第2章

CuriousandexquisiteexperimentinmetreisindicatedintheLeonineElegiacs，inClaribel，andseveralotherpoems。Qualitieswhichwerenotforlongtofindpublicexpression，speculativepowersbrooding，invariousmoods，onultimateandinsolublequestions，wereattestedbyTheMystic，andSupposedConfessionsofaSecond-rateSensitiveMindnotinUnitywithItself，anunluckytitleofaremarkableperformance。"Inthis，themostagitatedofallhispoems，wefindthesoulurgingonward\'Thro\'utterdarkafull-sail\'dskiff，Unpilotedi\'theechoingdanceOfreboantwhirlwinds；\'

andtothequestion，\'Whynotbelieve，then？\'wehaveasanswerasimileofthesea，whichcannotslumberlikeamountaintarn，or\'DrawdownintohisvexedpoolsAllthatblueheavenwhichhuesandpaves\'

thetranquilinlandmere。"{3}

Thepoetlongsforthefaithofhisinfantdaysandofhismother-

"Thymilddeepeyesupraised，thatknewThebeautyandreposeoffaith，Andtheclearspiritshiningthro\'。"

Thatfaithisalreadyshaken，andthelongstruggleforbeliefhasalreadybegun。

Tennyson，accordingtoMatthewArnold，wasnotunespritpuissant。

Otherandyoungercritics，whohaveattainedtoacock-certainmoodofnegation，areapttoblamehimbecause，infact，hedidnotfinallyagreewiththeiropinions。Ifamanisnecessarilyaweaklingorahypocritebecause，aftertryingallthings，heisnotanatheistoramaterialist，thenthereproachofinsincerityoroffeeblenessofmindmustrestuponTennyson。Butitismanifestthat，almostinboyhood，hehadalreadyfacedtheideaswhich，tooneofhischaracter，almostmeantdespair:hehadnotkepthiseyesclosed。Tohisextremelyself-satisfiedaccuserswemightanswer，inlinesfromthisearliestvolume(TheMystic):-

"Yescornhimwithanundiscerningscorn；

Yecannotreadthemarvelinhiseye，Thestillsereneabstraction。"

Hewouldbehold"Oneshadowinthemidstofagreatlight，Onereflexfrometernityontime，Onemightycountenanceofperfectcalm，Awfulwithmostinvariableeyes。"

Hismysticoftheseboyishyears-

"Oftenlyingbroadawake，andyetRemainingfromthebody，andapartInintellectandpowerandwill，hathheardTimeflowinginthemiddleofthenight，Andallthingscreepingtoadayofdoom。"

Inthispoem，neverrepublishedbytheauthor，isanattempttoexpressanexperiencewhichinlateryearshemorethanonceendeavouredtosetforthinarticulatespeech，anexperiencewhichwasdestinedtocolourhisfinialspeculationsonultimateproblemsofGodandofthesoul。Weshalllaterhavetodiscusstheopinionofaneminentcritic，MrFredericHarrison，thatTennyson\'sideas，theological，evolutionary，andgenerallyspeculative，"followed，ratherthancreated，thecurrentideasofhistime。""Thetrainofthought"(inInMemoriam)，writesMrHarrison，"isessentiallythatwithwhichordinaryEnglishreadershadbeenmadefamiliarbyF。D。

Maurice，ProfessorJowett，DrMartineau，EcceHomo，Hypatia。"OftheseinfluencesonlyMaurice，andMauriceonlyorally，couldhavereachedtheauthorofTheMysticandtheSupposedConfessions。EcceHomo，Hypatia，MrJowett，wereallinthebosomofthefuturewhenInMemoriamwaswritten。Now，TheMysticandtheSupposedConfessionsarepriortoInMemoriam，earlierthan1830。YettheyalreadycontainthechiefspeculativetendenciesofInMemoriam；thegrowingdoubtscausedbyevolutionaryideas(thenfamiliartoTennyson，thoughnotto"ordinaryEnglishreaders")，thelongingforareturntochildlikefaith，andthemysticalexperienceswhichhelpedTennysontorecoverafaiththatabodewithhim。Inthesethingshewasoriginal。Evenasanundergraduatehewasnotfollowing"atrainofthoughtmadefamiliar"byauthorswhohadnotyetwrittenaline，andbybookswhichhadnotyetbeenpublished。

Somuch，then，ofthepoetthatwastobeandofthephilosopherexistedinthelittlevolumeoftheundergraduate。InTheMysticwenoticeaphrase，twowordslong，whichwaslatertobemadefamiliar，"Daughtersoftime，divinelytall，"reproducedinthepictureofHelen:-

