Selections From Wordsworth and Tennyson

Title: Selections from Wordsworth and Tennyson
Author: William Wordsworth and Alfred Lord Tennyson

Language: English
Page 1 of 116
SELECTIONS FO! WO"SWOT# AN" TENN$SON
Edited% with Introduction and Notes
&y
'EL#A! E"(A% 'h)")
'rofessor of English% *ictoria Coll)% +ni,) of Toronto
Toronto
The !acmillan Com-any of Canada% Limited
./.0
Page 2 of 116
CONTENTS
Wordsworth
!ichael
To the "aisy
To the Cuc1oo
Nutting
Influence of Natural O23ects
To the e,) "r) Wordsworth
Elegiac Stan4as
5It is Not to 2e Thought of5
Written in London% Se-tem2er% .678
London% .678
5"ar1 and !ore "ar1 the Shades of E,ening Fell5
5Sur-rised 2y 9oy::Im-atient as the Wind5
5#ail% Twilight% So,ereign of One 'eaceful #our5
5I Thought of Thee% !y 'artner and !y (uide5
5Such Age% #ow &eautiful;5
Tennyson
Oenone
The E-ic
!orte d<Arthur
The &roo1
In !emoriam
Wordsworth
&iogra-hical S1etch
Chronological Ta2le
A--reciations
eferences on Life and Wor1s
Notes
Tennyson
&iogra-hical S1etch
Chronological Ta2le
A--reciations
Page 3 of 116
eferences on Life and Wor1s
Notes
WO"SWOT#
!IC#AEL
A 'ASTOAL 'OE!
If from the -u2lic way you turn your ste-s
+- the tumultuous 2roo1 of (reen:head (hyll%
$ou will su--ose that with an u-right -ath
$our feet must struggle= in such 2old ascent
The -astoral mountains front you% face to face)
&ut% courage; for around that 2oisterous 2roo1
The mountains ha,e all o-ened out themsel,es%
And made a hidden ,alley of their own)
No ha2itation can 2e seen= 2ut they
Who 3ourney thither find themsel,es alone .7
With a few shee-% with roc1s and stones% and 1ites
That o,erhead are sailing in the s1y)
It is in truth an utter solitude=
Nor should I ha,e made mention of this "ell
&ut for one o23ect which you might -ass 2y% .>
!ight see and notice not) &eside the 2roo1
A--ears a straggling hea- of unhewn stones%
And to that sim-le o23ect a--ertains
A story%::unenriched with strange e,ents%
$et not unfit% I deem% for the fireside% 87
Or for the summer shade) It was the first
Of those domestic tales that s-a1e to me
Of She-herds% dwellers in the ,alleys% men
Whom I already lo,ed:::not ,erily
For their own sa1es% 2ut for the fields and hills 8>
Where was their occu-ation and a2ode)
And hence this Tale% while I was yet a &oy
Careless of 2oo1s% yet ha,ing felt the -ower
Of Nature% 2y the gentle agency
Of natural o23ects% led me on to feel ?7
For -assions that were not my own% and thin1
@At random and im-erfectly indeedA
On man% the heart of man% and human life)
Therefore% although it 2e a history
#omely and rude% I will relate the same ?>
For the delight of a few natural hearts=
And% with yet fonder feeling% for the sa1e
Of youthful 'oets% who among these hills
Will 2e my second self when I am gone)
+-on the forest:side in (rasmere *ale B7
Page 4 of 116
There dwelt a She-herd% !ichael was his name=
An old man% stout of heart% and strong of lim2)
#is 2odily frame had 2een from youth to age
Of an unusual strength: his mind was 1een%
Intense% and frugal% a-t for all affairs% B>
And in his she-herd<s calling he was -rom-t
And watchful more than ordinary men)
#ence had he learned the meaning of all winds%
Of 2lasts of e,ery tone= and oftentimes%
When others heeded not% he heard the South >7
!a1e su2terraneous music% li1e the noise
Of 2ag-i-ers on distant #ighland hills)
The She-herd% at such warning% of his floc1
&ethought him% and he to himself would say%
5The winds are now de,ising wor1 for me;5 >>
And% truly% at all times% the storm% that dri,es
The tra,eller to a shelter% summoned him
+- to the mountains: he had 2een alone
Amid the heart of many thousand mists%
That came to him% and left him% on the heights) C7
So li,ed he till his eightieth year was -ast)
And grossly that man errs% who should su--ose
That the green ,alleys% and the streams and roc1s%
Were things indifferent to the She-herd<s thoughts)
Fields% where with cheerful s-irits he had 2reathed C>
The common air= hills% which with ,igorous ste-
#e had so often clim2ed= which had im-ressed
So many incidents u-on his mind
Of hardshi-% s1ill or courage% 3oy or fear=
Which% li1e a 2oo1% -reser,ed the memory 07
Of the dum2 animals whom he had sa,ed%
#ad fed or sheltered% lin1ing to such acts
The certainty of honora2le gain=
Those fields% those hills::what could they lessD::had laid
Strong hold on his affections% were to him 0>
A -leasura2le feeling of 2lind lo,e%
The -leasure which there is in life itself)
#is days had not 2een -assed in singleness)
#is #el-mate was a comely matron% old::
Though younger than himself full twenty years) 67
She was a woman of a stirring life%
Whose heart was in her house: two wheels she had
Of antiEue form= this large% for s-inning wool=
That small% for flaF= and if one wheel had rest%
It was 2ecause the other was at wor1) 6>
The 'air had 2ut one inmate in their house%
An only Child% who had 2een 2orn to them
When !ichael% telling o<er his years% 2egan
To deem that he was old%::in she-herd<s -hrase%
Page 5 of 116
With one foot in the gra,e) This only Son% /7
With two 2ra,e shee-:dogs tried in many a storm%
The one of an inestima2le worth%
!ade all their household) I may truly say
That they were as a -ro,er2 in the ,ale
For endless industry) When day was gone% />
And from their occu-ations out of doors
The Son and Father were come home% e,en then
Their la2or did not cease= unless when all
Turned to the cleanly su--er 2oard% and there%
Each with a mess of -ottage and s1immed mil1% .77
Sat round the 2as1et -iled with oaten ca1es%
And their -lain home:made cheese) $et when the meal
Was ended% Lu1e @for so the Son was namedA
And his old Father 2oth 2etoo1 themsel,es
To such con,enient wor1 as might em-loy .7>
Their hands 2y the fireside= -erha-s to card
Wool for the #ousewife<s s-indle% or re-air
Some in3ury done to sic1le% flail% or scythe%
Or other im-lement of house or field)
"own from the ceiling% 2y the chimney<s edge% ..7
That in our ancient uncouth country style
With huge and 2lac1 -ro3ection o,er2rowed
Large s-ace 2eneath% as duly as the light
Of day grew dim the #ousewife hung a lam-=
An aged utensil% which had -erformed ..>
Ser,ice 2eyond all others of its 1ind)
Early at e,ening did it 2urn%::and late%
Sur,i,ing comrade of uncounted hours%
Which% going 2y from year to year% had found%
And left the cou-le neither gay -erha-s .87
Nor cheerful% yet with o23ects and with ho-es%
Li,ing a life of eager industry)
And now% when Lu1e had reached his eighteenth year%
There 2y the light of this old lam- they sate%
Father and Son% while far into the night .8>
The #ousewife -lied her own -eculiar wor1%
!a1ing the cottage through the silent hours
!urmur as with the sound of summer flies)
This light was famous in its neigh2orhood%
And was a -u2lic sym2ol of the life .?7
That thrifty 'air had li,ed) For% as it chanced=
Their cottage on a -lot of rising ground
Stood single% with large -ros-ect% north and south%
#igh into Easedale% u- to "unmail:aise%
And westward to the ,illage near the la1e= .?>
And from this constant light% so regular%
And so far seen% the #ouse itself% 2y all
Who dwelt within the limits of the ,ale%
Page 6 of 116
&oth old and young% was named the E*ENIN( STA)
Thus li,ing on through such a length of years% .B7
The She-herd% if he lo,ed himself% must needs
#a,e lo,ed his #el-mate= 2ut to !ichael<s heart
This son of his old age was yet more dear::
Less from instincti,e tenderness% the same
Fond s-irit that 2lindly wor1s in the 2lood of all:: .B>
Than that a child% more than all other gifts
That earth can offer to declining man%
&rings ho-e with it% and forward:loo1ing thoughts%
And stirrings of inEuietude% when they
&y tendency of nature needs must fail) .>7
EFceeding was the lo,e he 2are to him%
#is heart and his heart<s 3oy; For oftentimes
Old !ichael% while he was a 2a2e in arms%
#ad done him female ser,ice% not alone
For -astime and delight% as is the use .>>
Of fathers% 2ut with -atient mind enforced
To acts of tenderness= and he had roc1ed
#is cradle% as with a woman<s gentle hand)
And in a later time% ere yet the &oy
#ad -ut on 2oy<s attire% did !ichael lo,e% .C7
Al2eit of a stern% un2ending mind%
To ha,e the $oung:one in his sight% when he
Wrought in the field% or on his she-herd<s stool
Sat with a fettered shee- 2efore him stretched
+nder the large old oa1% that near his door .C>
Stood single% and% from matchless de-th of shade%
Chosen for the shearer<s co,ert from the sun%
Thence in our rustic dialect was called
The CLI''IN( TEE% a name which yet it 2ears)
There% while they two were sitting in the shade% .07
With others round them% earnest all and 2lithe%
Would !ichael eFercise his heart with loo1s
Of fond correction and re-roof 2estowed
+-on the Child% if he distur2ed the shee-
&y catching at their legs% or with his shouts .0>
Scared them while they lay still 2eneath the shears)
And when 2y #ea,en<s good grace the &oy grew u-
A healthy Lad% and carried in his chee1
Two steady roses that were fi,e years old=
Then !ichael from a winter co--ice cut .67
With his own hand a sa-ling% which he hoo-ed
With iron% ma1ing it throughout in all
"ue reEuisites a -erfect she-herd<s staff%
And ga,e it to the &oy= wherewith eEui--ed
#e as a watchman oftentimes was -laced .6>
At gate or ga-% to stem or turn the floc1=
Page 7 of 116
And% to his office -rematurely called%
There stood the urchin% as you will di,ine%
Something 2etween a hindrance and a hel-=
And for this cause not always% I 2elie,e% ./7
ecei,ing from his Father hire of -raise=
Though naught was left undone which staff% or ,oice%
Or loo1s% or threatening gestures% could -erform%
&ut soon as Lu1e% full ten years old% could stand
Against the mountain 2lasts= and to the heights% ./>
Not fearing toil% nor length of weary ways%
#e with his Father daily went% and they
Were as com-anions% why should I relate
That o23ects which the She-herd lo,ed 2efore
Were dearer nowD that from the &oy there came 877
Feelings and emanations%::things which were
Light to the sun and music to the wind=
And that the old !an<s heart seemed 2orn againD
Thus in his Father<s sight the 2oy grew u-:
And now% when he had reached his eighteenth year% 87>
#e was his comfort and his daily ho-e)
While in this sort the sim-le household li,ed
From day to day% to !ichael<s ear there came
"istressful tidings) Long 2efore the time
Of which I s-ea1% the She-herd had 2een 2ound 8.7
In surety for his 2rother<s son% a man
Of an industrious life% and am-le means=
&ut unforeseen misfortunes suddenly
#ad -ressed u-on him= and old !ichael now
Was summoned to discharge the forfeiture% 8.>
A grie,ous -enalty% 2ut little less
Than half his su2stance) This unloo1ed:for claim%
At the first hearing% for a moment too1
!ore ho-e out of his life than he su--osed
That any old man e,er could ha,e lost) 887
As soon as he had armed himself with strength
To loo1 his trou2le in the face% it seemed
The She-herd<s sole resource to sell at once
A -ortion of his -atrimonial fields)
Such was his first resol,e= he thought again% 88>
And his heart failed him) 5Isa2el%5 said he%
Two e,enings after he had heard the news%
5I ha,e 2een toiling more than se,enty years%
And in the o-en sunshine of (od<s lo,e
#a,e we all li,ed= yet if these fields of ours 8?7
Should -ass into a stranger<s hand% I thin1
That I could not lie Euiet in my gra,e)
Our lot is a hard lot= the sun himself
Page 8 of 116
#as scarcely 2een more diligent than I=
And I ha,e li,ed to 2e a fool at last 8?>
To my own family) An e,il man
That was% and made an e,il choice% if he
Were false to us= and if he were not false%
There are ten thousand to whom loss li1e this
#ad 2een no sorrow) I forgi,e him=::2ut 8B7
<Twere 2etter to 2e dum2 than to tal1 thus)
5When I 2egan% my -ur-ose was to s-ea1
Of remedies and of a cheerful ho-e)
Our Lu1e shall lea,e us% Isa2el= the land
Shall not go from us% and it shall 2e free= 8B>
#e shall -ossess it% free as is the wind
That -asses o,er it) We ha,e% thou 1now<st%
Another 1insman= he will 2e our friend
In this distress) #e is a -ros-erous man%
Thri,ing in trade= and Lu1e to him shall go% 8>7
And with his 1insman<s hel- and his own thrift
#e Euic1ly will re-air this loss% and then
#e may return to us) If here he stay%
What can 2e doneD Where e,ery one is -oor%
What can 2e gainedD5
At this the old !an -aused% 8>>
And Isa2el sat silent% for her mind
Was 2usy% loo1ing 2ac1 into -ast times)
There<s ichard &ateman% thought she to herself%
#e was a -arish:2oy%::at the church:door
They made a gathering for him% shillings% -ence% 8C7
And half:-ennies% wherewith the neigh2ors 2ought
A 2as1et% which they filled with -edlar<s wares=
And% with his 2as1et on his arm% the lad
Went u- to London% found a master there%
Who% out of many% chose the trusty 2oy 8C>
