to one of them； 〃As an amusement to yourself and your friends； the
writing it〃 （verse） 〃is all very well。〃 It is the friends who do not
find it amusing； while the stranger becomes the foe。 The psychology
of these pests of the Muses is bewildering。 They do not seem to read
poetry； only to write it and launch it at unoffending strangers。 If
they bought each other's books； all of them could afford to publish。
The Master of Balliol； the most adviceful man； if one may use the
term； of his age； appears to have advised Tennyson to publish the
Idylls at once。 There had been years of silence since Maud； and the
Master suspected that 〃mosquitoes〃 （reviewers） were the cause。
〃There is a note needed to show the good side of human nature and to
condone its frailties which Thackeray will never strike。〃 To others
it seems that Thackeray was eternally striking this note： at that
time in General Lambert； his wife； and daughters； not to speak of
other characters in The Virginians。 Who does not condone the
frailties of Captain Costigan； and F。 B。； and the Chevalier Strong？
In any case； Tennyson took his own time； he was （1858） only beginning
Elaine。 There is no doubt that Tennyson was easily pricked by
unsympathetic criticism； even from the most insignificant source；
and； as he confessed； he received little pleasure from praise。 All
authors； without exception； are sensitive。 A sturdier author wrote
that he would sometimes have been glad to meet his assailant 〃where
the muir…cock was bailie。〃 We know how testily Wordsworth replied in
defence to the gentlest comments by Lamb。
The Master of Balliol kept insisting； 〃As to the critics； their power
is not really great。 。 。 。 One drop of natural feeling in poetry or
the true statement of a single new fact is already felt to be of more
value than all the critics put together。〃 Yet even critics may be in
the right； and of all great poets； Tennyson listened most obediently
to their censures； as we have seen in the case of his early poems。
His prolonged silences after the attacks of 1833 and 1855 were
occupied in work and reflection： Achilles was not merely sulking in
his tent； as some of his friends seem to have supposed。 An epic in a
series of epic idylls cannot be dashed off like a romantic novel in
rhyme； and Tennyson's method was always one of waiting for maturity
of conception and execution。
Mrs Tennyson； doubtless by her lord's desire； asked the Master （then
tutor of Balliol） to suggest themes。 Old age was suggested； and is
treated in The Grandmother。 Other topics were not handled。 〃I hold
most strongly；〃 said the Master； 〃that it is the duty of every one
who has the good fortune to know a man of genius to do any trifling
service they can to lighten his work。〃 To do every service in his
power to every man was the Master's life…long practice。 He was not
much at home； his letters show； with Burns； to whom he seems to have
attributed John Anderson； my jo； John； while he tells an anecdote of
Burns composing Tam o' Shanter with emotional tears； which； if true
at all； is true of the making of To Mary in Heaven。 If Burns wept
over Tam o' Shanter； the tears must have been tears of laughter。
The first four Idylls of the King were prepared for publication in
the spring of 1859； while Tennyson was at work also on Pelleas and
Ettarre； and the Tristram cycle。 In autumn he went on a tour to
Lisbon with Mr F。 T。 Palgrave and Mr Craufurd Grove。 Returning； he
fell eagerly to reading an early copy of Darwin's Origin of Species；
the crown of his own early speculations on the theory of evolution。
〃Your theory does not make against Christianity？〃 he asked Darwin
later （1868）； who replied； 〃No； certainly not。〃 But Darwin has
stated the waverings of his own mind in contact with a topic too high
for a priori reasoning； and only to be approached； if at all； on the
strength of the scientific method applied to facts which science； so
far； neglects； or denies； or 〃explains away；〃 rather than explains。
The Idylls； unlike Maud； were well received by the press； better by
the public； and best of all by friends like Thackeray； the Duke of
Argyll； the Master of Balliol； and Clough； while Ruskin showed some
reserve。 The letter from Thackeray I cannot deny myself the pleasure
of citing from the Biography： it was written 〃in an ardour of claret
and gratitude；〃 but posted some six weeks later：…
FOLKESTONE； September。
36 ONSLOW SQUARE； October。
My Dear Old Alfred；I owe you a letter of happiness and thanks。
Sir； about three weeks ago； when I was ill in bed； I read the Idylls
of the King； and I thought； 〃Oh； I must write to him now； for this
pleasure； this delight； this splendour of happiness which I have been
enjoying。〃 But I should have blotted the sheets； 'tis ill writing on
one's back。 The letter full of gratitude never went as far as the
post…office； and how comes it now？
D'abord； a bottle of claret。 （The landlord of the hotel asked me
down to the cellar and treated me。） Then afterwards sitting here； an
old magazine； Fraser's Magazine； 1850； and I come on a poem out of