"AdaughteroftheGods，divinelytall，Andmostdivinelyfair。"

Thereflectivepiecesarecertainlyofmoreinterestnow(thoughtheyseemtohavesatisfiedthepoetless)thanthegalleryofairyfairyLilians，Adelines，Rosalinds，andEleanores:-

"Daughtersofdreamsandofstories，"

like"Faustine，Fragoletta，Dolores，Felise，andYolande，andJuliette。"

Cambridge，whichhewassoontoleave，didnotsatisfythepoet。

OxforddidnotsatisfyGibbon，orlater，Shelley；andyoungmenofgeniusarenot，infact，usuallycontentwithuniversitieswhich，perhaps，aredoingtheirbest，butareneithergovernednorpopulatedbymindsofthehighestandmostoriginalclass。

"YouthatdoprofesstoteachAndteachusnothing，feedingnottheheart。"

Theuniversities，infact，teachagooddealofthatwhichcanbelearned，butthebestthingscannotbetaught。Theuniversitiesgivemenleisure，books，andcompanionship，tolearnforthemselves。Alltutorscannotbe，andatthattimefewdreamedofbeing，menlikeJowettandT。H。Green，Gamalielsatwhosefeetundergraduatessatwithenthusiasm，"didEAGERLYfrequent，"likeOmarKhayyam。InlateryearsTennysonfoundcloserrelationsbetweendonsandundergraduates，andrecordedhisaffectionforhisuniversity。Shehadsuppliedhimwithsuchcompanionshipasisrare，andpermittedhimto"catchtheblossomoftheflyingterms，"eveniftutorsandlecturerswerecreaturesofroutine，terriblementenfoncesdanslamatiere，likethesireofMadelonandCathos，thathonourablecitizen。

Tennysonjustmissed，bygoingdown，avisitofWordsworthtoCambridge。Theoldenthusiastofrevolutionwasjustifyingpassiveobedience:thirtyyearshadturnedthealmostJacobinintoanalmostJacobite。Suchisthetriumphoftime。Inthesummerof1830

Tennyson，withHallam，visitedthePyrenees。Thepurposewaspolitical——toaidsomeSpanishrebels。ThefruitisseeninOEnoneandMarianaintheSouth。

InMarch1831Tennysonlosthisfather。"Hesleptinthedeadman\'sbed，earnestlydesiringtoseehisghost，butnoghostcame。""Yousee，"hesaid，"ghostsdonotgenerallycometoimaginativepeople；"

aremarkverytrue，thoughghostsareattributedto"imagination。"

Whatevercausesthesephantasms，itisnotthekindofphantasiawhichisconsciouslyexercisedbythepoet。Coleridgehadseenfartoomanyghoststobelieveinthem；andColeridgeandDonneapart，withthehallucinationsofGoetheandShelley，whometthemselves，whatpoeteverdid"seeaghost"？OnewhosawTennysonashewanderedaloneatthisperiodcalledhim"amysteriousbeing，seeminglyliftedhighaboveothermortals，andhavingapowerofintercoursewiththespiritworldnotgrantedtoothers。"Butitwastheworldofthepoet，notofthe"medium。"

TheTennysonsstayedonattheparsonageforsixyears。But，anticipatingtheirremoval，ArthurHallamin1831dealtinprophecyabouttheidentificationinthedistrictofplacesinhisfriend\'spoems——"criticaftercriticwilltracethewanderingsofthebrook，"

as，——infact，criticaftercritichasdone。Tennysondisliked——these"localisers。"Thepoet\'swalksweresharedbyArthurHallam，thenaffiancedtohissisterEmily。

CHAPTERII——POEMSOF1831-1833。

By1832mostofthepoemsofTennyson\'ssecondvolumewerecirculatinginMS。amonghisfriends，andnopoeteverhadfriendsmoreencouraging。Perhapsbardsofto-daydonotfindaneagernessamongtheiracquaintanceforeffusionsinmanuscript，orinproof-

