CHAPTERIII——1837-1842。
　　In1837theTennysonslefttheoldrectory；till1840theylivedatHighBeechinEppingForest，andafterabriefstayatTunbridgeWellswenttoBoxley，nearMaidstone。
　　Itappearsthatatlastthepoethad"beathismusicout，"thoughhisfriends"stilltriedtocheerhim。"ButthemanwhowroteUlysseswhenhisgriefwasfreshcouldnotbesuspectedofdecliningintoahypochondriac。"IfImeantomakemymarkatall，itmustbebyshortness，"hesaidatthistime；"forthemenbeforemehadbeensodiffuse，andmostofthebigthings，exceptKingArthur，hadbeendone。"Theagehadnotlateteepique:Poehadannouncedtheparadoxthatthereisnosuchthingasalongpoem，andevenindealingwithArthur，TennysonfollowedtheexampleofTheocritusinwriting，notanepic，butepicidylls。Longpoemssuitanageoflisteners，forwhichtheywereoriginallycomposed，orofleisureandfewbooks。Atpresentepicsarereadforduty'ssake，notfortheonlyvalidreason，"forhumanpleasure，"inFitzGerald'sphrase。
　　Between1838and1840TennysonmadesomebrieftoursinEnglandwithFitzGerald，and，comingfromCoventry，wroteGodiva。HisengagementwithMissSellwoodseemedtobeadjournedsinedie，astheywereforbiddentocorrespond。
　　By1841TennysonwaslivingatMablethorpeontheLincolnshirecoast；
　　workingathisvolumesof1842，muchurgedbyFitzGeraldandAmericanadmirers，whohadheardofthepoetthroughEmerson。Moxonwastobethepublisher，himselfsomethingofapoet；butearlyin1842hehadnotyetreceivedtheMS。PerhapsEmersonheardofTennysonthroughCarlyle，who，saysSterling，"saidmoreinyourpraisethaninanyone'sexceptCromwell，andanAmericanbackwoodsmanwhohaskilledthirtyorfortypeoplewithabowie-knife。"CarlyleatthistimewasmuchattachedtoLockhart，editoroftheQuarterlyReview，anditmayhavebeenCarlylewhoconvertedLockharttoadmirationofhisoldvictim。CarlylehadverylittlemoreappreciationofKeatsthanhadByron，orinearlydaysLockhart，anditwasprobablyasmuchthemanofheroicphysicalmould，"alife-guardsmanspoiltbymakingpoetry，"andtheunaffectedcompanionoverapipe，asthepoet，thatattractedhiminTennyson。Aswesaw，whenthetwotriumphantvolumesof1842didappear，LockhartaskedSterlingtoreviewwhateverbookhepleasedmeaningthePoemsintheQuarterly。ThepraiseofSterlingmayseemlukewarmtous，especiallywhencomparedwiththatofSpeddingintheEdinburgh。ButSterling，andLockharttoo，wereobligedto"gangwarily。"Lockharthad，tohisconstantannoyance，"apartner，MrCroker，"andIhaveheardfromthelateDeanBoylethatMrCrokerwasmuchannoyedbyeventhemildapplauseyieldedintheQuarterlytotheauthoroftheMorted'Arthur。
　　Whilepreparingthevolumesof1842atBoxley，Tennyson'slifewasdividedbetweenLondonandthesocietyofhisbrother-in-law，MrEdmundLushington，thegreatGreekscholarandProfessorofGreekatGlasgowUniversity。TherewasinMrLushington'spersonalaspect，andnoblesimplicityofmannerandcharacter，somethingthatstronglyresembledTennysonhimself。AmongtheircommonfriendswereLordHoughtonMoncktonMilnes，MrLearoftheBookofNonsense"withsuchapencil，suchapen"，MrVenableswhoatschoolmodifiedtheprofileofThackeray，andLordKelvin。IntownTennysonmethisfriendsatTheCock，whichherenderedclassic；amongthemwereThackeray，Forster，Maclise，andDickens。Thetimeswerestirring:
　　socialagitation，and"Carolphilosophy"inDickens，withgrowlsfromCarlyle，markedtheperiod。Therewasalsoakindofoptimismintheair，apropheticoptimism，notyetfulfilled。
　　"Fly，happyhappysails，andbearthePress!"