The Princess which says； 〃I hear the horns of Elfland blowing；
blowing；〃no； it's 〃the horns of Elfland faintly blowing〃 （I have
been into my bedroom to fetch my pen and it has made that blot）； and；
reading the lines； which only one man in the world could write； I
thought about the other horns of Elfland blowing in full strength；
and Arthur in gold armour； and Guinevere in gold hair； and all those
knights and heroes and beauties and purple landscapes and misty gray
lakes in which you have made me live。 They seem like facts to me；
since about three weeks ago （three weeks or a month was it？） when I
read the book。 It is on the table yonder； and I don't like； somehow；
to disturb it； but the delight and gratitude！ You have made me as
happy as I was as a child with the Arabian Nights；every step I have
walked in Elfland has been a sort of Paradise to me。 （The landlord
gave TWO bottles of his claret and I think I drank the most） and here
I have been lying back in the chair and thinking of those delightful
Idylls； my thoughts being turned to you： what could I do but be
grateful to that surprising genius which has made me so happy？ Do
you understand that what I mean is all true； and that I should break
out were you sitting opposite with a pipe in your mouth？ Gold and
purple and diamonds； I say； gentlemen； and glory and love and honour；
and if you haven't given me all these why should I be in such an
ardour of gratitude？ But I have had out of that dear book the
greatest delight that has ever come to me since I was a young man； to
write and think about it makes me almost young； and this I suppose is
what I'm doing； like an after…dinner speech。
P。S。I thought the 〃Grandmother〃 quite as fine。 How can you at 50
be doing things as well as at 35？
October 16th。（I should think six weeks after the writing of the
above。）
The rhapsody of gratitude was never sent； and for a peculiar reason：
just about the time of writing I came to an arrangement with Smith &
Elder to edit their new magazine； and to have a contribution from T。
was the publishers' and editor's highest ambition。 But to ask a man
for a favour； and to praise and bow down before him in the same page；
seemed to be so like hypocrisy； that I held my hand； and left this
note in my desk； where it has been lying during a little French…
Italian…Swiss tour which my girls and their papa have been making。
Meanwhile S。 E。 & Co。 have been making their own proposals to you；
and you have replied not favourably； I am sorry to hear； but now
there is no reason why you should not have my homages； and I am just
as thankful for the Idylls； and love and admire them just as much； as
I did two months ago when I began to write in that ardour of claret
and gratitude。 If you can't write for us you can't。 If you can by
chance some day； and help an old friend； how pleased and happy I
shall be！ This however must be left to fate and your convenience： I
don't intend to give up hope； but accept the good fortune if it
comes。 I see one； two； three quarterlies advertised to…day； as all
bringing laurels to laureatus。 He will not refuse the private
tribute of an old friend； will he？ You don't know how pleased the
girls were at Kensington t'other day to hear you quote their father's
little verses； and he too I daresay was not disgusted。 He sends you
and yours his very best regards in this most heartfelt and artless
（note of admiration）！
Always yours； my dear Alfred；
W。 M。 THACKERAY。
Naturally this letter gave Tennyson more pleasure than all the
converted critics with their favourable reviews。 The Duke of Argyll
announced the conversion of Macaulay。 The Master found Elaine 〃the
fairest； sweetest； purest love poem in the English language。〃 As to
the whole； 〃The allegory in the distance GREATLY STRENGTHENS； ALSO
ELEVATES； THE MEANING OF THE POEM。〃
Ruskin； like some other critics； felt 〃the art and finish in these
poems a little more than I like to feel it。〃 Yet Guinevere and
Elaine had been rapidly written and little corrected。 I confess to
the opinion that what a man does most easily is； as a rule； what he
does best。 We know that the 〃art and finish〃 of Shakespeare were
spontaneous； and so were those of Tennyson。 Perfection in art is
sometimes more sudden than we think； but then 〃the long preparation
for it；that unseen germination； THAT is what we ignore and forget。〃
But he wisely kept his pieces by him for a long time； restudying them
with a fresh eye。 The 〃unreality〃 of the subject also failed to
please Ruskin； as it is a stumbling…block to others。 He wanted poems
on 〃the living present；〃 a theme not selected by Homer； Shakespeare；
Spenser； Milton； Virgil； or the Greek dramatists； except （among
surviving plays） in the Persae of AEschylus。 The poet who can
transfigure the hot present is fortunate； but most； and the greatest；
have visited the cool quiet purlieus of the past。
CHAPTER VII。THE IDYLLS OF THE KING。
The Idylls may probably be best considered in their final shape：
they are not an epic； but a series of heroic idyllia of th