sheets。Thecharmedvolumeappearedattheendoftheyear(dated1833)，andHallamdenouncedas"infamous"Lockhart\'sreviewintheQuarterly。Infamousornot，itisextremelydiverting。HowLockhartcouldmissthegreatandabundantpoetryremainsamarvel。TenyearslatertheScorpionrepented，andinvitedSterlingtoreviewanybookhepleased，forthepurposeofenablinghimtopraisethetwovolumesof1842，whichhedidgladly。Lockharthatedallaffectationand"preciosity，"ofwhichthenewbookwasnotdestitute。HehadbeenamongWordsworth\'smostardentadmirerswhenWordsworthhadfew，butthememoriesofthewarwiththe"CockneySchool"clungtohim，thewarwithLeighHunt，andnowhegavehimselfuptosatire。ProbablyhethoughtthatthepoetwasamemberofaLondonclique。ThereisreallynoexcuseforLockhart，exceptthatheDIDrepent，thatmuchofhisbanterwasamusing，andthat，aboveall，hiscensureswereacceptedbythepoet，whoaltered，later，manypassagesofafineabsurditycriticisedbytheinfamousreviewer。Onecouldnamegreatprose-writers，historians，whoneveralteredthewondrouserrorstowhichtheirattentionwascalledbycritics。Prose-writershavebeenmoresensitivelyattachedtotheirglaringblundersinverifiablefactsthanwasthisverysensitivepoettohisoccasionallapsesintaste。

TheLadyofShalott，eveninitsearlyform，wasmorethanenoughtogiveassuranceofapoet。Ineffectitisevenmorepoetical，inamysteriousway，ifinfinitelylesshuman，thanthelatertreatmentofthesameorasimilarlegendinElaine。IthasthecharmofColeridge，andanallegoryofthefatalescapefromtheworldofdreamsandshadowsintothatofrealitiesmayhavebeenreallypresenttothemindoftheyoungpoet，awarethathewas"livinginphantasy。"Thealterationsareusuallyforthebetter。Thedaffodilisnotanaquaticplant，asthepoetseemstoassertinthefirstform-

"Theyellow-leavedwater-lily，Thegreensheatheddaffodilly，Trembleinthewaterchilly，RoundaboutShalott。"

Nobodycanprefertokeep"ThoughthesquallyeastwindkeenlyBlew，withfoldedarmsserenelyBythewaterstoodthequeenlyLadyofShalott。"

HoweverstoicaltheLadymayhavebeen，thereaderistooseriouslysympatheticwithherinevitablediscomfort-

"AllraimentedinsnowywhiteThatlooselyflew，"

asshewas。Theoriginalconclusionwasdistressing；weweredroppedfromtheairsofmysteriousromance:-

"Theycrossedthemselves，theirstarstheyblest，Knight，minstrel，abbot，squire，andguest；

Therelayaparchmentonherbreast，ThatpuzzledmorethanalltherestThewell-fedwitsatCamelot。"

Hithertowehavebeen"puzzled，"butaswiththesublimeincoherencesofadream。Nowwemeetwell-fedwits，whosay，"Blessmystars!"asperhapsweshouldalsohavedoneinthecircumstances——adeadladyarriving，inaverycoldeastwind，aloneinaboat，for"herbloodwasfrozenslowly，"aswasnatural，grantingtheweatherandthelady\'sairycostume。Itiscertainlymatterofsurprisethattheyoungpoet\'svisionbrokeupinthishumorousmanner。And，afterall，itislesssurprisingthattheScorpion，findingsuchmatterinanewlittlebookbyanewyoungman，wasmoresensitivetotheabsurditythantotheromance。ButnoloverofpoetryshouldhavebeenblindtothealmostflawlessexcellenceofMarianaintheSouth，inspiredbythelandscapeoftheProvencaltourwithArthurHallam。

InconsequenceofLockhart\'scensures，orindeferencetothematurertasteofthepoet，TheMiller\'sDaughterwasgreatlyalteredbefore1842。Itisoneoftheearliest，ifnottheveryearliest，ofTennyson\'sdomesticEnglishidylls，poemswithconspicuousbeauties，butnotwithoutsacrificestothatMuseofthehomeaffectionsonwhomSirBarnesNewcomedeliveredhisfamouslecture。Theseventhstanzaperhapshardlydeservedtobealtered，asitis，soastobringin"minnows"where"fish"hadbeenthereading，andwhere"trout"wouldbestrecallanEnglishchalkstream。Totheanglertherisingtrout，whichleftthepoetcold，isatleastaswelcomeasthe"reflexofabeauteousform。""Everywomanseemsanangelatthewater-side，"said"thatgoodoldangler，nowwithGod，"ThomasToddStoddart，andso"thelongandlistlessboy"foundittobe。Itisnowonderthatthemotherwas"SLOWLYbroughttoyieldconsenttomydesire。"Thedomesticaffections，infact，donotadaptthemselvessowelltopoetryasthepassion，uniqueinTennyson，ofFatima。Thecriticswhohuntforparallelsorplagiarismswillnote-