　　Thatmissionnolongerstrikesusasexquisitelyfelicitous。"ThemissionoftheCross，"andofthemissionaries，meansinternationalcomplications；and"themarketsoftheGoldenYear"arepreciselythemostfruitfulcausesofwarsandrumoursofwars:-
　　"SeaandairaredarkWithgreatcontrivancesofPower。"
　　Tennyson'swasnotanunmitigatedoptimism，andhadnospecialconfidencein"Theherd，wildheartsandfeeblewingsThateverysophistercanlime。"
　　Hispoliticalpoetry，infact，wasveryunlikethesocialistchantsofMrWilliamMorris，orSongsbeforeSunrise。Hehadnothingtosayabout"ThebloodonthehandsoftheKing，AndthelieonthelipsofthePriest。"
　　ThehandsofPresidentshavenotalwaysbeenunstained；norarestatementsofamythicalnatureconfinedtothelipsoftheclergy。
　　Thepoetwasanxiousthatfreedomshould"broadendown，"but"slowly，"notwithindelicatehaste。Personswhoaremoreinahurrywillnevercareforthepoliticalpoems，anditiscertainthatTennysondidnotfeelsympatheticallyinclinedtowardstheIberianpatriotwhosaidthathisdarlingdesirewas"tocutthethroatsofallthecures，"likesomeCovenantersofold。"Maisvousconnaissezmoncoeur"——"andaprettyblackoneitis，"thoughtyoungTennyson。
　　Socautiousinyouth，duringhisPyreneantourwithHallamin1830，Tennysoncouldnotbecomeaconvincedrevolutionarylater。Wemustaccepthimwithhislimitations:normustweconfusehimwiththeheroofhisLocksleyHall，oneofthemostpopular，andmostparodied，ofthepoemsof1842:fullofbeautifulimagesand"confusionsofawastedyouth，"ayouthdramaticallyconceived，andinnowayautobiographical。
　　Insomarvellousatreasureofpreciousthingsasthevolumesof1842，perhapsnoneismoresplendid，perfect，andperdurablethantheMorted'Arthur。Ithadbeenwrittensevenyearsearlier，andpronouncedbythepoet"notbad。"Tennysonwasnever，perhaps，averydeepArthurianstudent。AlittlecheapcopyofMalorywashiscompanion。{4}HedoesnotappeartohavegonedeeplyintotheFrenchandGerman"literatureofthesubject。"Malory'scompilation1485fromFrenchandEnglishsources，withtheMabinogionofLadyCharlotteGuest，sufficedforhimasmaterials。Thewholepoem，enshrinedinthememoryofallloversofverse，isrichlystudded，asthehiltofExcalibur，withclassicalmemories。"AfaintHomericecho"itisnot，noraVirgilianecho，buttheabsolutevoiceofoldromance，athingthatmighthavebeenchantedby"ThelonelymaidenoftheLake"
　　when"Nineyearsshewroughtit，sittinginthedeeps，Uponthehiddenbasesofthehills。"
　　PerhapsthemostexquisiteadaptationofallarethelinesfromtheOdyssey-
　　"Wherefallsnothailnorrain，noranysnow。"
　　"SoftlythroughtheflutesoftheGrecians"camefirsttheseElysiannumbers，thenthroughLucretius，thenthroughTennyson'sownLucretius，theninMrSwinburne'sAtalantainCalydon:-
　　"Landsindiscoverableintheunheard-ofwestRoundwhichthestrongstreamofasacredseaRollswithoutwindforever，andthesnowThereshowsnotherwhitewingsandwindyfeet，Northundernorswiftrainsaithanything，Northesunburns，butallthingsrestandthrive。"
