noble object； and thus is unlike the ambiguous affection； real or
dramatic； which informs the sonnets of Shakespeare。 So the poem
stands alone； cloistered； not fiery with indignation； not breaking
into actual prophecy； like Shelley's Adonais； not capable； by reason
even of its meditative metre； of the organ music of Lycidas。 Yet it
is not to be reckoned inferior to these because its aim and plan are
other than theirs。
It is far from my purpose to 〃class〃 Tennyson； or to dispute about
his relative greatness when compared with Wordsworth or Byron；
Coleridge； Shelley； or Burns。 He rated one song of Lovelace above
all his lyrics； and； in fact； could no more have written the
Cavalier's To Althea from Prison than Lovelace could have written the
Morte d'Arthur。 〃It is not reasonable； it is not fair；〃 says Mr
Harrison； after comparing In Memoriam with Lycidas； 〃to compare
Tennyson with Milton；〃 and it is not reasonable to compare Tennyson
with any poet whatever。 Criticism is not the construction of a class
list。 But we may reasonably say that In Memoriam is a noble poem； an
original poem； a poem which stands alone in literature。 The
wonderful beauty； ever fresh； howsoever often read； of many stanzas；
is not denied by any critic。 The marvel is that the same serene
certainty of art broods over even the stanzas which must have been
conceived while the sorrow was fresh。 The second piece；
〃Old yew； which graspest at the stones；〃
must have been composed soon after the stroke fell。 Yet it is as
perfect as the proem of 1849。 As a rule； the poetical expression of
strong emotion appears usually to clothe the memory of passion when
it has been softened by time。 But here already 〃the rhythm；
phrasing； and articulation are entirely faultless； exquisitely clear；
melodious； and rare。〃 ｛11｝ It were superfluous labour to point at
special beauties； at the exquisite rendering of nature； and copious
commentaries exist to explain the course of the argument； if a series
of moods is to be called an argument。 One may note such a point as
that （xiv。） where the poet says that； were he to meet his friend in
life；
〃I should not feel it to be strange。〃
It may have happened to many to mistake； for a section of a second；
the face of a stranger for the face seen only in dreams； and to find
that the recognition brings no surprise。
Pieces of a character apart from the rest； and placed in a designed
sequence； are xcii。； xciii。； xcv。 In the first the poet says …
〃If any vision should reveal
Thy likeness； I might count it vain
As but the canker of the brain；
Yea； tho' it spake and made appeal
To chances where our lots were cast
Together in the days behind；
I might but say； I hear a wind
Of memory murmuring the past。
Yea； tho' it spake and bared to view
A fact within the coming year；
And tho' the months； revolving near；
Should prove the phantom…warning true；
They might not seem thy prophecies；
But spiritual presentiments；
And such refraction of events
As often rises ere they rise。〃
The author thus shows himself difficile as to recognising the
personal identity of a phantasm； nor is it easy to see what mode of
proving his identity would be left to a spirit。 The poet； therefore；
appeals to some perhaps less satisfactory experience：…
〃Descend； and touch； and enter； hear
The wish too strong for words to name；
That in this blindness of the frame
My Ghost may feel that thine is near。〃
The third poem is the crown of In Memoriam； expressing almost such
things as are not given to man to utter：…
And all at once it seem'd at last
The living soul was flash'd on mine；
And mine in this was wound； and whirl'd
About empyreal heights of thought；
And came on that which is； and caught
The deep pulsations of the world；
AEonian music measuring out
The steps of Timethe shocks of Chance …
The blows of Death。 At length my trance
Was cancell'd； stricken thro' with doubt。
Vague words！ but ah； how hard to frame
In matter…moulded forms of speech；
Or ev'n for intellect to reach
Thro' memory that which I became。〃
Experiences like this； subjective； and not matter for argument； were
familiar to Tennyson。 Jowett said； 〃He was one of those who； though
not an upholder of miracles； thought that the wonders of Heaven and
Earth were never far absent from us。〃 In The Mystic； Tennyson； when
almost a boy； had shown familiarity with strange psychological and
psychical conditions。 Poems of much later life also deal with these；
and； more or less consciously； his philosophy was tinged； and his
confidence that we are more than 〃cunning casts in clay〃 was
increased； by phenomena of experience； which can only be evidence for
the mystic himself； if even for him。 But this dim aspect of his
philosophy； of course； is 〃to the Greeks foolishness。〃
His was a philosophy of his own； not a philosophy for disciples； and
〃those that eddy round and round。〃 It was the sum of his reflection
on the mass of his impressions。 I have shown； by the aid of dates；
that it was not borrowed from Huxley； Mr Stopford Brooke； or the late