"OLove，Ofire!oncehedrewWithonelongkissmywholesoulthro\'

Mylips，"

andwillobserveMrBrowning\'s"OncehekissedMysouloutinafierymist。"

AstoOEnone，thesceneryofthatearliestoftheclassicalidyllsisborrowedfromthePyreneesandthetourwithHallam。"ItispossiblethatthepoemmayhavebeensuggestedbyBeattie\'sJudgmentofParis，"saysMrCollins；itisalsopossiblethatthetalewhich"QuintusCalaberSomewhatlazilyhandledofold"

mayhavereachedTennyson\'smindfromanolderwriterthanBeattie。

HeisatleastaslikelytohavebeenfamiliarwithGreekmythaswiththelamented"Minstrel。"Theformof1833，greatlyalteredin1842，containedsuchunluckyphrasesas"cedarshadowy，"and"snowycoloured，""marblecold，""violet-eyed"——easyspoilsofcriticism。ThealterationswhichconvertedabeautifulbutfaultyintoabeautifulandflawlesspoemperhapsobscurethesignificanceofOEnone\'s"Iwillnotdiealone，"whichintheearliervolumedirectlyreferstotheforeseenendofallasnarratedinTennyson\'slatepiece，TheDeathofOEnone。ThewholepoembringstomindtheglowinghuesofTitianandthefamousHomericlinesonthedivinewedlockofZeusandHera。

TheallegoryormoralofThePalaceofArtdoesnotneedexplanation。

Notmanyofthepoemsowemoretorevision。TheearlystanzaaboutIsaiah，withfierceEzekiel，and"EasternConfutzee，"didundeniablyremindthereader，asLockhartsaid，ofTheGrovesofBlarney。

"Withstatuesgracingthatnobleplacein，Allhaythengoddessesmostrare，Petrarch，Plato，andNebuchadnezzar，Allstandingnakedintheopenair。"

IntheearlyversiontheSoul，beingtoomuch"uptodate，"

"Litwhitestreamsofdazzlinggas，"

likeSirWalterScottatAbbotsford。

"Thusherintense，untolddelight，Indeeporvividcolour，smell，andsound，Wasflattereddayandnight。"

LockhartwasnotfondofSirWalter\'sexperimentsingas，the"smell"

gavehimno"deep，untolddelight，"andhis"infamousreview"wasbiassedbythesecircumstances。

Thevolumeof1833wasinnothingmoreremarkablethaninitsproofofthemany-sidednessoftheauthor。Heofferedmediaevalromance，andclassicalperfectiontouchedwiththeromanticspirit，anddomesticidyll，ofwhichTheMayQueenisprobablythemostpopularexample。The"mysteriousbeing，"conversantwith"thespiritualworld，"mighthavebeenexpectedtodisdaintopicswellwithintherangeofElizaCook。Hedidnotdespisebutelevatedthem，andtherebydidmoretointroducehimselftothewideEnglishpublicthanhecouldhavedonebyacenturyofFatimasorLotos-Eaters。Ontheotherhand，atastemorefastidious，ormoreperverse，willscarcelybesatisfiedwithpathoswhichinprocessoftimehascometoseem"obvious。"ThepathosofearlydeathintheprimeofbeautyislessobviousinHomer，whereAchillesistobethevictim，orinthelamentsoftheAnthology，whereweonlyknowthatthedeadbrideormaidenwasfair；butthepoorMayQueenisofhernaturerathercommonplace。

"Thatgoodman，theclergyman，hastoldmewordsofpeace，"

strikesanoteratherresemblingtheTennysonianparodyofWordsworth-

"AMrWilkinson，aclergyman。"

TheLotos-Eaters，ofcourse，isattheoppositepoleofthepoet\'sgenius。AfewplainversesoftheOdyssey，almostbaldintheirreticence，arethepointderepereofthemostmagicalvisionexpressedinthemostmusicalverse。HereisthelanguidcharmofSpenser，enrichedwithmanyclassicalmemories，andpicturesofnaturalbeautygorgeouslyyetdelicatelypainted。Aftertheexcisionofsomeverses，ratherfantastical，in1842，thepoembecameaflawlessmasterpiece，——oneoftheeternalpossessionsofsong。