To go and o,erloo1 his merchandise
&eyond the seas= where he grew wondrous rich%
And left estates and moneys to the -oor%
And at his 2irth-lace 2uilt a cha-el% floored
With mar2le% which he sent from foreign lands) 807
These thoughts% and many others of li1e sort%
'assed Euic1ly through the mind of Isa2el
And her face 2rightened) The old !an was glad%
And thus resumed: 5Well% Isa2el% this scheme%
These two days% has 2een meat and drin1 to me) 80>
Far more than we ha,e lost is left us yet)
::We ha,e enough::I wish indeed that I
Were younger=::2ut this ho-e is a good ho-e)
!a1e ready Lu1e<s 2est garments% of the 2est
&uy for him more% and let us send him forth 867
Page 9 of 116
To:morrow% or the neFt day% or to:night:
::If he GcouldG go% the &oy should go to:night)5
#ere !ichael ceased% and to the fields went forth
With a light heart) The #ousewife for fi,e days
Was restless morn and night% and all day long 86>
Wrought on with her 2est fingers to -re-are
Things needful for the 3ourney of her son)
&ut Isa2el was glad when Sunday came
To sto- her in her wor1= for% when she lay
&y !ichael<s side% she through the last two nights 8/7
#eard him% how he was trou2led in his slee-:
And when they rose at morning she could see
That all his ho-es were gone) That day at noon
She said to Lu1e% while they two 2y themsel,es
Were sitting at the door% 5Thou must not go: 8/>
We ha,e no other Child 2ut thee to lose%
None to remem2er::do not go away%
For if thou lea,e thy Father he will die)5
The $outh made answer with a 3ocund ,oice=
And Isa2el% when she had told her fears% ?77
eco,ered heart) That e,ening her 2est fare
"id she 2ring forth% and all together sat
Li1e ha--y -eo-le round a Christmas fire)
With daylight Isa2el resumed her wor1=
And all the ensuing wee1 the house a--eared ?7>
As cheerful as a gro,e in S-ring: at length
The eF-ected letter from their 1insman came%
With 1ind assurances that he would do
#is utmost for the welfare of the &oy=
To which reEuests were added% that forthwith ?.7
#e might 2e sent to him) Ten times or more
The letter was read o,er= Isa2el
Went forth to show it to the neigh2ors round=
Nor was there at that time on English land
A -rouder heart than Lu1e<s) When Isa2el ?.>
#ad to her house returned% the old !an said%
5#e shall de-art to:morrow)5 To this word
The #ousewife answered% tal1ing much of things
Which% if at such short notice he should go%
Would surely 2e forgotten) &ut at length ?87
She ga,e consent% and !ichael was at ease)
Near the tumultuous 2roo1 of (reen:head (hyll%
In that dee- ,alley% !ichael had designed
To 2uild a Shee-:fold= and% 2efore he heard
The tidings of his melancholy loss% ?8>
For this same -ur-ose he had gathered u-
A hea- of stones% which 2y the streamlet<s edge
Lay thrown together% ready for the wor1)
Page 10 of 116
With Lu1e that e,ening thitherward he wal1ed=
And soon as they had reached the -lace he sto--ed% ??7
And thus the old man s-a1e to him:::5!y Son%
To:morrow thou wilt lea,e me= with full heart
I loo1 u-on thee% for thou art the same
That wert a -romise to me ere thy 2irth
And all thy life hast 2een my daily 3oy) ??>
I will relate to thee some little -art
Of our two histories= <twill do thee good
When thou art from me% e,en if I should touch
On things thou canst not 1now of)::::::After thou
First cam<st into the world::as oft 2efalls ?B7
To new2orn infants::thou didst slee- away
Two days% and 2lessings from thy Father<s tongue
Then fell u-on thee) "ay 2y day -assed on%
And still I lo,ed thee with increasing lo,e)
Ne,er to li,ing ear came sweeter sounds ?B>
Than when I heard thee 2y our own fireside
First uttering% without words% a natural tune=
While thou% a feeding 2a2e% didst in thy 3oy
Sing at thy !other<s 2reast) !onth followed month%
And in the o-en fields my life was -assed% ?>7
And on the mountains= else I thin1 that thou
#adst 2een 2rought u- u-on thy Father<s 1nees)
&ut we were -laymates% Lu1e= among these hills%
As well thou 1nowest% in us the old and young
#a,e -layed together% nor with me didst thou ?>>
Lac1 any -leasure which a 2oy can 1now)5
Lu1e had a manly heart= 2ut at these words
#e so22ed aloud) The old !an gras-ed his hand%
And said% 5Nay% do not ta1e it so::I see
That these are things of which I need not s-ea1) ?C7
::E,en to the utmost I ha,e 2een to thee
A 1ind and a good Father= and herein
I 2ut re-ay a gift which I myself
ecei,ed at others< hands= for% though now old
&eyond the common life of man% I still ?C>
emem2er them who lo,ed me in my youth)
&oth of them slee- together= here they li,ed%
As all their Forefathers had done= and% when
At length their time was come% they were not loath
To gi,e their 2odies to the family mould) ?07
I wished that thou should<st li,e the life they li,ed=
&ut <tis a long time to loo1 2ac1% my Son%
And see so little gain from threescore years)
These fields were 2urthened when they came to me=
Till I was forty years of age% not more ?0>
Than half of my inheritance was mine)
I toiled and toiled= (od 2lessed me in my wor1%
And till the three wee1s -ast the land was free)
Page 11 of 116
::It loo1s as if it ne,er could endure
Another !aster) #ea,en forgi,e me% Lu1e% ?67
If I 3udge ill for thee% 2ut it seems good
That thou shouldst go)5
At this the old !an -aused=
Then% -ointing to the stones near which they stood%
Thus% after a short silence% he resumed:
5This was a wor1 for us= and now% my Son% ?6>
It is a wor1 for me) &ut% lay one stone%::
#ere% lay it for me% Lu1e% with thine own hands)
Nay% &oy% 2e of good ho-e= we 2oth may li,e
To see a 2etter day) At eighty:four
I still am strong and hale=::do thou thy -art= ?/7
I will do mine)::I will 2egin again
With many tas1s that were resigned to thee=
+- to the heights% and in among the storms%
Will I without thee go again% and do
All wor1s which I was wont to do alone% ?/>
&efore I 1new thy face) #ea,en 2less thee% &oy;
Thy heart these two wee1s has 2een 2eating fast
With many ho-es= it should 2e so::yes% yes%::
I 1new that thou couldst ne,er ha,e a wish
To lea,e me% Lu1e= thou hast 2een 2ound to me B77
Only 2y lin1s of lo,e: when thou art gone
What will 2e left to us;::&ut I forget
!y -ur-oses) Lay now the corner:stone%
As I reEuested= and hereafter% Lu1e%
When thou art gone away% should e,il men B7>
&e thy com-anions% thin1 of me% my Son%
And of this moment= hither turn thy thoughts%
And (od will strengthen thee: amid all fear
And all tem-tation% Lu1e% I -ray that thou
!ay<st 2ear in mind the life thy Fathers li,ed% B.7
Who% 2eing innocent% did for that cause
&estir them in good deeds) Now% fare thee well::
When thou return<st% thou in this -lace wilt see
A wor1 which is not here: a co,enant
<Twill 2e 2etween us= 2ut% whate,er fate B.>
&efall thee% I shall lo,e thee to the last%
And 2ear thy memory with me to the gra,e)5
The She-herd ended here= and Lu1e stoo-ed down%
And% as his Father had reEuested% laid
The first stone of the Shee-:fold) At the sight B87
The old !an<s grief 2ro1e from him= to his heart
#e -ressed his Son% he 1issed him and we-t=
And to the house together they returned)
::#ushed was that #ouse in -eace% or seeming -eace%
Ere the night fell:::with morrow<s dawn the &oy B8>
Page 12 of 116
&egan his 3ourney% and when he had reached
The -u2lic way% he -ut on a 2old face=
And all the neigh2ors% as he -assed their doors%
Came forth with wishes and with farewell -rayers%
That followed him till he was out of sight) B?7
A good re-ort did from their Hinsman come%
Of Lu1e and his well doing: and the &oy
Wrote lo,ing letters% full of wondrous news%
Which% as the #ousewife -hrased it% were throughout
5The -rettiest letters that were e,er seen)5 B?>
&oth -arents read them with re3oicing hearts)
So% many months -assed on= and once again
The She-herd went a2out his daily wor1
With confident and cheerful thoughts= and now
Sometimes when he could find a leisure hour BB7
#e to that ,alley too1 his way% and there
Wrought at the Shee-:fold) !eantime Lu1e 2egan
To slac1en in his duty= and% at length%
#e in the dissolute city ga,e himself
To e,il courses: ignominy and shame BB>
Fell on him% so that he was dri,en at last
To see1 a hiding -lace 2eyond the seas)
There is a comfort in the strength of lo,e=
<Twill ma1e a thing endura2le% which else
Would o,erset the 2rain% or 2rea1 the heart: B>7
I ha,e con,ersed with more than one who well
emem2er the old !an% and what he was
$ears after he had heard this hea,y news)
#is 2odily frame had 2een from youth to age
Of an unusual strength) Among the roc1s B>>
#e went% and still loo1ed u- to sun and cloud%
And listened to the wind= and% as 2efore%
'erformed all 1inds of la2or for his shee-%
And for the land% his small inheritance)
And to that hollow dell from time to time BC7
"id he re-air% to 2uild the Fold of which
#is floc1 had need) <Tis not forgotten yet
The -ity which was then in e,ery heart
For the old !an::and <tis 2elie,ed 2y all
That many and many a day he thither went% BC>
And ne,er lifted u- a single stone)
There 2y the Shee-:fold% sometimes was he seen
Sitting alone% or with his faithful "og%
Then old% 2eside him% lying at his feet)
The length of full se,en years% from time to time >07
#e at the 2uilding of this Shee-:fold wrought%
And left the wor1 unfinished when he died)
Page 13 of 116
Three years% or little more% did Isa2el
Sur,i,e her #us2and= at her death the estate
Was sold% and went into a stranger<s hand) B0>
The Cottage which was named the E*ENIN( STA
Is gone%::the -loughshare has 2een through the ground
On which it stood= great changes ha,e 2een wrought
In all the neigh2orhood:::yet the oa1 is left%
That grew 2eside their door= and the remains B67
Of the unfinished Shee-:fold may 2e seen
&eside the 2oisterous 2roo1 of (reen:head (hyll)
8) (EEN:#EA" (#$LL) Near "o,e Cottage% Wordsworth<s home at (rasmere)
(#$LL) A short% stee-% and narrow ,alley with a stream running through
it)
>) T#E 'ASTOAL !O+NTAINS) In 'rofessor Hnight<s GLife of WordsworthG
are found fragments which the -oet intended for G!ichaelG and which
were reco,ered from "orothy Wordsworth<s manuscri-t 2oo1) Among these
are the following lines% which as 'rofessor "owden suggests% are gi,en
as Wordsworth<s answer to the Euestion% 5What feeling for eFternal
nature had such a man as !ichaelD5 The lines% which corres-ond to
lines C8:00 of the -oem% are as follows=
5No dou2t if you in terms direct had as1ed
Whether 2elo,ed the mountains% true it is
That with 2lunt re-etition of your words
#e might ha,e stared at you% and said that they
Were frightful to 2ehold% 2ut had you then
"iscoursed with him ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
Of his own 2usiness and the goings on
Of earth and s1y% then truly had you seen
That in his thoughts there were o2scurities%
Wonder and admiration% things that wrought
Not less than a religion of his heart)5
.0) In "orothy Wordsworth<s 9ournal for Octo2er ..% .677% we read:
5After dinner% we wal1ed u- (reenhead (ill in search of a
shee-fold) ) ) The shee-fold is falling away) It is 2uilt in the form
of a heart uneEually di,ided)5
B6) T#E !EANIN( OF ALL WIN"S) This is not a figurati,e Statement)
!ichael 1nows 2y eF-erience whether the sound and direction of the wind
fore2ode storm or fair weather%::-recisely the -ractical 1ind of
1nowledge which a herdsman should -ossess)
>.) S+&TEANEO+S) The meaning of this word has gi,en rise to
Page 14 of 116
discussion) 5Su2terraneous5 cannot here 2e literally em-loyed% unless
it refer to the sound of the wind in hollow -laces% and 2eneath
o,erhanging crags)
>.:>8) LIHE T#E NOISE% etc) Is there a s-ecial a--ro-riateness in the
use of a Scottish simileD What is the general character of the similes
throughout the -oemD
>C:00) Wordsworth ne,er attri2utes to !ichael the su2tler and more
-hiloso-hical sensations which he himself deri,ed from nature) Such
-oems as GThe 'reludeG or GThe EFcursionG contain many ele,ated
-assages on the influence of nature% which would ha,e 2een eFceedingly
ina--ro-riate here)
..>) Scan this line)
.8.) NO C#EEF+L) The e-ithet seems not well chosen in ,iew of the
fact that all the circumstances of their life 2reathe a s-irit of Euiet
cheerfulness) Surely the light @.8/:.?.A was a sym2ol of cheer)
.8C) 'EC+LIA WOH) &ring out the force of the e-ithet)
.?B) EASE"ALE) Near (rasmere) "+N!AIL:AISE) The -ass leading from
(rasmere to Heswic1) AISE) A -ro,incial word meaning 5an ascent)5
.?/) T#E E*ENIN( STA) This name was actually gi,en to a neigh2oring
house)
.B?:.>8) The lo,e of !ichael for Lu1e is inwrought with his lo,e for
his home and for the land which surrounds it) These he desires at his
death to hand down unencum2ered to his son) 5I ha,e attem-ted%5
Wordsworth wrote to 'oole% 5to gi,e a -icture of a man of strong mind
