstopened，andthevolumeof1830wasprobablycondemnedbyalmosteveryreaderofthepreviousgenerationwhodeignedtoafforditaglance。Outoffifty-sixpiecesonlytwenty-threewerereprintedinthetwovolumesof1842，whichwonforTennysonthegeneralrecognitionoftheworldofletters。FiveorsixofthepiecesthenleftoutwereaddedasJuveniliainthecollectedworksof1871，1872。Thewholemassdeservestheattentionofstudentsofthepoet'sdevelopment。
　　Thisearlyvolumemaybesaidtocontain，inthegerm，allthegreatoriginalqualitiesofTennyson，exceptthehumourofhisruralstudiesandtheelaborationofhisIdylls。Forexample，inMarianawefirstnotewhatmaybecalledhisperfectionandaccomplishment。
　　Theveryfewalterationsmadelaterareverbal。ThemoatedgrangeofMarianainMeasureforMeasure，andhermoodofdesertionanddespair，areelaboratedbyaprecisionoftruthandwithaperfectionofharmonyworthyofShakespearehimself，andminutelystudiedfromthenaturalscenesinwhichthepoetwasborn。IftheseversesalonesurvivedoutofthewreckofVictorianliterature，theywoulddemonstratethegreatnessoftheauthorasclearlyasdothefragmentsofSappho。Isabelastudyofthepoet'smotherisalmostasremarkableinitsstatelydignity；whileRecollectionsoftheArabianNightsattestthepowerofrefinedluxuryinromanticdescription，andheraldtheunmatchedbeautyofTheLotos-Eaters。
　　ThePoet，again，isapictureofthatwhichTennysonhimselfwastofulfil；andOrianaisarevivalofromance，andoftheballad，notlimitedtotheballadformasinitsprototype，HelenofKirkconnell。