　　Sofortunateintheirtransmissionthroughpoetshavebeenthelinesof"theIonianfatheroftherest，"thegreatestofthemall。
　　InthevarietyofexcellenceswhichmarksTennyson，thenewEnglishidyllsof1842holdtheirprominentplace。NothingcanbemoreexquisiteandmoreEnglishthanthepictureof"thegardenthatI
　　love。"Theocrituscannotbesurpassed；buttheidyllmatchestotheseventhofhis，whereitismostcloselyfollowed，andpossessessuchapictureofagirlastheSiciliannevertriedtopaint。
　　Doraisanotheridyll，resemblingtheworkofaWordsworthinaclimesofterthanthatoftheFells。ThelaysofEdwinMorrisandEdwardBullarenotamongthemoreenduringofeventheplayfulpoems。TheStSimeonStylitesappears"madetothehand"oftheauthorofMenandWomenratherthanofTennyson。Thegrotesquevanityoftheanchoriteissoremotefromus，thatwecanscarcelyjudgeofthetruthofthepicture，thoughtheEasthasstillherparallelstoStSimeon。Fromthealmost，perhapsquite，incredibleasceticthepoetlightlyturnsto"societyverse"liftedupintotheairofpoetry，inthecharmofTheTalkingOak，andthehappyflittingsketchesofactualhistory；andthencetothestrengthandpassionofLoveandDuty。Shall"SinitselfbefoundThecloudyporchoftopeningontheSun？"
　　Thatthisistheprovinceofsinisaprettypopularmodernmoral。
　　ButHonouristhebetterpart，andherewasapoetwhohadthecouragetosayso；though，tobesure，thewordsringstrangeinanagewhenhighlyrespectablematronsassureusthat"passion，"likecharity，coversamultitudeofsins。LoveandDuty，wemustadmit，is"earlyVictorian。"
　　TheUlyssesisalmostarivaltotheMorted'Arthur。Itisofanearlydate，afterArthurHallam'sdeath，andThackerayspeaksofthepoetchantinghis"GreatAchilleswhomweknew，"
　　asifhethoughtthatthiswasinCambridgedays。Butitislaterthanthese。Tennysonsaid，"UlysseswaswrittensoonafterArthurHallam'sdeath，andgavemyfeelingabouttheneedofgoingforward，andbravingthestruggleoflife，perhapsmoresimplythananythinginInMemoriam。"Assuredlytheexpressionismoresimple，andmorenoble，andthepersonalemotionmoredignifiedfortheclassicveil。
　　WhentheplaintivePessimist"'proudofthetitle，'astheLivingSkeletonsaidwhentheyshowedhim"tellsusthat"nottohavebeenbornisbest，"wemayanswerwithUlysses-
　　"LifepiledonlifeWerealltoolittle。"
　　TheUlyssesofTennyson，ofcourse，isDante'sUlysses，notHomer'sOdysseus，whobroughthometoIthacanotoneofhismariners。Hislastknownadventure，thejourneytothelandofmenwhoknewnotthesavourofsalt，Odysseuswastomakeonfootandalone；sospaketheghostofTiresiaswithinthepoplarpaleofPersephone。
　　TheTwoVoicesexpressesthecontestofdoubtsandgriefswiththespiritofenduranceandjoywhichspeaksaloneinUlysses。Themanwhoisunhappy，butdoesnotwanttoputanendtohimself，hascertainlythebetteroftheargumentwiththedespairingVoice。Theargumentsof"thatbarrenVoice"are，indeed，remarkablydeficientincogencyandlogic，ifwecanbringourselvestostripthediscussionofitspoetry。Theoriginaltitle，ThoughtsofaSuicide，wasinappropriate。Thesuicidalsuggestionsarepromptlyfacedandconfuted，andthemoodoftheauthoristhroughoutthatofonewhothinkslifeworthliving:-