and li,ely sensi2ility% agitated 2y two of the most -owerful affections
of the human heart::the -arental affection and the lo,e of -ro-erty%
GlandedG -ro-erty% including the feelings of inheritance% home and
-ersonal and family inde-endence)5
.B>) Scan this line)
.C/) T#E CLI''IN( TEE) Cli--ing is the word used in the North of
England for shearing) @Wordsworth<s note% .677A)
.68) Notice the entire a2sence of -ause at the end of the line) 'oint
out other instances of run:on lines @Gen3am2ementGA)
8>/) 'AIS#:&O$) "e-ending on charity)
8C6:807) Wordsworth added the following note on these lines: 5The story
alluded to here is well 1nown in the country) The cha-el is called
Ing<s Cha-el= and is on the right hand side of the road leading from
Page 15 of 116
Hendal to Am2leside)5
86?) AN" TO T#E FIEL"S WENT FOT# O2ser,e the inconsistency) The
con,ersation too1 -lace in the e,ening) See l) ?80)
86Bf) WIT# A LI(#T #EAT) !ichael<s growing misgi,ings are su2tly
re-resented in the following lines% and the renewal of his ho-es)
?C0:?C6) These lines forci2ly show how tenaciously !ichael<s feelings
were rooted in the soil of his home) #ence the eFtreme -athos of the
situation)
?66) O2ser,e the dramatic force of this line)
?/?:?/C) What unconscious -oetry there is in the old man<s words;
B87) Scan this line)
BB>) Scan this line)
BCC) !atthew Arnold commenting on this line says= 5The right sort of
,erse to choose from Wordsworth% if we are to sei4e his true and most
characteristic form of eF-ression% is a line li1e this from !ichael:
<And ne,er lifted u- a single stone)< There is nothing su2tle in it%
no heightening% no study of -oetic style strictly so called% at all=
yet it is an eF-ression of the highest and most truly eF-ressi,e 1ind)5
BC0f) Note the no2le sim-licity and -athos of these closing lines)
There is a reser,ed force of -ent:u- -athos here% which without effort
reaches the height of dramatic effecti,eness)
TO T#E "AIS$
&right Flower; whose home is e,erywhere%
&old in maternal Nature<s care%
And all the long year through the heir
Of 3oy and sorrow%
!ethin1s that there a2ides in thee >
Some concord with humanity%
(i,en to no other flower I see
The forest thorough;
Is it that !an is soon de-restD
A thoughtless Thing; who% once un2lest% .7
"oes little on his memory rest%
Or on his reason%
And Thou would<st teach him how to find
Page 16 of 116
A shelter under e,ery wind%
A ho-e for times that are un1ind% .>
And e,ery seasonD
Thou wander<st the wide world a2out%
+nchec1<d 2y -ride or scru-ulous dou2t%
With friends to greet thee% or without%
$et -leased and wilting= 87
!ee1% yielding to the occasion<s call%
And all things suffering from all%
Thy function a-ostolical
In -eace fulfilling)
6) T#OO+(#) This is 2y deri,ation the correct form of the modern word
5through)5 A)S) GthurhG% !)E) GthuruhG) The use of 5thorough5 is now
-urely ad3ecti,al% eFce-t in archaic or -oetic s-eech)
8B) A'OSTOLICAL) The stan4a in which this word occurs was omitted in
.680 and .6?8% 2ecause the eF-ression was censured as almost -rofane)
Wordsworth in his dictated note to !iss Fenwic1 has the following: 5The
word Ia-ostolicalJ is ado-ted with reference to its deri,ation% im-lying
something sent out on a mission= and assuredly this little flower%
es-ecially when the su23ect of ,erse% may 2e regarded% in its hum2le
degree% as administering 2oth to moral and s-iritual -ur-oses)5
TO T#E C+CHOO
O 2lithe New:comer; I ha,e heard%
I hear thee and re3oice)
O Cuc1oo; shall I call thee &ird%
Or 2ut a wandering *oiceD
While I am lying on the grass% >
Thy twofold shout I hear=
From hill to hill it seems to -ass%
At once far off% and near)
Though 2a22ling only to the *ale
Of sunshine and of flowers% .7
Thou 2ringest unto me a tale
Of ,isionary hours)
Thrice welcome% darling of the S-ring;
E,en yet thou art to me
No 2ird% 2ut an in,isi2le thing% .>
A ,oice% a mystery=
Page 17 of 116
The same whom in my school2oy days
I listened to= that Cry
Which made me loo1 a thousand ways
In 2ush% and tree% and s1y) 87
To see1 thee did I often ro,e
Through woods and on the green=
And thou wert still a ho-e% a lo,e=
Still longed for% ne,er seen)
And I can listen to thee yet= 8>
Can lie u-on the -lain
And listen% till I do 2eget
That golden time again)
O 2lessed &ird; the earth we -ace
Again a--ears to 2e ?7
An unsu2stantial% faery -lace=
That is fit home for Thee;
.) O &LIT#E NEW:CO!E) The Cuc1oo is migratory% and a--ears in England
in the early s-ring) Com-are GSolitary ea-erG% l) .C)
I #A* #EA") i)e)% in my youth)
?) S#ALL I CALL T#EE &I"D Com-are Shelley)
#ail to thee% 2lithe s-irit;
&ird thou ne,er wert)
GTo a S1ylar1G)
B) A WAN"EIN( *OICED Lac1ing su2stantial eFistence)
C) TWOFOL" S#O+T) Twofold% 2ecause consisting of a dou2le note) Com-are
Wordsworth<s sonnet% GTo the Cuc1ooG% l) B:
5With its twin notes inse-ara2ly -aired)5
Wordsworth em-loys the word 5shout5 in se,eral of his Cuc1oo
descri-tions) See GThe EFcursionG% ii) l) ?BC:?B6 and ,ii) l) B76= also
the following from G$es; it was the !ountain EchoG:
$es; it was the mountain echo%
Solitary% clear% -rofound%
Answering to the shouting Cuc1oo=
(i,ing to her sound for sound)
Page 18 of 116
N+TTIN(
::::::It seems a day
@I s-ea1 of one from many singled outA%
One of those hea,enly days that cannot die=
When% in the eagerness of 2oyish ho-e%
I left our cottage threshold% sallying forth >
With a huge wallet o<er my shoulders slung%
A nutting:croo1 in hand% and turned my ste-s
Toward some far:distant wood% a Figure Euaint%
Tric1ed out in -roud disguise of cast:off weeds%
Which for that ser,ice had 2een hus2anded% .7
&y eFhortation of my frugal "ame%::
!otley accoutrement% of -ower to smile
At thorns% and 2ra1es% and 2ram2les% and% in truth%
!ore ragged than need was; O<er -athless roc1s%
Through 2eds of matted fern and tangled thic1ets% .>
Forcing my way% I came to one dear noo1
+n,isited% where not a 2ro1en 2ough
"roo-ed with its withered lea,es% ungracious sign
Of de,astation= 2ut the ha4els rose
Tall and erect% with tem-ting clusters hung% 87
A ,irgin scene; A little while I stood%
&reathing with such su--ression of the heart
As 3oy delights in= and with wise restraint
*olu-tuous% fearless of a ri,al% eyed
The 2anEuet= or 2eneath the trees I sate 8>
Among the flowers% and with the flowers I -layed=
A tem-er 1nown to those% who% after long
And weary eF-ectation% ha,e 2een 2lest
With sudden ha--iness 2eyond all ho-e)
'erha-s it was a 2ower 2eneath whose lea,es ?7
The ,iolets of fi,e seasons rea--ear
And fade% unseen 2y any human eye=
Where fairy water:2rea1s do murmur on
Fore,er= and I saw the s-ar1ling foam%
And% with my chee1 on one of those green stones ?>
That% fleeced with moss% under the shady trees%
Lay round me% scattered li1e a floc1 of shee-%
I heard the murmur and the murmuring sound%
In that sweet mood when -leasure lo,es to -ay
Tri2ute to ease= and of its 3oy secure% B7
The heart luFuriates with indifferent things%
Wasting its 1indliness on stoc1s and stones%
And on the ,acant air) Then u- I rose%
And dragged to earth 2oth 2ranch and 2ough% with crash
And merciless ra,age: and the shady noo1 B>
Of ha4els% and the green and mossy 2ower%
Page 19 of 116
"eformed and sullied% -atiently ga,e u-
Their Euiet 2eing: and unless I now
Confound my -resent feelings with the -ast%
Ere from the mutilated 2ower I turned >7
EFulting% rich 2eyond the wealth of 1ings%
I felt a sense of -ain when I 2eheld
The silent trees% and saw the intruding s1y)::
Then% dearest !aiden% mo,e along these shades
In gentleness of heart= with gentle hand >>
Touch%::for there is a s-irit in the woods)
>) O+ COTTA(E T#ES#OL") 5The house at which I was 2oarded during the
time I was at school)5 @Wordsworth<s note% .677A) The school was the
#aw1shead School)
/) TICHE" O+TKGdressedG) The ,er2 5to tric15K5to dress5 is deri,ed
-ro2a2ly from the noun% 5tric15 in the sense of <a deFterous artifice%<
<a touch)< See 5Century "ictionary)5
CAST:OFF WEE"SKGcast:off clothesG) Wordsworth originally wrote <of
&eggar<s weeds)< What -rom-ted him to change the eF-ressionD
.7) FO T#AT SE*ICE) i)e)% for nutting)
.8:.?) OF 'OWE TO S!ILE AT T#ONSKGa2le to defyG% etc) Not 2ecause of
their strength% 2ut 2ecause so ragged that additional rents were of small
account)
8.) *I(INKGunmarred% unde,astatedG)
?.) EF-lain the line) Notice the -oetical way in which the -oet con,eys
the idea of solitude% @l) ?7:?8A)
??) FAI$ WATE:&EAHSKGwa,elets% ri--lesG) GCfG):::
!any a sil,ery Gwater:2rea1G
A2o,e the golden gra,el)
Tennyson% GThe &roo1G)
?C) FLEECE" WIT# !OSS) Suggest a reason why the term 5fleeced5 has
-eculiar a--ro-riateness here)
?/:B7) 'ara-hrase these lines to 2ring out their meaning)
B?:B6) T#EN +' I OSE) Contrast this acti,e eFu2erant -leasure not
unmiFed with -ain with the -assi,e meditati,e 3oy that the -receding
lines eF-ress)
B0:B6) 'ATIENTL$ (A*E +' T#EI L+IET &EIN() Notice the attri2ution of
Page 20 of 116
life to inanimate nature) Wordsworth constantly held that there was a
mind and all the attri2utes of mind in nature) GCfG) l) >C% 5for there
is a s-irit in the woods)5
>?) AN" SAW T#E INT+"IN( SH$) &ring out the force of this -assage)
>B) T#EN% "EAEST !AI"EN) This is a reference to the -oet<s Sister%
"orothy Wordsworth)
>C) FO T#EE IS A S'IIT IN T#E WOO"S) GCf) Tintern A22eyG% .7. f)
A motion and a s-irit that im-els
All thin1ing things% all o23ects of all thought%
And rolls through all things)
INFL+ENCE OF NAT+AL O&9ECTS
Wisdom and S-irit of the uni,erse;
Thou Soul% that art the Eternity of thought;
And gi,<st to forms and images a 2reath
And e,erlasting motion; not in ,ain%
&y day or starlight% thus from my first dawn >
Of childhood didst thou intertwine for me
The -assions that 2uild u- our human soul=
Not with the mean and ,ulgar wor1s of !an:
&ut with high o23ects% with enduring things%
With life and nature: -urifying thus .7
The elements of feeling and of thought%
And sanctifying 2y such disci-line
&oth -ain and fear%::until we recogni4e
A grandeur in the 2eatings of the heart)
Nor was this fellowshi- ,ouchsafed to me .>
With stinted 1indness) In No,em2er days%
When ,a-ors rolling down the ,alleys made
A lonely scene more lonesome= among woods
At noon= and <mid the calm of summer nights%
When% 2y the margin of the trem2ling la1e% 87
&eneath the gloomy hills% homeward I went
In solitude% such intercourse was mine:
!ine was it in the fields 2oth day and night%
And 2y the waters% all the summer long)
And in the frosty season% when the sun 8>
Was set% and% ,isi2le for many a mile%
The cottage windows through the twilight 2la4ed%
I heeded not the summons: ha--y time
It was indeed for all of us= for me
Page 21 of 116
It was a time of ra-ture; Clear and loud ?7
The ,illage cloc1 tolled siF::I wheeled a2out%
'roud and eFulting li1e an untired horse%
That cares not for his home%::All shod with steel
We hissed along the -olished ice% in games
Confederate% imitati,e of the chase ?>
And woodland -leasures%::the resounding horn%
The -ac1 loud:chiming% and the hunted hare)
So through the dar1ness and the cold we flew%
And not a ,oice was idle= with the din
Smitten% the -reci-ices rang aloud= B7
The leafless trees and e,ery icy crag
Tin1led li1e iron= while far:distant hills
Into the tumult sent an alien sound
Of melancholy% not unnoticed% while the stars%
Eastward% were s-ar1ling clear% and in the west B>
The orange s1y of e,ening died away)
Not seldom from the u-roar I retired
Into a silent 2ay% or s-orti,ely
(lanced sideway% lea,ing the tumultuous throng%
To cut across the refleF of a star= >7
Image% that% flying still 2efore me% gleamed
+-on the glassy -lain= and oftentimes%
When we had gi,en our 2odies to the wind%
And all the shadowy 2an1s on either side
Came swee-ing through the dar1ness% s-inning still >>
The ra-id line of motion% then at once
#a,e I% reclining 2ac1 u-on my heels%
Sto--ed short% yet still the solitary cliffs
Wheeled 2y me::e,en as if the earth had rolled
With ,isi2le motion her diurnal round; C7
&ehind me did they stretch in solemn train%
Fee2ler and fee2ler% and I stood and watched
Till all was tranEuil as a summer sea)
.:.B) In what other -oems does Wordsworth descri2e 5the education of
natureD5
6) Nature<s teaching is ne,er sordid nor mercenary% 2ut always -urifying
and enno2ling)
.7) '+IF$IN(% also SANCTIF$IN( @l) .8A% refer to 5Soul5 @l) 8A)
.8:.B) #uman cares are lightened in -ro-ortion to our -ower of
sym-athising with nature) The ,ery 2eatings of our heart acEuire a
certain grandeur from the fact that they are a -rocess of nature and
lin1ed thus to the general life of things) It is -ossi2le that 52eatings
of the heart5 may figurati,ely re-resent the mere -lay of the emotions%
Page 22 of 116
and thus ha,e a 2earing u-on the words 5-ain and fear5 in line .?)