Duke of Argyll。 But； no doubt； many of the ideas were 〃in the air；〃
and must have presented themselves to minds at once of religious
tendency； and attracted by the evolutionary theories which had always
existed as floating speculations； till they were made current coin by
the genius and patient study of Darwin。 That Tennyson's opinions
between 1830 and 1840 were influenced by those of F。 D。 Maurice is
reckoned probable by Canon Ainger； author of the notice of the poet
in The Dictionary of National Biography。 In the Life of Maurice；
Tennyson does not appear till 1850； and the two men were not at
Cambridge together。 But Maurice's ideas； as they then existed； may
have reached Tennyson orally through Hallam and other members of the
Trinity set； who knew personally the author of Letters to a Quaker。
However； this is no question of scientific priority： to myself it
seems that Tennyson 〃beat his music out〃 for himself； as perhaps most
people do。 Like his own Sir Percivale； 〃I know not all he meant。〃
Among the opinions as to In Memoriam current at the time of its
publication Lord Tennyson notices those of Maurice and Robertson。
They 〃thought that the poet had made a definite step towards the
unification of the highest religion and philosophy with the
progressive science of the day。〃 Neither science nor religion stands
still； neither stands now where it then did。 Conceivably they are
travelling on paths which will ultimately coincide； but this opinion；
of course； must seem foolishness to most professors of science。
Bishop Westcott was at Cambridge when the book appeared： he is one
of Mr Harrison's possible sources of Tennyson's ideas。 He recognised
the poet's 〃splendid faith （in the face of every difficulty） in the
growing purpose of the sum of life； and in the noble destiny of the
individual man。〃 Ten years later Professor Henry Sidgwick； a mind
sufficiently sceptical； found in some lines of In Memoriam 〃the
indestructible and inalienable minimum of faith which humanity cannot
give up because it is necessary for life； and which I know that I； at
least so far as the man in me is deeper than the methodical thinker；
cannot give up。〃 But we know that many persons not only do not find
an irreducible minimum of faith 〃necessary for life；〃 but are highly
indignant and contemptuous if any one else ventures to suggest the
logical possibility of any faith at all。
The mass of mankind will probably never be convinced unbelievers
nay； probably the backward or forward swing of the pendulum will
touch more convinced belief。 But there always have been； since the
Rishis of India sang； superior persons who believe in nothing not
materialwhatever the material may be。 Tennyson was； it is said；
〃impatient〃 of these esprits forts； and they are impatient of him。
It is an error to be impatient： we know not whither the logos may
lead us； or later generations； and we ought not to be irritated with
others because it leads them into what we think the wrong path。 It
is unfortunate that a work of art； like In Memoriam； should arouse
theological or anti…theological passions。 The poet only shows us the
paths by which his mind travelled： they may not be the right paths；
nor is it easy to trace them on a philosophical chart。 He escaped
from Doubting Castle。 Others may 〃take that for a hermitage；〃 and be
happy enough in the residence。 We are all determined by our bias：
Tennyson's is unconcealed。 His poem is not a tract： it does not aim
at the conversion of people with the contrary bias； it is irksome； in
writing about a poet； to be obliged to discuss a philosophy which；
certainly； is not stated in the manner of Spinoza； but is merely the
equilibrium of contending forces in a single mind。
The most famous review of In Memoriam is that which declared that
〃these touching lines evidently come from the full heart of the widow
of a military man。〃 This is only equalled； if equalled； by a recent
critique which treated a fresh edition of Jane Eyre as a new novel；
〃not without power； in parts； and showing some knowledge of Yorkshire
local colour。〃
CHAPTER VI。AFTER IN MEMORIAM。
On June 13 Tennyson married； at Shiplake； the object of his old；
long…tried； and constant affection。 The marriage was still
〃imprudent；〃eight years of then uncontested supremacy in English
poetry had not brought a golden harvest。 Mr Moxon appears to have
supplied 300 pounds 〃in advance of royalties。〃 The sum； so
contemptible in the eyes of first…rate modern novelists； was a
competence to Tennyson； added to his little pension and the epaves of
his patrimony。 〃The peace of God came into my life when I married
her；〃 he said in later days。 The poet made a charming copy of verses
to his friend； the Rev。 Mr Rawnsley； who tied the knot； as he and his
bride drove to the beautiful village of Pangbourne。 Thence they went
to the stately Clevedon Court； the seat of Sir Abraham Elton； hard by
the church where Arthur Hallam sleeps。 The place is very ancient and
beautiful； and