　　"Whatevercrazysorrowsaith，NolifethatbreatheswithhumanbreathHasevertrulylong'dfordeath。
　　'Tislifewhereofournervesarescant，Ohlife，notdeath，forwhichwepant；
　　Morelife，andfuller，thatIwant。"
　　Thisappearstobeasatisfactoryreplytothepersonswhoekeoutalivelihoodbypublishingpessimisticbooks，andhooting，asthegreatAlexandreDumassays，atthegreatdramaofLife。
　　WithTheDay-DreamofTheSleepingBeautyTennysonagaindisplayshismatchlessrangeofpowers。VerseofSocietyrisesintoacharmedandmusicalfantasy，passingfromtheBerlin-woolworkoftheperiod"Takethebroideryframe，andaddAcrimsontothequaintMacaw"
　　intotheenchantedlandofthefable:princesimmortal，princesseseternallyyoungandfair。TheStAgnesandSirGalahad，companionpieces，containtheromance，asStSimeonStylitesshowstherepulsivesideofasceticism；forthesaintandtheknightareyoung，beautiful，andeagerasStTheresainherchildhood。Ithasbeensaid，Idonotknowonwhatauthority，thatthepoethadnorecollectionofcomposingSirGalahad，anymorethanScottrememberedcomposingTheBrideofLammermoor，orThackeraypartsofPendennis。
　　ThehauntingofTennyson'smindbytheArthurianlegendspromptedalsothelovelyfragmentontheQueen'slastMaying，SirLauncelotandQueenGuinevere，athingofperfectcharmandmusic。TheballadsofLadyClareandTheLordofBurleigharenotexamplesofthepoetinhisstrength；forhispowerandfantasywemustturntoTheVisionofSin，wheretheearlypassageshavethelanguidvoluptuousmusicofTheLotos-Eaters，withtheethicalelementsuperadded，whiletheportionbeginning-
　　"Wrinkledostler，grimandthinisinpartsreminiscentofBurns'sJollyBeggars。InBreak，Break，Break，wehearanoteprelusivetoInMemoriam，muchofwhichwasalreadycomposed。
　　ThePoemsof1842arealwaysvocalinthememoriesofallreadersofEnglishverse。Nonearemorefamiliar，atleasttomenofthegenerationswhichimmediatelyfollowedTennyson's。FitzGeraldwasapttothinkthatthepoetneveragainattainedthesamelevel，andI
　　venturetosupposethatheneverroseaboveit。ForFitzGerald'sopinion，rightorwrong，itiseasytoaccount。Hehadseenallthepiecesinmanuscript；theywerehischerishedpossessionbeforetheworldknewthem。C'estmonhomme，hemighthavesaidofTennyson，asBoileausaidofMoliere。BeforethepublicawokeFitzGeraldhad"discoveredTennyson，"andthatattheagemostopentopoetryandmostenthusiasticinfriendship。Again，thePoemsof1842wereSHORT，whileThePrincess，Maud，andTheIdyllsoftheKingwererelativelylong，and，withInMemoriam，possessedunityofsubject。
　　Theylackedtherich，theunexampledvarietyoftopic，treatment，andthemewhichmarksthePoemsof1842。ThesewereallreasonswhyFitzGeraldshouldthinkthatthetwoslimgreenvolumesheldthepoet'sworkatitshighestlevel。Perhapshewasnotwrong，afterall。
　　CHAPTERIV——1842-848——THEPRINCESS。
　　ThePoems，andsuchcriticismsasthoseofSpeddingandSterling，gaveTennysonhisplace。Alltheworldoflettersheardofhim。