.>) FELLOWS#I') Communion with nature in her ,arying as-ects as
descri2ed in the following lines)
?.) *ILLA(E CLOCH) The ,illage was #aw1shead)
?>) CONFE"EATE) Lualifies 5we%5 or 5games)5 'oint out the different
shades of meaning for each agreement)
B8) TINHLE" LIHE ION) 5When ,ery many are s1ating together% the sounds
and the noises gi,e an im-ulse to the icy trees% and the woods all round
the la1e Gtin1leG)5 S) T) Coleridge in GThe FriendG% ii% ?8> @.6.6A)
B8:BB) The 1eenness of Wordsworth<s sense -erce-tions was ,ery
remar1a2le) #is susce-ti2ility to im-ressions of sound is well
illustrated in this -assage% which closes @l) B?:BCA with a color -icture
of stri1ing 2eauty and a--ro-riateness)
>7) EFLEMKGreflectionG) GCfG):
Li1e the GrefleFG of the moon
Seen in a wa,e under green lea,es)
Shelley% G'rometheus +n2oundG% iii% B)
In later editions Wordsworth altered these lines as follows:
To cut across the image) .67/) To cross the 2right reflection) .687)
>B:C7) The effect of ra-id motion is admira2ly descri2ed) The s-inning
effect which Wordsworth e,idently has in mind we ha,e all noticed in the
fields which seem to re,ol,e when ,iewed from a swiftly mo,ing: train)
#owe,er% a s1ater from the low le,el of a stream would see only the
fringe of trees swee- -ast him) The dar1ness and the height of the 2an1s
would not -ermit him to see the relati,ely motionless o23ects in the
distance in either hand)
>0:>6) This method of sto--ing short u-on one<s heels might -ro,e
disastrous)
>6:C7) The effect of motion -ersists after the motion has ceased)
C8 C?) The a--arent motion of the cliffs grows fee2ler 2y degrees until
5all was tranEuil as a summer sea)5 In GTheG ITranscri2er<s note: the
rest of this footnote is missing from the original 2oo1 2ecause of a
-rinting error)J
Page 23 of 116
TO T#E E*) ") WO"SWOT#
@WIT# T#E SONNETS TO T#E I*E "+""ON% AN" OT#E
'OE!S IN T#IS COLLECTION% .687A)
The minstrels -layed their Christmas tune
To:night 2eneath my cottage:ea,es=
While% smitten 2y a lofty moon%
The encircling laurels% thic1 with lea,es%
(a,e 2ac1 a rich and da44ling sheen% >
That o,er-owered their natural green)
Through hill and ,alley e,ery 2ree4e
#ad sun1 to rest with folded wings=
Heen was the air% 2ut could not free4e%
Nor chec1% the music of the strings= .7
So stout and hardy were the 2and
That scra-ed the chords with strenuous hand:
And who 2ut listenedD::till was -aid
es-ect to e,ery Inmate<s claim:
The greeting gi,en% the music -layed% .>
In honor of each household name%
"uly -ronounced with lusty call%
And 5!erry Christmas5 wished to all;
O &rother; I re,ere the choice
That too1 thee from thy nati,e hills= 87
And it is gi,en thee to re3oice:
Though -u2lic care full often tills
@#ea,en only witness of the toilA
A 2arren and ungrateful soil)
$et% would that Thou% with me and mine% 8>
#adst heard this ne,er:failing rite=
And seen on other faces shine
A true re,i,al of the light
Which Nature and these rustic 'owers%
In sim-le childhood% s-read through ours; ?7
For -leasure hath not ceased to wait
On these eF-ected annual rounds=
Whether the rich man<s sum-tuous gate
Call forth the unela2orate sounds%
Or they are offered at the door ?>
That guards the lowliest of the -oor)
#ow touching% when% at midnight% swee-
Snow:muffled winds% and all is dar1
To hear::and sin1 again:to slee-
Page 24 of 116
Or% at an earlier call% to mar1% B7
&y 2la4ing fire% the still sus-ense
Of self:com-lacent innocence=
The mutual nod%::the gra,e disguise
Of hearts with gladness 2rimming o<er=
And some un2idden tears that rise B>
For names once heard% and heard no more=
Tears 2rightened 2y the serenade
For infant in the cradle laid)
Ah; not for emerald fields alone%
With am2ient streams more -ure and 2right >7
Than fa2led Cytherea<s 4one
(littering 2efore the Thunderer<s sight%
Is to my heart of hearts endeared
The ground where we were 2orn and reared;
#ail% ancient !anners; sure defence% >>
Where they sur,i,e% of wholesome laws=
emnants of lo,e whose modest sense
Thus into narrow room withdraws=
#ail% +sages of -ristine mould%
And ye that guard them% !ountains old; C7
&ear with me% &rother; Euench the thought
That slights this -assion% or condemns=
If thee fond Fancy e,er 2rought
From the -roud margin of the Thames%
And Lam2eth<s ,enera2le towers% C>
To hum2ler streams% and greener 2owers)
$es% they can ma1e% who fail to fill
Short leisure e,en in 2usiest days=
!oments% to cast a loo1 2ehind%
And -rofit 2y those 1indly rays 07
That through the clouds do sometimes steal%
And all the far:off -ast re,eal)
#ence% while the im-erial City<s din
&eats freEuent on thy satiate ear%
A -leased attention I may win 0>
To agitations less se,ere%
That neither o,erwhelm nor cloy%
&ut fill the hollow ,ale with 3oy;
Christo-her Wordsworth was 2orn at Coc1ermouth in Cum2erland on 9une /th%
.00B) #e recei,ed his early education at #aw1shead (rammar School and in
.0/8 entered Trinity College% Cam2ridge% as a -ensioner) #e graduated in
Page 25 of 116
.0/C with high honours in mathematics% and in .0/6 was elected a fellow
of his college) #e too1 his !)A) degree in .0// and was awarded the
degree of "octor of "i,inity in .6.7) While at Cam2ridge Christo-her had
2een tutor to *iscount Canter2ury% who introduced him to his father% at
that time &isho- of Norwich) Through the good offices of the &isho- he
was a--ointed to the rectory of Ash2y% Norfol1% and thus% with -ros-ects
settled% he was ena2led to marry) On the a--ointment of the &isho- of
Norwich to the Arch2isho-ric of Canter2ury he was a--ointed domestic
cha-lain to the Arch2isho-) Su2seEuently in .6.C he was a--ointed rector
of St) !ary<s% Lam2eth% the li,ing he held at the time the -oem in the
teFt was written)
In .687 Christo-her was made !aster of Trinity College% Cam2ridge% a
-osition he held until his resignation in .6B.) #e died at &uFted on
Fe2ruary 8nd% .6BC) 5#e was an earnest and dee-ly religious man= in some
res-ects a high churchman of the old school% 2ut with sym-athy for
whate,er was good and no2le in others) In -olitics he was a staunch
Conser,ati,e)5
.>) T#E (EETIN( (I*EN% T#E !+SIC 'LA$E") Till the greeting had 2een
gi,en and the music -layed)
.0) Attri2uti,e to 5name5 @l) .C)A
.6) EF-lain the construction of 5wished)5
>7) A!&IENTKGwindingG)
>.) C$T#EEA<S NONE) The goddess *enus was named Cytherea 2ecause she
was su--osed to ha,e 2een 2orn of the foam of the sea near Cythera% an
island off the coast of the 'elo-onnesus) *enus was the goddess of lo,e%
and her -ower o,er the heart was strengthened 2y the mar,ellous 4one or
girdle she wore)
>8) T#E T#+N"EE) The reference is to 9u-iter% who is generally
re-resented as seated u-on a golden or i,ory throne holding in one hand
the thunder2olts% and in the other a sce-tre of cy-ress)
>>:C7) Suggest how this stan4a is characteristic of Wordsworth)
C>) LA!&ET#<S *ENEA&LE TOWES) Lam2eth 'alace% the official residence
of the Arch2isho- of Canter2ury% is on the Thames) Wordsworth<s 2rother
Christo-her% afterwards !aster of Trinity College% was then @.687A ector
of Lam2eth)
ELE(IAC STANNAS
Page 26 of 116
S+((ESTE" &$ A 'ICT+E OF 'EELE CASTLE% IN A STO!%
'AINTE" &$ SI (EO(E &EA+!ONT)
I was thy neigh2or once% thou rugged 'ile;
Four summer wee1s I dwelt in sight of thee:
I saw thee e,ery day= and all the while
Thy Form was slee-ing on a glassy sea)
So -ure the s1y% so Euiet was the air; >
So li1e% so ,ery li1e% was day to day;
Whene<er I loo1ed% thy Image still was there=
It trem2led% 2ut it ne,er -assed away)
#ow -erfect was the calm; it seemed no slee-=
No mood% which season ta1es away% or 2rings: .7
I could ha,e fancied that the mighty "ee-
Was e,en the gentlest% of all gentle Things)
Ah; T#EN% if mine had 2een the 'ainter<s hand%
To eF-ress what then I saw= and add the gleam%
The light that ne,er was) On sea or land% .>
The consecration% and the 'oet<s dream=
I would ha,e -lanted thee% thou hoary 'ile%
Amid a world how different from this;
&eside a sea that could not cease to smile=
On tranEuil land% 2eneath a s1y of 2liss) 87
Thou shouldst ha,e seemed a treasure:house di,ine
Of -eaceful years= a chronicle of hea,en=::
Of all the sun2eams that did e,er shine
The ,ery sweetest had to thee 2een gi,en)
A 'icture had it 2een of lasting ease% 8>
Elysian Euiet% without toil or strife=
No motion 2ut the mo,ing tide% a 2ree4e%
Or merely silent Nature<s 2reathing life)
Such% in the fond illusion of my heart%
Such 'icture would I at that time ha,e made: ?7
And seen the soul of truth in e,ery -art%
A steadfast -eace that might not 2e 2etrayed)
So once it would ha,e 2een%::<tis so no more=
I ha,e su2mitted to a new control:
A -ower is gone% which nothing can restore= ?>
A dee- distress hath humani4ed my Soul)
Not for a moment could I now 2ehold
A smiling sea% and 2e what I ha,e 2een:
Page 27 of 116
The feeling of my loss will ne<er 2e old=
This% which I 1now% I s-ea1 with mind serene) B7
Then% &eaumont% Friend; who would ha,e 2een the Friend%
If he had li,ed% of #im whom I de-lore%
This wor1 of thine I 2lame not% 2ut commend=
This sea in anger% and that dismal shore)
O <tis a -assionate Wor1;::yet wise and well% B>
Well chosen is the s-irit that is here=
That #ul1 which la2ors in the deadly swell%
This rueful s1y% this -ageantry of fear;
And this huge Castle% standing here su2lime%
I lo,e to see the loo1 with which it 2ra,es% >7
Cased in the unfeeling armor of old time%
The lightning% the fierce wind% and tram-ling wa,es)
Farewell% farewell the heart that li,es alone%
#oused in a dream% at distance from the Hind;
Such ha--iness% where,er it 2e 1nown% >>
Is to 2e -itied: for <tis surely 2lind)
&ut welcome fortitude% and -atient cheer%
And freEuent sights of what is to 2e 2orne;
Such sights% or worse% as are 2efore me here)::
Not without ho-e we suffer and we mourn) C7
8) FO+ S+!!E WEEHS) In .0/B Wordsworth s-ent -art of a summer ,acation
at the house of his cousin% !r) &ar1er% at am-side% a ,illage near 'eele
Castle)
C:0) Shelley has twice imitated these lines) Com-are:::
Within the surface of Time<s fleeting ri,er
Its wrin1led Image lies% as then it lay
Immo,a2ly unEuiet% and for e,er
It trem2les% 2ut it cannot -ass away)
GOde to Li2ertyG% ,i)
also the following:
Within the surface of the fleeting ri,er
The wrin1led image of the city lay%
Immo,a2ly unEuiet% and for e,er
It trem2les% 2ut it ne,er fades away)
GE,eningG)
/:.7) The calm was so com-lete that it did not seem a transient mood of
Page 28 of 116
the sea% a -assing slee-)
.?:.C) Com-are with the a2o,e original reading of .670 @restored after
.680A the lines which Wordsworth su2stituted in .687 and .680)
Ah; T#EN% if mine had 2een the 'ainter<s hand%
To eF-ress what then I saw= and add a gleam%
The lustre% 1nown to neither sea nor land%
&ut 2orrowed from the youthful 'oet<s dream)
?>:?C) A 'OWE IS (ONE::SO+L) The reference is to the death at sea of
his 2rother Ca-tain 9ohn Wordsworth) The -oet can no longer see things
wholly ideali4ed) #is 2rother<s death has re,ealed to him% howe,er% the
enno2ling ,irtue of grief) Thus a -ersonal loss is con,erted into human
gain) Note es-ecially in this connection l) ?> and ll) >?:C7)
>B) FO! T#E HIN") From our fellow:2eings)
5IT IS NOT TO &E T#O+(#T OF5
It is not to 2e thought of that the Flood
Of &ritish freedom% which to the o-en sea
Of the world<s -raise from dar1 antiEuity
#ath flowed% <with -om- of waters% unwithstood%<
oused though it 2e full often to a mood >
Which s-urns the chec1 of salutary 2ands%
That this most famous Stream in 2ogs and sands
Should -erish% and to e,il and to good
&e lost fore,er) In our halls is hung
Armoury of the in,inci2le Hnights of old: .7
We must 2e free or die% who s-ea1 the tongue
That Sha1es-eare s-a1e= the faith and morals hold
Which !ilton held)::In e,erything we are s-rung
