and musical fantasy； passing from the Berlin…wool work of the period
（〃Take the broidery frame； and add
A crimson to the quaint Macaw〃）
into the enchanted land of the fable： princes immortal； princesses
eternally young and fair。 The St Agnes and Sir Galahad； companion
pieces； contain the romance； as St Simeon Stylites shows the
repulsive side of asceticism； for the saint and the knight are young；
beautiful； and eager as St Theresa in her childhood。 It has been
said； I do not know on what authority； that the poet had no
recollection of composing Sir Galahad； any more than Scott remembered
composing The Bride of Lammermoor； or Thackeray parts of Pendennis。
The haunting of Tennyson's mind by the Arthurian legends prompted
also the lovely fragment on the Queen's last Maying； Sir Launcelot
and Queen Guinevere； a thing of perfect charm and music。 The ballads
of Lady Clare and The Lord of Burleigh are not examples of the poet
in his strength； for his power and fantasy we must turn to The Vision
of Sin； where the early passages have the languid voluptuous music of
The Lotos…Eaters； with the ethical element superadded； while the
portion beginning …
〃Wrinkled ostler； grim and thin
is in parts reminiscent of Burns's Jolly Beggars。 In Break； Break；
Break； we hear a note prelusive to In Memoriam； much of which was
already composed。
The Poems of 1842 are always vocal in the memories of all readers of
English verse。 None are more familiar； at least to men of the
generations which immediately followed Tennyson's。 FitzGerald was
apt to think that the poet never again attained the same level； and I
venture to suppose that he never rose above it。 For FitzGerald's
opinion； right or wrong； it is easy to account。 He had seen all the
pieces in manuscript； they were his cherished possession before the
world knew them。 C'est mon homme； he might have said of Tennyson； as
Boileau said of Moliere。 Before the public awoke FitzGerald had
〃discovered Tennyson；〃 and that at the age most open to poetry and
most enthusiastic in friendship。 Again； the Poems of 1842 were
SHORT； while The Princess； Maud； and The Idylls of the King were
relatively long； and； with In Memoriam； possessed unity of subject。
They lacked the rich； the unexampled variety of topic； treatment； and
theme which marks the Poems of 1842。 These were all reasons why
FitzGerald should think that the two slim green volumes held the
poet's work at its highest level。 Perhaps he was not wrong； after
all。
CHAPTER IV。1842…848THE PRINCESS。
The Poems； and such criticisms as those of Spedding and Sterling；
gave Tennyson his place。 All the world of letters heard of him。
Dean Bradley tells us how he took Oxford by storm in the days of the
undergraduateship of Clough and Matthew Arnold。 Probably both of
these young writers did not share the undergraduate enthusiasm。 Mr
Arnold； we know； did not reckon Tennyson un esprit puissant。 Like
Wordsworth （who thought Tennyson 〃decidedly the first of our living
poets； 。 。 。 he has expressed in the strongest terms his gratitude to
my writings〃）； Arnold was no fervent admirer of his contemporaries。
Besides； if Tennyson's work is 〃a criticism of Life；〃 the moral
criticism； so far； was hidden in flowers； like the sword of
Aristogiton at the feast。 But； on the whole； Tennyson had won the
young men who cared for poetry； though Sir Robert Peel had never
heard of him： and to win the young； as Theocritus desired to do； is
more than half the battle。 On September 8； 1842； the poet was able
to tell Mr Lushington that 〃500 of my books are sold； according to
Moxon's brother； I have made a sensation。〃 The sales were not like
those of Childe Harold or Marmion； but for some twenty years new
poetry had not sold at all。 Novels had come in about 1814； and few
wanted or bought recent verse。 But Carlyle was converted。 He spoke
no more of a spoiled guardsman。 〃If you knew what my relation has
been to the thing called 'English Poetry' for many years back； you
would think such a fact〃 （his pleasure in the book） 〃surprising。〃
Carlyle had been living （as Mrs Carlyle too well knew） in Oliver
Cromwell； a hero who probably took no delight in Lycidas or Comus； in
Lovelace or Carew。 〃I would give all my poetry to have made one song
like that；〃 said Tennyson of Lovelace's Althea。 But Noll would have
disregarded them all alike； and Carlyle was full of the spirit of the
Protector。 To conquer him was indeed a victory for Tennyson； while
Dickens； not a reading man； expressed his 〃earnest and sincere
homage。〃
But Tennyson was not successful in the modern way。 Nobody
〃interviewed〃 him。 His photograph； of course； with disquisitions on
his pipes and slippers； did not adorn the literary press。 His
literary income was not magnified by penny…a…liners。 He did not
become a lion； he never would roar and shake his mane in drawing…
rooms。 Lockhart held that Society was the most agreeable form of the
stage： the dresses and actresses incomparably the prettiest。 But
Tennyson liked Society no better than did General Gordon。 He had