　　DeanBradleytellsushowhetookOxfordbystorminthedaysoftheundergraduateshipofCloughandMatthewArnold。Probablybothoftheseyoungwritersdidnotsharetheundergraduateenthusiasm。MrArnold，weknow，didnotreckonTennysonunespritpuissant。LikeWordsworthwhothoughtTennyson"decidedlythefirstofourlivingpoets，……hehasexpressedinthestrongesttermshisgratitudetomywritings"，Arnoldwasnoferventadmirerofhiscontemporaries。
　　Besides，ifTennyson'sworkis"acriticismofLife，"themoralcriticism，sofar，washiddeninflowers，liketheswordofAristogitonatthefeast。But，onthewhole，Tennysonhadwontheyoungmenwhocaredforpoetry，thoughSirRobertPeelhadneverheardofhim:andtowintheyoung，asTheocritusdesiredtodo，ismorethanhalfthebattle。OnSeptember8，1842，thepoetwasabletotellMrLushingtonthat"500ofmybooksaresold；accordingtoMoxon'sbrother，Ihavemadeasensation。"ThesaleswerenotlikethoseofChildeHaroldorMarmion；butforsometwentyyearsnewpoetryhadnotsoldatall。Novelshadcomeinabout1814，andfewwantedorboughtrecentverse。ButCarlylewasconverted。Hespokenomoreofaspoiledguardsman。"Ifyouknewwhatmyrelationhasbeentothethingcalled'EnglishPoetry'formanyyearsback，youwouldthinksuchafact"hispleasureinthebook"surprising。"
　　CarlylehadbeenlivingasMrsCarlyletoowellknewinOliverCromwell，aherowhoprobablytooknodelightinLycidasorComus，inLovelaceorCarew。"Iwouldgiveallmypoetrytohavemadeonesonglikethat，"saidTennysonofLovelace'sAlthea。ButNollwouldhavedisregardedthemallalike，andCarlylewasfullofthespiritoftheProtector。ToconquerhimwasindeedavictoryforTennyson；whileDickens，notareadingman，expressedhis"earnestandsincerehomage。"
　　ButTennysonwasnotsuccessfulinthemodernway。Nobody"interviewed"him。Hisphotograph，ofcourse，withdisquisitionsonhispipesandslippers，didnotadorntheliterarypress。Hisliteraryincomewasnotmagnifiedbypenny-a-liners。Hedidnotbecomealion；heneverwouldroarandshakehismaneindrawing-
　　rooms。LockhartheldthatSocietywasthemostagreeableformofthestage:thedressesandactressesincomparablytheprettiest。ButTennysonlikedSocietynobetterthandidGeneralGordon。Hehadfriendsenough，andnodesirefornewacquaintances。Indeed，hisfortunewasshatteredatthistimebyastrangeinvestmentinwood-
　　carvingbymachinery。Ruskinhadonlyjustbeguntowrite，andwood-
　　carvingbymachinerywasstilldeemedanenterpriseatoncephilanthropicandaesthetic。"Myfather'sworldlygoodswereallgone，"saysLordTennyson。Thepoet'shealthsufferedextremely:hetriedafashionable"cure"atCheltenham，wherehesawmiraclesofhealing，butunderwentnone。InSeptember1845PeelwasmovedbyLordHoughtontorecommendthepoetforapension200poundsannually。"Ihavedonenothingslavishtogetit:Ineverevensolicitedforiteitherbymyselforothers。"LikeDrJohnson，hehonourablyacceptedwhatwasofferedinhonour。Forsomereasonmanypersonswhowriteinthepressarealwaysmaddenedwhensuchgoodfortune，howeversmall，howeverwellmerited，fallstoabrotherinletters。They，ofcourse，were"causelesslybitter。""Letthemrave!"