Of Earth<s first 2lood% ha,e titles manifold)
B) <WIT# 'O!' OF WATES% +NWIT#STOO")< This is Euoted from "aniel<s
GCi,il WarG% &1) ii% stan4a 0)
WITTEN IN LON"ON% SE'TE!&E% .678
O Friend; I 1now not which way I must loo1
For comfort% 2eing% as I am% o--ressed%
To thin1 that now our life is only dressed
Page 29 of 116
For show= mean handiwor1 of craftsman% coo1%
Or groom;::We must run glittering li1e a 2roo1 >
In the o-en sunshine% or we are un2lessed:
The wealthiest man among us is the 2est:
No grandeur now in nature or in 2oo1
"elights us) a-ine% a,arice% eF-ense%
This is idolatry= and these we adore: .7
'lain li,ing and high thin1ing are no more:
The homely 2eauty of the good old cause
Is gone= our -eace% our fearful innocence%
And -ure religion 2reathing household laws)
LON"ON% .678
!ilton; thou should<st 2e li,ing at this hour:
England hath need of thee: she is a fen
Of stagnant waters= altar% sword% and -en%
Fireside% the heroic wealth of hall and 2ower%
#a,e forfeited their ancient English dower >
Of inward ha--iness) We are selfish men=
Oh; raise us u-% return to us again=
And gi,e us manners% ,irtue% freedom% -ower)
Thy soul was li1e a Star% and dwelt a-art:
Thou hadst a ,oice whose sound was li1e the sea: .7
'ure as the na1ed hea,ens% ma3estic% free%
So didst thou tra,el on life<s common way%
In cheerful godliness= and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay)
5"AH AN" !OE "AH T#E S#A"ES OF E*ENIN( FELL5
"ar1 and more dar1 the shades of e,ening fell=
The wished:for -oint was reached::2ut at an hour
When little could 2e gained from that rich dower
Of 'ros-ect% whereof many thousands tell)
$et did the glowing west with mar,ellous -ower >
Salute us= there stood Indian citadel%
Tem-le of (reece% and minster with its tower
Su2stantially eF-ressed::a -lace for 2ell
Or cloc1 to toll from; !any a tem-ting isle%
With gro,es that ne,er were imagined% lay .7
<!id seas how steadfast; o23ects all for the eye
Of silent ra-ture% 2ut we felt the while
We should forget them= they are of the s1y
Page 30 of 116
And from our earthly memory fade away)
5S+'ISE" &$ 9O$::I!'ATIENT AS T#E WIN"5
Sur-rised 2y 3oy::im-atient as the wind
I turned to share the trans-ort::Oh; with whom
&ut Thee% dee- 2uried in the silent tom2%
That s-ot which no ,icissitude can findD
Lo,e% faithful lo,e% recalled thee to my mind:: >
&ut how could I forget theeD Through what -ower%
E,en for the least di,ision of an hour%
#a,e I 2een so 2eguiled as to 2e 2lind
To my most grie,ous lossD::That thought<s return
Was the worst -ang that sorrow e,er 2ore% .7
Sa,e one% one only% when I stood forlorn%
Hnowing my heart<s 2est treasure was no more=
That neither -resent time% nor years un2orn
Could to my sight that hea,enly face restore)
5#AIL% TWILI(#T% SO*EEI(N OF ONE 'EACEF+L #O+5
#ail% Twilight% so,ereign of one -eaceful hour;
Not dull art Thou as undiscerning Night=
&ut studious only to remo,e from sight
"ay<s muta2le distinctions)::Ancient 'ower;
Thus did the waters gleam% the mountains lower% >
To the rude &riton% when% in wolf:s1in ,est
#ere ro,ing wild% he laid him down to rest
On the 2are roc1% or through a leafy 2ower
Loo1ed ere his eyes were closed) &y him was seen
The self:same *ision which we now 2ehold% .7
At thy mee1 2idding% shadowy 'ower; 2rought forth
These mighty 2arriers% and the gulf 2etween=
The flood% the stars%::a s-ectacle as old
As the 2eginning of the hea,ens and earth;
5I T#O+(#T OF T#EE% !$ 'ATNE AN" !$ (+I"E5
I thought of Thee% my -artner and my guide%
As 2eing -ast away)::*ain sym-athies;
For% 2ac1ward% "uddon% as I cast my eyes%
Page 31 of 116
I see what was% and is% and will a2ide=
Still glides the Stream% and shall for e,er glide= >
The Form remains% the Function ne,er dies%
While we% the 2ra,e% the mighty% and the wise%
We !en% who in our morn of youth defied
The elements% must ,anish=::2e it so;
Enough% if something from our hands ha,e -ower .7
To li,e% and act% and ser,e the future hour=
And if% as toward the silent tom2 we go%
Through lo,e% through ho-e% and faith<s transcendent dower%
We feel that we are greater than we 1now)
5S+C# A(E% #OW &EA+TIF+L;5
Such age% how 2eautiful; O Lady 2right%
Whose mortal lineaments seem all refined
&y fa,ouring Nature and a saintly !ind
To something -urer and more eFEuisite
Than flesh and 2lood= whene<er thou meet<est my sight% >
When I 2ehold thy 2lanched unwithered chee1%
Thy tem-les fringed with loc1s of gleaming white%
And head that droo-s 2ecause the soul is mee1%
Thee with the welcome Snowdro- I com-are=
That child of winter% -rom-ting thoughts that clim2 .7
From desolation toward the genial -rime=
Or with the !oon conEuering earth<s misty air%
And filling more and more with crystal light
As -ensi,e E,ening dee-ens into night)
TENN$SON
OENONE
There lies a ,ale in Ida% lo,elier
Than all the ,alleys of Ionian hills)
The swimming ,a-our slo-es athwart the glen%
'uts forth an arm% and cree-s from -ine to -ine
And loiters% slowly drawn) On either hand >
The lawns and meadow:ledges midway down
#ang rich in flowers% and far 2elow them roars
The long 2roo1 falling thro< the clo,<n ra,ine
In cataract after cataract to the sea)
&ehind the ,alley to-most (argarus .7
Page 32 of 116
Stands u- and ta1es the morning: 2ut in front
The gorges% o-ening wide a-art% re,eal
Troas and Ilion<s column<d citadel%
The crown of Troas)
#ither came at noon
!ournful Oenone% wandering forlorn .>
Of 'aris% once her -laymate on the hills)
#er chee1 had lost the rose% and round her nec1
Floated her hair or seem<d to float in rest)
She% leaning on a fragment twined with ,ine%
Sang to the stillness% till the mountain:shade 87
Slo-ed downward to her seat from the u--er cliff
5O mother Ida% many:fountain<d Ida%
"ear mother Ida% har1en ere I die)
For now the noonday Euiet holds the hill:
The grassho--er is silent in the grass: 8>
The li4ard% with his shadow on the stone%
ests li1e a shadow% and the winds are dead
The -ur-le flower droo-s: the golden 2ee
Is lily:cradled: I alone awa1e)
!y eyes are full of tears% my heart of lo,e% ?7
!y heart is 2rea1ing% and my eyes are dim%
And I am all aweary of my life)
#ear me% O Earth= hear me% O #ills% O Ca,es ?>
That house the cold crowned sna1e; O mountain 2roo1s%
I am the daughter of a i,er:(od%
#ear me% for I will s-ea1% and 2uild u- all
!y sorrow with my song% as yonder walls
ose slowly to a music slowly 2reathed% B7
A cloud that gather<d sha-e: for it may 2e
That% while I s-ea1 of it% a little while
!y heart may wander from its dee-er woe)
"ear mother Ida% har1en ere I die) B>
I waited underneath the dawning hills%
Aloft the mountain lawn was dewy:dar1%
And dewy:dar1 aloft the mountain -ine:
&eautiful 'aris% e,il:hearted 'aris%
Leading a 3et:2lac1 goat white:horn<d% white:hoo,ed% >7
Came u- from reedy Simols all alone)
5O mother Ida% har1en ere I die)
Far:off the torrent call<d me from the cleft:
Far u- the solitary morning smote
Page 33 of 116
The strea1s of ,irgin snow) With down:dro-t eyes >>
I sat alone: white:2reasted li1e a star
Fronting the dawn he mo,ed= a leo-ard s1in
"roo-<d from his shoulder% 2ut his sunny hair
Cluster<d a2out his tem-les li1e a (od<s=
And his chee1 2righten<d as the foam:2ow 2rightens C7
When the wind 2lows the foam% and all my heart
Went forth to em2race him coming ere he came)
5"ear mother Ida% har1en ere I die)
#e smiled% and o-ening out his mil1:white -alm
"isclosed a fruit of -ure #es-erian gold% C>
That smelt am2rosially% and while I loo1<d
And listen<d% the full:flowing ri,er of s-eech
Came down u-on my heart)
5<!y own Oenone%
&eautiful:2row<d Oenone% my own soul%
&ehold this fruit% whose gleaming rind ingra,<n 07
5For the most fair%5 would seem to award it thine
As lo,elier than whate,er Oread haunt
The 1nolls of Ida% lo,eliest in all grace
Of mo,ement% and the charm of married 2rows)
5"ear mother Ida% har1en ere I die) 0>
#e -rest the 2lossom of his li-s to mine%
And added <This was cast u-on the 2oard%
When all the full:faced -resence of the (ods
anged in the halls of 'eleus= whereu-on
ose feud% with Euestion unto whom <twere due: 67
&ut light:foot Iris 2rought it yester:e,e%
"eli,ering that to me% 2y common ,oice
Elected um-ire% #ere comes to:day%
'allas and A-hrodite% claiming each
This meed of fairest) Thou% within the ca,e 6>
&ehind yon whis-ering tuft of oldest -ine%
!ayst well 2ehold them un2eheld% unheard
#ear all% and see thy 'aris 3udge of (ods)<
It was the dee- mid:noon: one sil,ery cloud /7
#ad lost his way 2etween the -iney sides
Of this long glen) Then to the 2ower they came%
Na1ed they came to that smooth:swarded 2ower%
And at their feet the crocus 2ra1e li1e fire%
*iolet% amaracus% and as-hodel% />
Lotos and lilies: and a wind arose%
And o,erhead the wandering i,y and ,ine%
This way and that% in many a wild festoon
an riot% garlanding the gnarled 2oughs
With 2unch and 2erry and flower thro< and thro<) .77
Page 34 of 116
On the tree:to-s a crested -eacoc1 lit%
And o<er him flow<d a golden cloud% and lean<d
+-on him% slowly dro--ing fragrant dew)
Then first I heard the ,oice other% to whom .7>
Coming thro< #ea,en% li1e a light that grows
Larger and clearer% with one mind the (ods
ise u- for re,erence) She to 'aris made
'roffer of royal -ower% am-le rule
+nEuestion<d% o,erflowing re,enue ..7
Wherewith to em2ellish state% <from many a ,ale
And ri,er:sunder<d cham-aign cloth<d with corn%
Or la2our<d mines undraina2le of ore)
#onour%< she said% <and homage% taF and toll%
From many an inland town and ha,en large% ..>
!ast:throng<d 2eneath her shadowing citadel
In glassy 2ays among her tallest towers)<
Still she s-a1e on and still she s-a1e of -ower%
<Which in all action is the end of all= .87
'ower fitted to the season= wisdom:2red
And throned of wisdom::from all neigh2our crowns
Alliance and allegiance% till thy hand
Fail from the sce-tre:staff) Such 2oon from me%
From me% #ea,en<s Lueen% 'aris% to thee 1ing:2orn% .8>
A she-herd all thy life 2ut yet 1ing:2orn%
Should come most welcome% seeing men% in -ower
Only% are li1est gods% who ha,e attain<d
est in a ha--y -lace and Euiet seats
A2o,e the thunder% with undying 2liss .?7
In 1nowledge of their own su-remacy)<
She ceased% and 'aris held the costly fruit
Out at arm<s:length% so much the thought of -ower
Flatter<d his s-irit= 2ut 'allas where she stood .?>
Somewhat a-art% her clear and 2ared lim2s
O<erthwarted with the 2ra4en:headed s-ear
+-on her -early shoulder leaning cold%
The while% a2o,e% her full and earnest eye
O,er her snow:cold 2reast and angry chee1 .B7
He-t watch% waiting decision% made re-ly)
5<Self:re,erence% self:1nowledge% self:control=
These three alone lead life to so,ereign -ower)
$et not for -ower% @-ower of herself
Would come uncall<d forA 2ut to li,e 2y law% .B>
Acting the law we li,e 2y without fear=
Page 35 of 116
And% 2ecause right is right% to follow right
Were wisdom in the scorn of conseEuence)<
Again she said: <I woo thee not with gifts) .>7
SeEuel of guerdon could not alter me
To fairer) 9udge thou me 2y what I am%
So shalt thou find me fairest)
$et% indeed%
If ga4ing on di,inity disro2ed
Thy mortal eyes are frail to 3udge of fair% .>>
+n2ias<d 2y self:-rofit% oh; rest thee sure
That I shall lo,e thee well and clea,e to thee%
So that my ,igour% wedded to thy 2lood%
Shall stri1e within thy -ulses% li1e a (od<s%
To -ush thee forward thro< a life of shoc1s% .C7
"angers% and deeds% until endurance grow
Sinew<d with action% and the full:grown will%
Circled thro< all eF-eriences% -ure law%
Commeasure -erfect freedom)<
5#ere she ceas<d%
And 'aris -onder<d% and I cried% <O 'aris% .C>
(i,e it to 'allas;< 2ut he heard me not%
Or hearing would not hear me% woe is me;
Idalian A-hrodite 2eautiful% .07
Fresh as the foam% new:2athed in 'a-hian wells%
With rosy slender fingers 2ac1ward drew
