the beginning he would probably have evolved no poetry at all；
material things would not have been endowed by him with life and
passion； he would have told himself no stories of the origins of
stars and flowers； clouds and fire； winds and rainbows。 Modern poets
have resented； like Keats and Wordsworth； the destruction of the old
prehistoric dreams by the geologist and by other scientific
characters。 But it was part of Tennyson's poetic originality to see
the beautiful things of nature at once with the vision of early
poetic men； and of moderns accustomed to the microscope； telescope；
spectrum analysis； and so forth。 Thus Tennyson received a double
delight from the sensible universe； and it is a double delight that
he communicates to his readers。 His intellect was thus always
active； even in apparent repose。 His eyes rested not from observing；
or his mind from recording and comparing； the beautiful familiar
phenomena of earth and sky。 In the matter of the study of books we
have seen how deeply versed he was in certain of the Greek； Roman；
and Italian classics。 Mr Jowett writes： 〃He was what might be
called a good scholar in the university or public…school sense of the
term； 。 。 。 yet I seem to remember that he had his favourite
classics； such as Homer； and Pindar； and Theocritus。 。 。 。 He was
also a lover of Greek fragments。 But I am not sure whether； in later
life； he ever sat down to read consecutively the greatest works of
AEschylus and Sophocles； although he used occasionally to dip into
them。〃 The Greek dramatists； in fact； seem to have affected
Tennyson's work but slightly； while he constantly reminds us of
Virgil； Homer； Theocritus； and even Persius and Horace。 Mediaeval
French； whether in poetry or prose； and the poetry of the 〃Pleiad〃
seems to have occupied little of his attention。 Into the oriental
literatures he dippedpretty deeply for his Akbar； and even his
Locksley Hall owed something to Sir William Jones's version of 〃the
old Arabian Moallakat。〃 The debt appears to be infinitesimal。 He
seems to have been less closely familiar with Elizabethan poetry than
might have been expected： a number of his obiter dicta on all kinds
of literary points are recorded in the Life by Mr Palgrave。 〃Sir
Walter Scott's short tale； My Aunt Margaret's Mirror （how little
known！）； he once spoke of as the finest of all ghost or magical
stories。〃 Lord Tennyson adds； 〃The Tapestried Chamber also he
greatly admired。〃 Both are lost from modern view among the short
pieces of the last volumes of the Waverley novels。 Of the poet's
interest in and attitude towards the more obscure pyschological and
psychical problemsto popular science foolishnessenough has been
said； but the remarks of Professor Tyndall have not been cited：…
My special purpose in introducing this poem； however； was to call
your attention to a passage further on which greatly interested me。
The poem is； throughout； a discussion between a believer in
immortality and one who is unable to believe。 The method pursued is
this。 The Sage reads a portion of the scroll； which he has taken
from the hands of his follower； and then brings his own arguments to
bear upon that portion； with a view to neutralising the scepticism of
the younger man。 Let me here remark that I read the whole series of
poems published under the title 〃Tiresias；〃 full of admiration for
their freshness and vigour。 Seven years after I had first read them
your father died； and you； his son； asked me to contribute a chapter
to the book which you contemplate publishing。 I knew that I had some
small store of references to my interview with your father carefully
written in ancient journals。 On the receipt of your request； I
looked up the account of my first visit to Farringford； and there； to
my profound astonishment； I found described that experience of your
father's which； in the mouth of the Ancient Sage； was made the ground
of an important argument against materialism and in favour of
personal immortality eight…and…twenty years afterwards。 In no other
poem during all these years is； to my knowledge； this experience once
alluded to。 I had completely forgotten it； but here it was recorded
in black and white。 If you turn to your father's account of the
wonderful state of consciousness superinduced by thinking of his own
name； and compare it with the argument of the Ancient Sage； you will
see that they refer to one and the same phenomenon。
And more； my son！ for more than once when I
Sat all alone； revolving in myself
The word that is the symbol of myself；
The mortal limit of the Self was loosed；
And past into the Nameless； as a cloud
Melts into heaven。 I touch'd my limbs； the limbs
Were strange； not mineand yet no shade of doubt；
But utter clearness； and thro' loss of Self
The gain of such large life as match'd with ours
Were Sun to sparkunshadowable in words；
Themselves but shadows of a shadow…world。
Any words about Tennyson as a politician are apt to excite the
sleepless prejudice which haunts the political field。 He probably；