　　Iffewoftherewardsofliterarysuccessarrived，thepenaltiesatoncebegan，andonlyceasedwiththepoet'sexistence。"Ifyouonlyknewwhatanuisancethesevolumesofverseare!RascalssendmetheirsperpostfromAmerica，andIhavemorethanoncebeenknockedupoutofbedtopaythreeorfourshillingsforbooksofwhichI
　　can'tgetthroughonepage，forofallbooksthemostinsipidreadingissecond-rateverse。"
　　Wouldthatversifierstookthewarning!TennysonhadnotsenthislittlefirstlingstoColeridgeandWordsworth:theyareonlythehopelessrhymerswhobombardmenofletterswiththeirlyricsandtragedies。
　　MrBrowningwasasufferer。Tooneyoungtwittererherepliedintheusualway。Thebardwroteacknowledgingtheletter，butaskingforadefinitecriticism。"IdonotthinkmyselfaShakespeareoraMilton，butIKNOWIambetterthanMrCoventryPatmoreorMrAustinDobson。"MrBrowningtriedtoprocrastinate:hewasalreadydeeplyengagedwithearlierarrivalsofvolumesofsong。Thepoetwashurt，notangry；hehadexpectedotherthingsfromMrBrowning:HEoughttoknowhisdutytoyouth。AttheintercessionofarelationMrBrowningnowdidhisbest，andtheminstrel，satisfiedatlast，repeatedhisconvictionofhissuperioritytotheauthorsofTheAngelintheHouseandBeauBrocade。Probablynoman，notevenMrGladstone，eversufferedsomuchfromminstrelsasTennyson。Hedidnotsufferthemgladly。
　　In1846thePoemsreachedtheirfourthedition。SirEdwardBulwerLyttonbittenbywhatflywhoknows？attackedTennysoninTheNewTimon，aforgottensatire。Wedonotunderstandthewaysofthatgeneration。Thecheapandspitefulgenreofsatire，itsforgedmorality，itsshamindignation，itsappealtotheape-likepassions，hasgoneout。LyttonhadsufferedmanythingsnotinversefromJeamesYellowplush:IdonotknowthathehitbackatThackeray，buthe"passediton"toThackeray'soldcollegecompanion。Tennyson，foronce，repliedinPunch:theversesweresentthitherbyJohnForster；theanswerwasoneofmagnificentcontempt。Buthesoondecidedthat"ThenoblestansweruntosuchIsperfectstillnesswhentheybrawl。"
　　LongafterwardsthepoetdedicatedaworktothesonofLordLytton。
　　Herepliedtonomoresatirists。{5}Ourdifficulty，ofcourse，istoconceivesuchanattackcomingfromamanofLytton'spositionandgenius。Hewasnohungryhack，andcould，anddid，doinfinitelybetterthingsthan"standinafalsefollowing"ofPope。ProbablyLyttonhadafalseideathatTennysonwasarichman，abranchofhisfamilybeingaffluent，andsoresentedthelittlepension。Thepoetwassofarfromrichin1846，andevenafterthepublicationofThePrincess，thathismarriagehadstilltobedeferredforfouryears。
　　OnreadingThePrincessafreshoneisimpressed，despiteoldfamiliarity，withtheextraordinaryinfluenceofitsbeauty。Hereare，indeed，thebestwordsbestplaced，andthatcuriousfelicityofstylewhichmakeseverylineamarvel，andaneternalpossession。ItisasifTennysonhadtakentheadvicewhichKeatsgavetoShelley，"Loadeveryriftwithore。"Tochoosebutoneortwoexamples，howthepurestandfreshestimpressionofnatureisre-createdinmindandmemorybythepictureofMelissawith"Allherthoughtsasfairwithinhereyes，AsbottomagatesseentowaveandfloatIncrystalcurrentsofclearmorningseas。"
　　Thelyric，"Tears，idletears，"isfarbeyondpraise:oncereaditseemslikeathingthathasalwaysexistedintheworldofpoeticarchetypes，andhasnowbeennotsomuchcomposedasdiscoveredandrevealed。ThemanypicturesandsimilitudesinThePrincesshaveamagicalgorgeousness:-