From her warm 2rows and 2osom her dee- hair
Am2rosial% golden round her lucid throat
And shoulder: from the ,iolets her light foot .0>
Shone rosy:white% and o<er her rounded form
&etween the shadows of the ,ine:2unches
Floated the glowing sunlights% as she mo,ed)
She with a su2tle smile in her mild eyes% .67
The herald of her trium-h% drawing nigh
#alf:whis-er<d in his ear% <I -romise thee
The fairest and most lo,ing wife in (reece)<
She s-o1e and laugh<d: I shut my sight for fear:
&ut when I loo1<d% 'aris had raised his arm% .6>
And I 2eheld great #ere<s angry eyes%
As she withdrew into the golden cloud%
And I was left alone within the 2ower=
And from that time to this I am alone%
And I shall 2e alone until I die) ./7
Page 36 of 116
5$et% mother Ida% har1en ere I die)
Fairest:::why fairest wifeD am I not fairD
!y lo,e hath told me so a thousand times=
!ethin1s I must 2e fair% for yesterday%
When I -ast 2y% a wild and wanton -ard% ./>
Eyed li1e the e,ening star% with -layful tail
Crouch<d fawning in the weed) !ost lo,ing is sheD
Ah me% my mountain she-herd% that my arms
Were wound a2out thee% and my hot li-s -rest
Close% close to thine in that Euic1:falling dew 877
Of fruitful 1isses% thic1 as Autumn rains
Flash in the -ools of whirling Simois)
5O mother% hear me yet 2efore I die)
They came% they cut away my tallest -ines%
!y dar1 tall -ines% that -lumed the craggy ledge 87>
#igh o,er the 2lue gorge% and all 2etween
The snowy -ea1 and snow:white cataract
Foster<d the callow eaglet::from 2eneath
Whose thic1 mysterious 2oughs in the dar1 morn
The -anther<s roar came muffled% while I sat 8.7
Low in the ,alley) Ne,er% ne,er more
Shall lone Oenone see the morning mist
Swee- thro< them= ne,er see them o,erlaid
With narrow moon:lit sli-s of sil,er cloud%
&etween the loud stream and the trem2ling stars) 8.>
I wish that somewhere in the ruin<d folds%
Among the fragments tum2led from the glens%
Or the dry thic1ets% I could meet with her%
The A2omina2le% that unin,ited came 887
Into the fair 'eleian 2anEuet:hall%
And cast the golden fruit u-on the 2oard%
And 2red this change= that I might s-ea1 my mind%
And tell her to her face how much I hate
#er -resence% hated 2oth of (ods and men) 88>
#ath he not sworn his lo,e a thousand times%
In this green ,alley% under this green hill%
E,<n on this hand% and sitting on this stoneD
Seal<d it with 1issesD water<d it with tearsD 8?7
O ha--y tears% and how unli1e to these;
O ha--y #ea,en% how canst thou see my faceD
O ha--y earth% how canst thou 2ear my weightD
O death% death% death% thou e,er:floating cloud%
There are enough unha--y on this earth% 8?>
'ass 2y the ha--y souls% that lo,e to li,e:
Page 37 of 116
I -ray thee% -ass 2efore my light of life%
And shadow all my soul% that I may die)
Thou weighest hea,y on the heart within%
Weigh hea,y on my eyelids: let me die) 8B7
I will not die alone% for fiery thoughts
"o sha-e themsel,es within me% more and more%
Whereof I catch the issue% as I hear
"ead sounds at night come from the inmost hills% 8B>
Li1e footste-s u-on wool) I dimly see
!y far:off dou2tful -ur-ose% as a mother
Con3ectures of the features of her child
Ere it is 2orn: her child;::a shudder comes
Across me: ne,er child 2e 2orn of me% 8>7
+n2lest% to ,eF me with his father<s eyes;
#ear me% O earth) I will not die alone%
Lest their shrill ha--y laughter come to me
Wal1ing the cold and starless road of "eath 8>>
+ncomforted% lea,ing my ancient lo,e
With the (ree1 woman) I will rise and go
"own into Troy% and ere the stars come forth
Tal1 with the wild Cassandra% for she says
A fire dances 2efore her% and a sound 8C7
ings e,er in her ears of armed men)
What this may 2e I 1now not% 2ut I 1now
That% wheresoe<er I am 2y night and day%
All earth and air seem only 2urning fire)5
T#E E'IC
At Francis Allen<s on the Christmas:e,e%::
The game of forfeits done::the girls all 1iss<d
&eneath the sacred 2ush and -ast away::
The -arson #olmes% the -oet E,erard #all%
The host% and I sat round the wassail:2owl% >
Then half:way e22<d: and there we held a tal1%
#ow all the old honour had from Christmas gone%
Or gone% or dwindled down to some odd games
In some odd noo1s li1e this= till I% tired out
With cutting eights that day u-on the -ond% .7
Where% three times sli--ing from the outer edge%
I 2um-<d the ice into three se,eral stars%
Fell in a do4e= and half:awa1e I heard
The -arson ta1ing wide and wider swee-s%
Page 38 of 116
New har-ing on the church:commissioners% .>
Now haw1ing at (eology and schism%
+ntil I wo1e% and found him settled down
+-on the general decay of faith
ight thro< the world% <at home was little left%
And none a2road: there was no anchor% none= 87
To hold 2y)< Francis% laughing% cla-t his hand
On E,erard<s shoulder% with <I hold 2y him)<
<And I%< Euoth E,erard% <2y the wassail:2owl)<
<Why yes%< I said% <we 1new your gift that way
At college: 2ut another which you had% 8>
I mean of ,erse @for so we held it thenA%
What came of thatD< <$ou 1now%< said Fran1% <he 2urnt
#is e-ic% his Hing Arthur% some twel,e 2oo1s<::
And then to me demanding whyD <Oh% sir%
#e thought that nothing new was said% or else ?7
Something so said <twas nothing:::that a truth
Loo1s freshest in the fashion of the day:
(od 1nows: he has a mint of reasons: as1)
It -leased GmeG well enough%< <Nay% nay%< said #all%
<Why ta1e the style of those heroic timesD ?>
For nature 2rings not 2ac1 the !astodon%
Nor we those times= and why should any man
emodel modelsD these twel,e 2oo1s of mine
Were faint #omeric echoes% nothing:worth%
!ere chaff and draff% much 2etter 2urnt)< <&ut I%< B7
Said Francis% <-ic1<d the ele,enth from this hearth<
And ha,e it: 1ee- a thing% its use will come)
I hoard it as a sugar:-lum for #olmes)<
#e laugh<d% and I% tho< slee-y% li1e a horse
That hears the corn:2in o-en% -ric1<d my ears= B>
For I remem2er<d E,erard<s college fame
When we were Freshmen: then at my reEuest
#e 2rought it= and the -oet little urged%
&ut with some -relude of dis-aragement%
ead% mouthing out his hollow oes and aes% >7
"ee-:chested music% and to this result)
!OTE "<AT#+
So all day long the noise of 2attle roll<d
Among the mountains 2y the winter sea=
+ntil Hing Arthur<s ta2le% man 2y man%
#ad fallen in Lyonnesse a2out their Lord%
Hing Arthur: then% 2ecause his wound was dee-% >
The 2old Sir &edi,ere u-lifted him%
Sir &edi,ere% the last of all his 1nights%
Page 39 of 116
And 2ore him to a cha-el nigh the field%
A 2ro1en chancel with a 2ro1en cross%
That stood on a dar1 strait of 2arren land) .7
On one side lay the Ocean% and on one
Lay a great water% and the moon was full)
Then s-a1e Hing Arthur to Sir &edi,ere:
The seEuel of to:day unsolders all
The goodliest fellowshi- of famous 1nights .>
Whereof this world holds record) Such a slee-
They slee-::the men I lo,ed) I thin1 that we
Shall ne,er more% at any future time%
"elight our souls with tal1 of 1nightly deeds%
Wal1ing a2out the gardens and the halls 87
Of Camelot% as in the days that were)
I -erish 2y this -eo-le which I made%::
Tho< !erlin sware that I should come again
To rule once more::2ut let what will 2e% 2e%
I am so dee-ly smitten thro< the helm 8>
That without hel- I cannot last till morn)
Thou therefore ta1e my 2rand EFcali2ur%
Which was my -ride: for thou remem2erest how
In those old days% one summer noon% an arm
ose u- from out the 2osom of the la1e% ?7
Clothed in white samite% mystic% wonderful%
#olding the sword::and how I row<d across
And too1 it% and ha,e worn it% li1e a 1ing:
And% wheresoe,er I am sung or told
In aftertime% this also shall 2e 1nown: ?>
&ut now delay not: ta1e EFcali2ur%
And fling him far into the middle mere:
Watch what thou seest% and lightly 2eing me word)<
To him re-lied the 2old Sir &edi,ere:
<It is not meet% Sir Hing% to lea,e thee thus% B7
Aidless% alone% and smitten thro< the helm)
A little thing may harm a wounded man)
$et I thy hest will all -erform at full%
Watch what I see% and lightly 2ring thee word)<
So saying% from the ruin<d shrine he ste-t B>
And in the moon athwart the -lace of tom2s%
Where lay the mighty 2ones of ancient men%
Old 1nights% and o,er them the sea:wind sang
Shrill% chill% with fla1es of foam) #e% ste--ing down
&y 4ig:4ag -aths and 3uts of -ointed roc1% >7
Came on the shining le,els of the la1e)
There drew he forth the 2rand EFcali2ur%
And o<er him% drawing it% the winter moon%
Page 40 of 116
&rightening the s1irts of a long cloud% ran forth
And s-ar1led 1een with frost against the hilt: >>
For all the haft twin1led with diamond s-ar1s%
!yriads of to-a4:lights and 3acinth:wor1
Of su2tlest 3ewellery) #e ga4ed so long
That 2oth his eyes were da44led% as he stood%
This way and that di,iding the swift mind% C7
In act to throw: 2ut at the last it seem<d
&etter to lea,e EFcali2ur conceal<d
There in the many:1notted waterflags%
That whistled stiff and dry a2out the marge)
So strode he 2ac1 slow to the wounded Hing C>
Then s-a1e Hing Arthur to Sir &edi,ere:
<#ast thou -erformed my mission which I ga,eD
What is it thou hast seenD or what hast heardD<
And answer made the 2old Sir &edi,ere:
<I heard the ri--le washing in the reeds% 07
And the wild water la--ing on the crag)<
To whom re-lied Hing Arthur% faint and -ale:
<Thou hast 2etray<d thy nature and thy name%
Not rendering true answer% as 2eseem<d
Thy fealty% nor li1e a no2le 1night: 0>
For surer sign had follow<d% either hand%
Or ,oice% or else a motion of the mere)
This is a shameful thing for men to lie)
$et now% I charge thee% Euic1ly go again
As thou art lief and dear% and do the thing 67
I 2ad thee% watch% and lightly 2ring me word)<
Then went Sir &edi,ere the second time
Across the ridge% and -aced 2eside the mere%
Counting the dewy -e22les% fiF<d in thought=
&ut when he saw the wonder of the hilt% 6>
#ow curiously and strangely chased% he smote
#is -alms together% and he cried aloud%
<And if indeed I cast the 2rand away%
Surely a -recious thing% one worthy note%
Should thus 2e lost for e,er from the earth% /7
Which might ha,e -leased the eyes of many men)
What good should follow this% if this were doneD
What harm% undoneD dee- harm to diso2ey%
Seeing o2edience is the 2ond of rule)
Were it well to o2ey then% if a 1ing demand />
An act un-rofita2le% against himselfD
The Hing is sic1% and 1nows not what he does)
What record% or what relic of my lord
Page 41 of 116
Should 2e to aftertime% 2ut em-ty 2reath
And rumours of a dou2tD 2ut were this 1e-t% .77
Stored in some treasure:house of mighty 1ings%
Some one might show it at a 3oust of arms%
Saying% 5Hing Arthur<s sword% EFcali2ur%
Wrought 2y the lonely maiden of the La1e)
Nine years she wrought it% sitting in the dee-s .7>
+-on the hidden 2ases of the hills)5
So might some old man s-ea1 in the after:time
To all the -eo-le% winning re,erence)
&ut now much honour and much fame were lost)<
So s-a1e he% clouded with his own conceit% ..7
And hid EFcali2ur the second time%
And so strode 2ac1 slow to the wounded Hing)
Then s-o1e Hing Arthur% 2reathing hea,ily:
<What is it thou hast seenD or what hast heardD<
And answer made the 2old Sir &edi,ere: ..>
<I heard the water la--ing on the crag%
And the long ri--le washing in the reeds)<
To whom re-lied Hing Arthur% much in wrath:
<Ah% misera2le and un1ind% untrue%
+n1nightly% traitor:hearted; Woe is me; .87
Authority forgets a dying 1ing%
Laid widow<d of the -ower in his eye
That 2ow<d the will) I see thee what thou art%
For thou% the latest:left of all my 1nights%
In whom should meet the offices of all% .8>
Thou wouldst 2etray me for the -recious hilt=
Either from lust of gold% or li1e a girl
*aluing the giddy -leasure of the eyes)
$et% for a man may fail in duty twice%
And the third time may -ros-er% get thee hence: .?7
&ut% if thou s-are to fling EFcali2ur%
I will arise and slay thee with my hands)<