Ontheotherhand，theopeningofTheDreamofFairWomenwasmarredin1833bythegrotesqueintroductoryversesabout"amanthatsailsinaballoon。"YoungasTennysonwas，thesefreakishpassagesareapsychologicalmarvelintheworkofonewhodidnotlackthesavingsenseofhumour。Thepoet，waftedonthewingand"pinionthattheThebaneaglebear，"cannotconceivablybelikenedtoanaeronautwavingflagsoutofaballoon——exceptinaspiritofself-mockerywhichwasnotTennyson\'s。Hisremarkableself-disciplineinexcisingthefantasticandsuperfluous，andreducinghisworktoitsclassicalperfectionofthoughtandform，isnowheremoreremarkablethaninthismagnificentvision。Itisprobablybymereaccidentalcoincidenceofthoughtthat，intheversesToJ。S。(JamesSpedding)，Tennysonreproducesthenoblespeechonthewarrior\'sdeathwhichSirWalterScottplacesinthelipsofthegreatDundee:"Itisthememorywhichthesoldierleavesbehindhim，likethelongtrainoflightthatfollowsthesunkensun，THATisallthatisworthcaringfor，"thelightwhichlingerseternallyonthehillsofAtholl。

Tennyson\'slinesareacloseparallel:-

"HismemorylongwilllivealoneInallourhearts，asmournfullightThatbroodsabovethefallensun，Anddwellsinheavenhalfthenight。"

ThoughTennysondislikedtheexhibitionof"thechipsoftheworkshop，"wehavecommentedonthem，ontheearlyreadingsoftheearlyvolumes。Theymayberegardedmoreproperlyasthesketchesofamasterthanas"chips，"anddomorethanmerelyengagetheidlecuriosityofthefanaticsoffirsteditions。Theyprovethatthepoetwasstudiousofperfection，andwiselystudious，forhisalterations，unlikethoseofsomeauthors，werealmostinvariablyforthebetter，thesaner，themorematureintaste。Theearlyreadingsarealsoworthnotice，becausetheypartiallyexplain，bytheiroccasionallyfantasticandhumourlesscharacter，thelackofearlyandgeneralrecognitionofthepoet\'sgenius。Thenativeprejudiceofmankindisnotinfavourofanewpoet。Ofnewpoetstherearealwayssomany，mostofthembad，thatnaturehasprotectedmankindbyanarmourofsuspiciousness。Theworld，andLockhart，easilyfoundgoodreasonsfordistrustingthisnewclaimantoftheivyandthebays:moreover，sinceabout1814therehadbeenareactionagainstnewpoetry。Themarketwasglutted。Scotthadseteverybodyonreading，andtoomanyonwriting，novels。Thegreatreactionofthecenturyagainstallformsofliteratureexceptprosefictionhadbegun。NeartheverydateofTennyson\'sfirstvolumeBulwerLytton，aswesaw，hadfranklyexplainedthathewrotenovelsbecausenobodywouldlookatanythingelse。Tennysonhadtoovercomethisuniversal，orallbutuniversal，indifferencetonewpoetry，and，afterbeingsilentfortenyears，overcomeithedid——aremarkablevictoryofartandofpatientcourage。Timeswereevenworseforpoetsthanto-day。Threehundredcopiesofthenewvolumeweresold!

ButTennyson\'sfriendswerenotpuffersinleaguewithpushingpublishers。

Meanwhilethepoetin1833wentonquietlyandundefeatedwithhiswork。HecomposedTheGardener\'sDaughter，andwasatworkontheMorted\'Arthur，suppressedtilltheninthyear，ontheHoratianplan。

Manypoemswereproduced(andevenwrittenout，whichanumberofhispiecesneverwere)，andwereleftinmanuscripttilltheyappearedintheBiography。Mostofthesearesolittleworthyoftheauthorthatthemarvelishowhecametowritethem——inwhatuninspiredhours。

UnlikeWordsworth，hecouldweedthetaresfromhiswheat。HisstudieswereinGreek，German，Italian，history(alittle)，andchemistry，botany，andelectricity——"cross-grainedMuses，"theselast。