if forced to 〃put a name to it；〃 would have called himself a Liberal。
But he was not a social agitator。 He never set a rick on fire。 〃He
held aloof； in a somewhat detached position； from the great social
seethings of his age〃 （Mr Frederic Harrison）。 But in youth he helped
to extinguish some flaming ricks。 He spoke of the 〃many…headed
beast〃 （the reading public） in terms borrowed from Plato。 He had no
higher esteem for mobs than Shakespeare or John Knox professed； while
his theory of tyrants （in the case of Napoleon III。 about 1852） was
that of Liberals like Mr Swinburne and Victor Hugo。 Though to modern
enlightenment Tennyson may seem as great a Tory as Dr Johnson； yet he
had spoken his word in 1852 for the freedom of France； and for
securing England against the supposed designs of a usurper （now
fallen）。 He really believed； obsolete as the faith may be； in
guarding our own； both on land and sea。 Perhaps no Continental or
American critic has ever yet dispraised a poetical fellow…countryman
merely for urging the duties of national union and national defence。
A critic； however； writes thus of Tennyson： 〃When our poet descends
into the arena of party polemics； in such things as Riflemen； Form！
Hands all Round； 。 。 。 The Fleet； and other topical pieces dear to
the Jingo soul； it is not poetry but journalism。〃 I doubt whether
the desirableness of the existence of a volunteer force and of a
fleet really is within the arena of PARTY polemics。 If any party
thinks that we ought to have no volunteers； and that it is our duty
to starve the fleet； what is that party's name？ Who cries； 〃Down
with the Fleet！ Down with National Defence！ Hooray for the
Disintegration of the Empire！〃？
Tennyson was not a party man； but he certainly would have opposed any
such party。 If to defend our homes and this England be 〃Jingoism；〃
Tennyson； like Shakespeare； was a Jingo。 But； alas！ I do not know
the name of the party which opposes Tennyson； and which wishes the
invader to trample down Englandany invader will do for so
philanthropic a purpose。 Except when resisting this unnamed party；
the poet seldom or never entered 〃the arena of party polemics。〃
Tennyson could not have exclaimed； like Squire Western； 〃Hurrah for
old England！ Twenty thousand honest Frenchmen have landed in Kent！〃
He undeniably did write verses （whether poetry or journalism） tending
to make readers take an unfavourable view of honest invaders。 If to
do that is to be a 〃Jingo；〃 and if such conduct hurts the feelings of
any great English party； then Tennyson was a Jingo and a partisan；
and was； so far； a rhymester； like Mr Kipling。 Indeed we know that
Tennyson applauded Mr Kipling's The English Flag。 So the worst is
out； as we in England count the worst。 In America and on the
continent of Europe； however； a poet may be proud of his country's
flag without incurring rebuke from his countrymen。 Tennyson did not
reckon himself a party man； he believed more in political evolution
than in political revolution； with cataclysms。 He was neither an
Anarchist nor a Home Ruler； nor a politician so generous as to wish
England to be laid defenceless at the feet of her foes。
If these sentiments deserve censure； in Tennyson； at least； they
claim our tolerance。 He was not born in a generation late enough to
be truly Liberal。 Old prejudices about 〃this England；〃 old words
from Henry V。 and King John； haunted his memory and darkened his
vision of the true proportions of things。 We draw in prejudice with
our mother's milk。 The mother of Tennyson had not been an Agnostic
or a Comtist； his father had not been a staunch true…blue anti…
Englander。 Thus he inherited a certain bias in favour of faith and
fatherland； a bias from which he could never emancipate himself。 But
tout comprendre c'est tout pardonner。 Had Tennyson's birth been
later； we might find in him a more complete realisation of our poetic
idealmight have detected less to blame or to forgive。
With that apology we must leave the fame of Tennyson as a politician
to the clement consideration of an enlightened posterity。 I do not
defend his narrow insularities； his Jingoism； or the appreciable
percentage of faith which blushing analysis may detect in his honest
doubt： these things I may regret or condemn； but we ought not to let
them obscure our view of the Poet。 He was led away by bad examples。
Of all Jingoes Shakespeare is the most unashamed； and next to him are
Drayton； Scott； and Wordsworth； with his
〃Oh； for one hour of that Dundee！〃
In the years which followed the untoward affair of Waterloo young
Tennyson fell much under the influence of Shakespeare； Wordsworth；
and the other offenders； and these are extenuating circumstances。 By
a curious practical paradox； where the realms of poetry and politics
meet； the Tory critics seem milder of mood and more Liberal than the
Liberal critics。 Thus Mr William Morris was certainly a very
advanced political theorist； and in theology Mr Swinburne has written
things not easily reconcilable with orthodoxy。 Yet we find Divine…
Right Tories； who in literatur