Then Euic1ly rose Sir &edi,ere% and ran%
And% lea-ing down the ridges lightly% -lunged
Among the 2ulrush:2eds% and clutch<d the sword% .?>
And strongly wheel<d and threw it) The great 2rand
!ade lightnings in the s-lendour of the moon%
And flashing round and round% and whirl<d in an arch%
Shot li1e a streamer of the northern morn%
Seen where the mo,ing isles of winter shoc1 .B7
&y night% with noises of the northern sea)
So flash<d and fell the 2rand EFcali2ur:
&ut ere he di-t the surface% rose an arm
Page 42 of 116
And caught him 2y the hilt% and 2randish<d him .B>
Three times% and drew him under in the mere)
And lightly went the other to the Hing)
Then s-o1e Hing:Arthur% drawing thic1er 2reath:
<Now see I 2y thine eyes that this is done)
S-ea1 out: what is it thou has heard% or seenD< .>7
And answer made the 2old Sir &edi,ere:
<Sir Hing% I closed mine eyelids% lest the gems
Should 2lind my -ur-ose% for I ne,er saw%
Nor shall see% here or elsewhere% till I die%
Not tho< I li,e three li,es of mortal men% .>>
So great a miracle as yonder hilt)
Then with 2oth hands I flung him% wheeling him=
&ut when I loo1<d again% 2ehold an arm%
That caught him 2y the hilt% and 2randish<d him .C7
Three times% and drew him under in the mere)<
And answer made Hing Arthur% 2reathing hard:
<!y end draws nigh= <tis time that I were gone)
!a1e 2road thy shoulders to recei,e my weight%
And 2ear me to the margin= yet I fear .C>
!y wound hath ta1en cold% and I shall die)<
So saying% from the -a,ement he half rose%
Slowly% with -ain% reclining on his arm%
And loo1ing wistfully with wide 2lue eyes
As in a -icture) #im Sir &edi,ere .07
emorsefully regarded thro< his tears%
And would ha,e s-o1en% 2ut he found not words%
Then too1 with care% and 1neeling on one 1nee%
O<er 2oth his shoulders drew the languid hands%
And rising 2ore him thro< the -lace of tom2s) .0>
&ut% as he wal1<d% Hing Arthur -anted hard%
Li1e one that feels a nightmare on his 2ed
When all the house is mute) So sigh<d the Hing%
!uttering and murmuring at his ear% <Luic1% Euic1;
I fear it is too late% and I shall die)< .67
&ut the other swiftly strode from ridge to ridge%
Clothed with his 2reath% and loo1ing% as he wal1<d%
Larger than human on the fro4en hills)
#e heard the dee- 2ehind him% and a cry
&efore) #is own thought dro,e him li1e a goad) .6>
"ry clash<d his harness in the icy ca,es
And 2arren chasms% and all to left and right
Page 43 of 116
The 2are 2lac1 cliff clang<d round him% as he 2ased
#is feet on 3uts of sli--ery crag that rang
Shar-:smitten with the dint of armed heels:: ./7
And on a sudden% lo; the le,el la1e%
And the long glories of the winter moon)
Then saw they how there ho,e a dus1y 2arge%
"ar1 as a funeral scarf from stem to stern%
&eneath them= and descending they were ware ./>
That all the dec1s were dense with stately forms
&lac1:stoled% 2lac1:hooded% li1e a dream::2y these
Three Lueens with crowns of gold::and from them rose
A cry that shi,er<d to the tingling stars%
And% as it were one ,oice an agony 877
Of lamentation% li1e a wind% that shrills
All night in a waste land% where no one comes%
Or hath come% since the ma1ing of the world%
Then murmur<d Arthur% <'lace me in the 2arge)<
And to the 2arge they came) There those three Lueens 87>
'ut forth their hands% and too1 the Hing% and we-t)
&ut she% that rose the tallest of them all
And fairest% laid his head u-on her la-%
And loosed the shatter<d casEue% and chafed his hands%
And call<d him 2y his name% com-laining loud% 8.7
And dro--ing 2itter tears against his 2row
Stri-ed with dar1 2lood: for all his face was white
And colourless% and li1e the wither<d moon
Smote 2y the fresh 2eam of the s-ringing east=
And all his grea,es and cuisses dash<d with dro-s 8.>
Of onset= and the light and lustrous curls::
That made his forehead li1e a rising sun
#igh from the dais:throne::were -arch<d with dust=
Or% clotted into -oints and hanging loose%
!iF<d with the 1nightly growth that fringed his li-s) 887
So li1e a shatter<d column lay the Hing=
Not li1e that Arthur who% with lance in rest%
From s-ur to -lume a star of tournament%
Shot thro< the lists at Camelot% and charged
&efore the eyes of ladies and of 1ings) 88>
Then loudly cried the 2old Sir &edi,ere%
<Ah; my Lord Arthur% whither shall I goD
Where shall I hide my forehead and my eyesD
For now I see the true old times are dead%
When e,ery morning 2rought a no2le chance% 8?7
And e,ery chance 2rought out a no2le 1night)
Such times ha,e 2een not since the light that led
The holy Elders with the gift of myrrh)
&ut now the whole O+N" TA&LE is dissol,ed
Which was an image of the mighty world= 8?>
Page 44 of 116
And I% the last% go forth com-anionless%
And the days dar1en round me% and the years%
Among new men% strange faces% other minds)<
And slowly answered Arthur from the 2arge:
<The old order changeth% yielding -lace to new% 8B7
And (od fulfils #imself in many ways%
Lest one good custom should corru-t the world)
Comfort thyself: what comfort is in meD
I ha,e li,ed my life% and that which I ha,e done
!ay #e within #imself ma1e -ure; 2ut thou% 8B>
If thou shouldst ne,er see my face again%
'ray for my soul) !ore things are wrought 2y -rayer
Than this world dreams of) Wherefore% let thy ,oice
ise li1e a fountain for me night and day)
For what are men 2etter than shee- or goats 8>7
That nourish a 2lind life within the 2rain%
If% 1nowing (od% they lift not hands of -rayer
&oth for themsel,es and those who call them friendD
For so the whole round earth is e,ery way
&ound 2y gold chains a2out the feet of (od) 8>>
&ut now farewell) I am going a long way
With these thou seest::if indeed I go::
@For all my mind is clouded with a dou2tA
To the island:,alley of A,ilion=
Where falls not hail% or rain% or any snow% 8C7
Nor e,er wind 2lows loudly= 2ut it lies
"ee-:meadow<d% ha--y% fair with orchard:lawns
And 2owery hollows crown<d with summer sea%
Where I will heal me of my grie,ous wound)<
So said he% and the 2arge with oar and sail 8C>
!o,ed from the 2rin1% li1e some full:2reasted swan
That% fluting a wild carol ere her death%
uffles her -ure cold -lume% and ta1es the flood
With swarthy we2s) Long stood Sir &edi,ere
e,ol,ing many memories% till the hull 807
Loo1<d one 2lac1 dot against the ,erge of dawn%
And on the mere the wailing died away)
O O O O O O
#ere ended #all% and our last light% that long
#ad win1<d and threatened dar1ness% flared and fell:
At which the 'arson% sent to slee- with sound%
And wa1ed with silence% grunted <(ood;< 2ut we >>
Sat ra-t: it was the tone with which he read::
'erha-s some modern touches here and there
edeem<d it from the charge of nothingness::
Or else we lo,ed the man% and -ri4ed his wor1=
Page 45 of 116
I 1now not: 2ut we sitting% as I said% C7
The coc1 crew loud= as at that time of year
The lusty 2ird ta1es e,ery hour for dawn:
Then Francis% muttering% li1e a man ill:used%
<There now::that<s nothing;< drew a little 2ac1%
And dro,e his heel into the smoulder<d log% C>
That sent a 2last of s-ar1les u- the flue:
And so to 2ed= where yet in slee- I seem<d
To sail with Arthur under looming shores%
'oint after -oint= till on to dawn% when dreams
&egin to feel the truth and stir of day% 07
To me% methought% who waited with a crowd%
There came a 2ar1 that% 2lowing forward% 2ore
Hing Arthur% li1e a modern gentleman
Of stateliest -ort= and all the -eo-le cried%
<Arthur is come again: he cannot die)< 0>
Then those that stood u-on the hills 2ehind
e-eated::<Come again% and thrice as fair=<
And% further inland% ,oices echo<d::<Come
With all good things% and war shall 2e no more)<
At this a hundred 2ells 2egan to -eal% 67
That with the sound I wo1e% and heard indeed
The clear church:2ells ring in the Christmas:morn)
T#E &OOH
#ere% 2y this 2roo1% we -arted= I to the East
And he for Italy::too late::too late=
One whom the strong sons of the world des-ise=
For luc1y rhymes to him were scri- and share%
And mellow metres more than cent for cent= >
Nor could he understand how money 2reeds=
Thought it a dead thing= yet himself could ma1e
The thing that is not as the thing that is)
O had he li,ed; In our school2oo1s we say%
Of those that held their heads a2o,e the crowd% .7
They flourish<d then or then= 2ut life in him
Could scarce 2e said to flourish% only touch<d
On such a time as goes 2efore the leaf%
When all the wood stands in a mist of green%
And nothing -erfect: yet the 2roo1 he lo,ed% .>
For which% in 2randing summers of &engal%
Or e,<n the sweet half:English Neilgherry air
I -anted% seems= as I re:listen to it%
'rattling the -rimrose fancies of the 2oy%
To me that lo,ed him= for <O 2roo1%< he says% 87
<O 2a22ling 2roo1%< says Edmund in his rhyme%
Page 46 of 116
<Whence come youD< and the 2roo1% why notD re-lies:
I come from haunts of coot and hern%
I ma1e a sudden sally%
And s-ar1le out among the fern% 8>
To 2ic1er down a ,alley)
&y thirty hills I hurry down%
Or sli- 2etween the ridges%
&y twenty thor-s% a little town%
And half a hundred 2ridges) ?7
Till last 2y 'hili-<s farm I flow
To 3oin the 2rimming ri,er%
For men may come and men may go%
&ut I go on for e,er)
<'oor lad% he died at Florence% Euite worn out% ?>
Tra,elling to Na-les) There is "arnley 2ridge%
It has more i,y= there the ri,er= and there
Stands 'hili-<s farm where 2roo1 and ri,er meet)
I chatter o,er stony ways%
In little shar-s and tre2les% B7
I 2u22le into eddying 2ays%
I 2a22le on the -e22les)
With many a cur,e my 2an1s I fret
&y many a field and fallow%
And many a fairy foreland set B>
With willow:weed and mallow)
I chatter% chatter% as I flow
&ut I go on for e,er) >7
<&ut 'hili- chattered more than 2roo1 or 2ird=
Old 'hili-= all a2out the fields you caught
#is weary daylong chir-ing% li1e the dry
#igh:el2ow<d grigs that lea- in summer grass)
I wind a2out% and in and out% >>
With here a 2lossom sailing%
And here and there a lusty trout%
And here and there a grayling%
And here and there a foamy fla1e
+-on me% as I tra,el C7
With many a sil,ery water2rea1
Page 47 of 116
A2o,e the golden gra,el%
And draw them all along% and flow
&ut I go on for e,er)
<O darling Hatie Willows% his one child;
A maiden of our century% yet most mee1=
A daughter of our meadows% yet not coarse=
Straight% 2ut as lissome as a ha4el wand= 07
#er eyes a 2ashful a4ure% and her hair
In gloss and hue the chestnut% when the shell
"i,ides threefold to show the fruit within)
Sweet Hatie% once I did her a good turn%
#er and her far:off cousin and 2etrothed% 0>
9ames Willows% of one name and heart with her)
For here I came% twenty years 2ac1::the wee1
&efore I -arted with -oor Edmund= crost
&y that old 2ridge which% half in ruins then%
Still ma1es a hoary eye2row for the gleam 67
&eyond it% where the waters marry::crost%
Whistling a random 2ar of &onny "oon%
And -ush<d at 'hili-<s garden:gate) The gate%
#alf:-arted from a wea1 and scolding hinge%
Stuc1= and he clamour<d from a casement% 5un5 6>
To Hatie somewhere in the wal1s 2elow%
5un% Hatie;5 Hatie ne,er ran: she mo,ed
To meet me% winding under wood2ine 2owers%
A little flutter<d% with her eyelids down%
Fresh a--le:2lossom% 2lushing for a 2oon) /7
<What was itD less of sentiment than sense
#ad Hatie= not illiterate= nor of those
Who da22ling in the fount of ficti,e tears%
And nursed 2y mealy:mouth<d -hilanthro-ies%
"i,orce the Feeling from her mate the "eed) />
<She told me) She and 9ames had Euarrell<d) WhyD
What cause of EuarrelD None% she said% no cause=
9ames had no cause: 2ut when I -rest the cause%
I learnt that 9ames had flic1ering 3ealousies
Which anger<d her) Who anger<d 9amesD I said) .77
&ut Hatie snatch<d her eyes at once from mine%
And s1etching with her slender -ointed foot
Some figure li1e a wi4ard -entagram
On garden gra,el% let my Euery -ass
+nclaimed% in flushing silence% till I as1<d .7>