ItwasonSeptember15，1833，thatArthurHallamdied。Unheraldedbysignorsymptomofdiseaseasitwas，thenewsfelllikeathunderboltfromaserenesky。Tennyson\'sandHallam\'slovehadbeen"passingtheloveofwomen。"Ablowlikethisdrivesamanontherocksoftheultimate，theinsolubleproblemsofdestiny。"Isthistheend？"Nourishedasonthemilkoflions，ontheelevatingandstrengtheningdoctrinesofpopularscience，trainedfromchildhoodtoforegohopeandattendeveninglectures，theyoungcriticsofourgenerationfindTennysonaweaklingbecausehehadhopesandfearsconcerningtheultimaterenewalofwhatwasmorethanhalfhislife——

hisfriendship。

"ThatfaithIfainwouldkeep，ThathopeI\'llnotforego:

Eternalbethesleep-

Unlesstowakenso，"

wroteLockhart，andtheversesechoedceaselesslyinthewidowedheartofCarlyle。Thesemen，itispartofthedutyofcriticslaterborntoremember，werenotchildrenorcowards，thoughtheydreamed，andhoped，andfeared。Weoughttomakeallowanceforfailingsincidenttoanagenotyetfullyenlightenedbypopularscience，andstillundivorcedfromspiritualideasthatareasoldasthehumanrace，andperhapsnotlikelytoperishwhilethatraceexists。Nowandthenevenscientificmenhavebeenmistaken，especiallywhentheyhavedeclinedtoexamineevidence，asinthisproblemofthetranscendentalnatureofthehumanspirittheyusuallydo。AtalleventsTennysonwasunconvincedthatdeathistheend，andshortlyafterthefataltidingsarrivedfromViennahebegantowritefragmentsinversepreludingtothepoemofInMemoriam。Healsobegan，inamoodofgreatmisery，TheTwoVoices；or，ThoughtsofaSuicide。ThepoemseemstohavebeenpartlydonebySeptember1834，whenSpeddingcommentedonit，andonthebeautifulSirGalahad，"intendedforsomethingofamalecounterparttoStAgnes。"TheMorted\'ArthurTennysonthenthought"thebestthingIhavemanagedlately。"Veryearlyin1835manystanzasofInMemoriamhadtakenform。"Idonotwishtobedraggedforwardinanyshapebeforethereadingpublicatpresent，"wrotethepoet，whenheheardthatMilldesiredtowriteonhim。HisOEnonehehadbroughttoitsnewperfection，anddidnotdesirecommentsonworknowseveralyearsold。HealsowrotehisUlyssesandhisTithonus。

Ifevertheterm"morbid"couldhavebeenappliedtoTennyson，itwouldhavebeenintheyearsimmediatelyfollowingthedeathofArthurHallam。Buttheapplicationwouldhavebeenunjust。True，thepoetwaslivingoutoftheworld；hewasunhappy，andhewas，aspeoplesay，"doingnothing。"HewassopoorthathesoldhisChancellor\'sprizegoldmedal，andhedidnot"ScanhiswholehorizonInquestofwhathecouldclapeyeson，"

inthewayofmoney-making，whichanotherpoetdescribesasthenormalattitudeofallmenaswellasofpirates。Acarelessobserverwouldhavethoughtthatthepoetwasdawdling。ButhedweltinnoCastleofIndolence；hestudied，hecomposed，hecorrectedhisverses:likeSirWalterinLiddesdale，"hewasmakinghimsel\'a\'thetime。"Hedidnotneglectthemovementsofthegreatworldinthatdawnofdiscontentwiththephilosophyofcommercialism。Butitwasnothisvocationtoplungeintothefray，andontoplatforms。

Itisaveryrarethinganywhere，especiallyinEngland，foramandeliberatelytochoosepoetryasthedutyofhislife，andtoremainloyal，asaconsequence，tothebrideofStFrancis——Poverty。ThisloyaltyTennysonmaintained，evenunderthetemptationtomakemoneyinrecognisedwayspresentedbyhisnew-bornloveforhisfuturewife，MissEmilySellwood。Theyhadfirstmetin1830，whenshe，agirlofseventeen，seemedtohimlike"aDryadoranOreadwanderinghere。"ButadmirationbecametheaffectionofalifetimewhenTennysonmetMissSellwoodasbridesmaidtohersister，thebrideofhisbrotherCharles，in1836。Thepoetcouldnotaffordtomarry，and，liketheheroofLocksleyHall，hemayhaveaskedhimself，"WhatisthatwhichIshoulddo？"By1840hehaddonenothingtangibleandlucrative，andcorrespondencebetweentheloverswasforbidden。ThatneitherdreamedofTennyson\'sdesertingpoetryforamorenormalprofessionprovedofgreatbenefittotheworld。Thecourseisonewhichcouldonlybejustifiedbytheabsolutecertaintyofpossessinggenius。