friends enough； and no desire for new acquaintances。 Indeed； his
fortune was shattered at this time by a strange investment in wood…
carving by machinery。 Ruskin had only just begun to write； and wood…
carving by machinery was still deemed an enterprise at once
philanthropic and aesthetic。 〃My father's worldly goods were all
gone；〃 says Lord Tennyson。 The poet's health suffered extremely： he
tried a fashionable 〃cure〃 at Cheltenham； where he saw miracles of
healing； but underwent none。 In September 1845 Peel was moved by
Lord Houghton to recommend the poet for a pension （200 pounds
annually）。 〃I have done nothing slavish to get it： I never even
solicited for it either by myself or others。〃 Like Dr Johnson； he
honourably accepted what was offered in honour。 For some reason many
persons who write in the press are always maddened when such good
fortune； however small； however well merited； falls to a brother in
letters。 They； of course； were 〃causelessly bitter。〃 〃Let them
rave！〃
If few of the rewards of literary success arrived； the penalties at
once began； and only ceased with the poet's existence。 〃If you only
knew what a nuisance these volumes of verse are！ Rascals send me
theirs per post from America； and I have more than once been knocked
up out of bed to pay three or four shillings for books of which I
can't get through one page； for of all books the most insipid reading
is second…rate verse。〃
Would that versifiers took the warning！ Tennyson had not sent his
little firstlings to Coleridge and Wordsworth： they are only the
hopeless rhymers who bombard men of letters with their lyrics and
tragedies。
Mr Browning was a sufferer。 To one young twitterer he replied in the
usual way。 The bard wrote acknowledging the letter； but asking for a
definite criticism。 〃I do not think myself a Shakespeare or a
Milton； but I KNOW I am better than Mr Coventry Patmore or Mr Austin
Dobson。〃 Mr Browning tried to procrastinate： he was already deeply
engaged with earlier arrivals of volumes of song。 The poet was hurt；
not angry； he had expected other things from Mr Browning： HE ought
to know his duty to youth。 At the intercession of a relation Mr
Browning now did his best； and the minstrel； satisfied at last；
repeated his conviction of his superiority to the authors of The
Angel in the House and Beau Brocade。 Probably no man； not even Mr
Gladstone； ever suffered so much from minstrels as Tennyson。 He did
not suffer them gladly。
In 1846 the Poems reached their fourth edition。 Sir Edward Bulwer
Lytton （bitten by what fly who knows？） attacked Tennyson in The New
Timon； a forgotten satire。 We do not understand the ways of that
generation。 The cheap and spiteful genre of satire； its forged
morality； its sham indignation； its appeal to the ape…like passions；
has gone out。 Lytton had suffered many things （not in verse） from
Jeames Yellowplush： I do not know that he hit back at Thackeray； but
he 〃passed it on〃 to Thackeray's old college companion。 Tennyson；
for once； replied （in Punch： the verses were sent thither by John
Forster）； the answer was one of magnificent contempt。 But he soon
decided that
〃The noblest answer unto such
Is perfect stillness when they brawl。〃
Long afterwards the poet dedicated a work to the son of Lord Lytton。
He replied to no more satirists。 ｛5｝ Our difficulty； of course； is
to conceive such an attack coming from a man of Lytton's position and
genius。 He was no hungry hack； and could； and did； do infinitely
better things than 〃stand in a false following〃 of Pope。 Probably
Lytton had a false idea that Tennyson was a rich man； a branch of his
family being affluent； and so resented the little pension。 The poet
was so far from rich in 1846； and even after the publication of The
Princess； that his marriage had still to be deferred for four years。
On reading The Princess afresh one is impressed； despite old
familiarity； with the extraordinary influence of its beauty。 Here
are； indeed； the best words best placed； and that curious felicity of
style which makes every line a marvel； and an eternal possession。 It
is as if Tennyson had taken the advice which Keats gave to Shelley；
〃Load every rift with ore。〃 To choose but one or two examples； how
the purest and freshest impression of nature is re…created in mind
and memory by the picture of Melissa with
〃All her thoughts as fair within her eyes；
As bottom agates seen to wave and float
In crystal currents of clear morning seas。〃
The lyric； 〃Tears； idle tears；〃 is far beyond praise： once read it
seems like a thing that has always existed in the world of poetic
archetypes； and has now been not so much composed as discovered and
revealed。 The many pictures and similitudes in The Princess have a
magical gorgeousness：…
〃From the illumined hall
Long lanes of splendour slanted o'er a press
Of snowy shoulders； thick as herded ewes；
And rainbow robes； and gems and gem…like eyes；
And gold and golden heads； they to and fro
Fluctuated； as flowers in storm； some red； some pale。〃