If 9ames were coming) 5Coming e,ery day%5
She answer<d% 5e,er longing to eF-lain%
Page 48 of 116
&ut e,ermore her father came across
With some long:winded tale% and 2ro1e him short=
And 9ames de-arted ,eFt with him and her)5 ..7
#ow could I hel- herD 5Would I::was it wrongD5
@Clas-t hands and that -etitionary grace
Of sweet se,enteen su2dued me ere she s-o1eA
5O would I ta1e her father for one hour%
For one half:hour% and let him tal1 to me;5 ..>
And e,en while she s-o1e% I saw where 9ames
!ade toward us% li1e a wader in the surf%
&eyond the 2roo1% waist:dee- in meadow:sweet)
<O Hatie% what I suffer<d for your sa1e;
For in I went% and call<d old 'hili- out .87
To show the farm: full willingly he rose:
#e led me thro< the short sweet:smelling lanes
Of his wheat:su2ur2% 2a22ling as he went%
#e -raised his land% his horses% his machines=
#e -raised his -loughs% his cows% his hogs% his dogs= .8>
#e -raised his hens% his geese% his guinea:hens%
#is -igeons% who in session on their roofs
A--ro,ed him% 2owing at their own deserts:
Then from the -lainti,e mother<s teat he too1
#er 2lind and shuddering -u--ies% naming each% .?7
And naming those% his friends% for whom they were:
Then crost the common into "arnley chase
To show Sir Arthur<s deer) In co-se and fern
Twin1led the innumera2le ear and tail)
Then% seated on a ser-ent:rooted 2eech% .?>
#e -ointed out a -asturing colt% and said:
5That was the four:year:old I sold the SEuire)5
And there he told a long long:winded tale
Of how the SEuire had seen the colt at grass%
And how it was the thing his daughter wish<d% .B7
And how he sent the 2ailiff to the farm
To learn the -rice% and what the -rice he as1<d%
And how the 2ailiff swore that he was mad%
&ut he stood firm= and so the matter hung=
#e ga,e them line= and fi,e days after that .B>
#e met the 2ailiff at the (olden Fleece%
Who then and there had offer<d something more%
&ut he stood firm= and so the matter hung=
#e 1new the man= the colt would fetch its -rice=
#e ga,e them line: and how 2y chance at last .>7
@It might 2e !ay or A-ril% he forgot%
The last of A-ril or the first of !ayA
#e found the 2ailiff riding 2y the farm%
And% tal1ing from the -oint% he drew him in%
And there he mellow<d all his heart with ale% .>>
+ntil they closed a 2argain% hand in hand)
Page 49 of 116
<Then% while I 2reathed in sight of ha,en% he%
'oor fellow% could he hel- itD recommenced%
And ran thro< all the coltish chronicle%
Wild Will% &lac1 &ess% Tanti,y% Tallyho% .C7
eform% White ose% &ellero-hon% the 9ilt%
Ar2aces% and 'henomenon% and the rest%
Tilt% not to die a listener% I arose%
And with me 'hili-% tal1ing still= and so
We turn<d our foreheads from the falling sun% .C>
And following our own shadows thrice as long
As when they follow<d us from 'hili-<s door%
Arri,ed% and found the sun of sweet content
e:risen in Hatie<s eyes% and all thing<s well)
I steal 2y lawns and grassy -lots% .07
I slide 2y ha4el co,ers=
I mo,e the sweet forget:me:nots
That grow for ha--y lo,ers)
I sli-% I slide% I gloom% I glance%
Among my s1imming swallows= .0>
I ma1e the netted sun2eam dance
Against my sandy shallows)
I murmur under moon and stars
In 2ram2ly wildernesses=
I linger 2y my shingly 2ars= .67
I loiter round my cresses=
And out again I cur,e and flow
&ut I go on for e,er) .6>
$es% men may come and go= and these are gone%
All gone) !y dearest 2rother% Edmund% slee-s%
Not 2y the well:1nown stream and rustic s-ire%
&ut unfamiliar Arno% and the dome
Of &runelleschi= slee-s in -eace: and he% ./7
'oor 'hili-% of all his la,ish waste of words
emains the lean ') W) on his tom2:
I scra-ed the lichen from it: Hatie wal1s
&y the long wash of Australasian seas
Far off% and holds her head to other stars% ./>
And 2reathes in A-ril autumns) All are gone)<
So Lawrence Aylmer% seated on a stile
In the long hedge% and rolling in his mind
Old waifs of rhyme% and 2owing o<er the 2roo1
Page 50 of 116
A tonsured head in middle age forlorn% 877
!used and was mute) On a sudden a low 2reath
Offender air made trem2le in the hedge
The fragile 2indweed:2ells and 2riony rings=
And he loo1<d u-) There stood a maiden near%
Waiting to -ass) In much ama4e he stared 87>
On eyes a 2ashful a4ure% and on hair
In gloss and hue the chestnut% when the shell
"i,ides threefold to show the fruit within:
Then% wondering% as1<d her <Are you from the farmD<
<$es< answer<d she) <'ray stay a little: -ardon me= 8.7
What do they call youD< <Hatie)< <That were strange)
What surnameD< <Willows)< <No;< <That is my name)<
<Indeed;< and here he loo1<d so self:-er-leFt%
That Hatie laugh<d% and laughing 2lush<d% till he
Laugh<d also% 2ut as one 2efore he wa1es% 8.>
Who feels a glimmering strangeness in his dream=
Then loo1ing at her= <Too ha--y% fresh and fair%
Too fresh and fair in our sad world<s 2est 2loom%
To 2e the ghost of one who 2ore your name
A2out these meadows% twenty years ago) 887
<#a,e you not heardD< said Hatie% <we came 2ac1)
We 2ought the farm we tenanted 2efore)
Am I so li1e herD so they said on 2oard)
Sir% if you 1new her in her English days%
!y mother% as it seems you did% the days 88>
That most she lo,es to tal1 of% come with me)
!y 2rother 9ames is in the har,est:field:
&ut she::you will 2e welcome::O% come in;<
IN !E!OIA!
MM*II
I en,y not in any moods
The ca-ti,e ,oid of no2le rage%
The linnet 2orn within the cage%
That ne,er 1new the summer woods:
I en,y not the 2east that ta1es >
#is license in the field of time%
+nfetter<d 2y the sense of crime%
To whom a conscience ne,er wa1es=
Nor% what may count itself as 2lest%
The heart that ne,er -lighted troth .7
Page 51 of 116
&ut stagnates in the weeds of sloth=
Nor any want:2egotten rest)
I hold it true% whate<er 2efall=
I feel it% when I sorrow most=
<Tis 2etter to ha,e lo,ed and lost .>
Than ne,er to ha,e lo,<d at all)
LMI*
"ost thou loo1 2ac1 on what hath 2een%
As some di,inely gifted man%
Whose life in low estate 2egan
And on a sim-le ,illage green=
Who 2rea1s his 2irth<s in,idious 2ar% >
And gras-s the s1irts of ha--y chance%
And 2reasts the 2lows of circumstance%
And gra--les with his e,il star=
Who ma1es 2y force his merit 1nown
And li,es to clutch the golden 1eys% .7
To mould a mighty state<s decrees%
And sha-e the whis-er of the throne=
And mo,ing u- from high to higher%
&ecomes on Fortune<s crowning slo-e
The -illar of a -eo-le<s ho-e% .>
The centre of a world<s desire=
$et feels% as in a -ensi,e dream%
When all his acti,e -owers are still%
A distant dearness in the hill%
A secret sweetness in the stream% 87
The limit of his narrower fate%
While yet 2eside its ,ocal s-rings
#e -lay<d at counsellors and 1ings%
With one that was his earliest mate=
Who -loughs with -ain his nati,e lea 8>
And rea-s the la2our of his hands%
Or in the furrow musing stands=
5"oes my old friend remem2er meD5
LMMMIII
Page 52 of 116
"i- down u-on the northern shore%
O sweet new:year delaying long=
Thou doest eF-ectant nature wrong=
"elaying long% delay no more)
What stays thee from the clouded noons% >
Thy sweetness from its -ro-er -laceD
Can trou2le li,e with A-ril days%
Or sadness in the summer moonsD
&ring orchis% 2ring the foFglo,e s-ire%
The little s-eedwell<s darling 2lue% .7
"ee- tuli-s dash<d with fiery dew%
La2urnums% dro--ing:wells of fire)
O thou% new:year% delaying long%
"elayest the sorrow in my 2lood%
That longs to 2urst a fro4en 2ud .>
And flood a fresher throat with song)
LMMM*I
Sweet after showers% am2rosial air%
That rollest from the gorgeous gloom
Of e,ening o,er 2ra1e and 2loom
And meadow% slowly 2reathing 2are
The round of s-ace% and ra-t 2elow >
Thro< all the dewy:tassell<d wood%
And shadowing down the horned flood
In ri--les% fan my 2rows and 2low
The fe,er from my chee1% and sigh
The full new life that feeds thy 2reath .7
Throughout my frame% till "ou2t and "eath%
Ill 2rethren% let the fancy fly
From 2elt to 2elt of crimson seas
On leagues of odour streaming far%
To where in yonder orient star .>
A hundred s-irits whis-er 5'eace)5
CI
+nwatch<d% the garden 2ough shall sway%
The tender 2lossom flutter down%
Page 53 of 116
+nlo,ed% that 2eech will gather 2rown%
This ma-le 2urn itself away=
+nlo,ed% the sun:flower% shining fair% >
ay round with flames her dis1 of seed%
And many a rose:carnation feed
With summer s-ice the humming air=
+nlo,ed% 2y many a sandy 2ar%
The 2roo1 shall 2a22le down the -lain% .7
At noon or when the lesser wain
Is twisting round the -olar star=
+ncared for% gird the windy gro,e%
And flood the haunts of hern and cra1e=
Or into sil,er arrows 2rea1 .>
The sailing moon in cree1 and co,e=
Till from the garden and the wild
A fresh association 2low%
And year 2y year the landsca-e grow
Familiar to the stranger<s child= 87
As year 2y year the la2ourer tills
#is wonted gle2e% or lo-s the glades=
And year 2y year our memory fades
From all the circle of the hills)
CMI*
Who lo,es not HnowledgeD Who shall rail
Against her 2eautyD !ay she miF
With men and -ros-er; Who shall fiF
#er -illarsD Let her wor1 -re,ail)
&ut on her forehead sits a fire: >
She sets her forward countenance
And lea-s into the future chance%
Su2mitting all things to desire)
#alf:grown as yet% a child% and ,ain::
She cannot fight the fear of death) .7
What is she% cut from lo,e and faith%
&ut some wild 'allas from the 2rain
Of "emonsD fiery:hot to 2urst
All 2arriers in her onward race
For -ower) Let her 1now her -lace= .>
Page 54 of 116
She is the second% not the first)
A higher hand must ma1e her mild%
If all 2e not in ,ain= and guide
#er footste-s% mo,ing side 2y side
With wisdom% li1e the younger child: 87
For she is earthly of the mind%
&ut Wisdom hea,enly of the soul)
O friend% who earnest to thy goal
So early% lea,ing me 2ehind
I would the great world grew li1e thee% 8>
Who grewest not alone in -ower
And 1nowledge% 2ut 2y year and hour
In re,erence and in charity)
CM*
Now fades the last long strea1 of snow%
Now 2urgeons e,ery ma4e of Euic1
A2out the flowering sEuares% and thic1
&y ashen roots the ,iolets 2low%
Now rings the woodland loud and long% >
The distance ta1es a lo,elier hue%
And drown<d in yonder li,ing 2lue
The lar1 2ecomes a sightless song)
Now dance the lights on lawn and lea%
The floc1s are whiter down the ,ale% .7
And mil1ier e,ery mil1y sail
On winding stream or distant sea=
Where now the seamew -i-es% or di,es
In yonder greening gleam% and fly
The ha--y 2irds% that change their s1y .>
To 2uild and 2rood% that li,e their li,es
From land to land= and in my 2reast
S-ring wa1ens too= and my regret
&ecomes an A-ril ,iolet%
And 2uds and 2lossoms li1e the rest) 87
CM*III
Page 55 of 116
Contem-late all this wor1 of Time%
The giant la2ouring in his youth=
Nor dream of human lo,e and truth%
As dying Nature<s earth and lime=
&ut trust that those we call the dead >
Are 2reathers of an am-ler day
For e,er no2ler ends) They say%
The solid earth whereon we tread
In tracts of fluent heat 2egan%
And grew to seeming:random forms% .7
The seeming -rey of cyclic storms%
Till at the last arose the man=
Who thro,e and 2ranch<d from clime to clime%
The herald of a higher race%
And of himself in higher -lace% .>
If so he ty-e this wor1 of time
Within himself% from more to more=
Or% crown<d with attri2utes of woe
Li1e glories% mo,e his course% and show
That life is not as idle ore% 87
&ut iron dug from central gloom%
And heated hot with 2urning fears%
And di-t in 2aths of hissing tears%
And 2atter<d with the shoc1s of doom
To sha-e and use) Arise and fly 8>
The reeling Faun% the sensual feast=
!o,e u-ward% wor1ing out the 2east
And let the a-e and tiger die)
CMMIII
There rolls the dee- where grew the tree)
O earth% what changes hast thou seen;
There where the long street roars hath 2een
The stillness of the central sea)
The hills are shadows% and they flow >
From form to form% and nothing stands=
They melt li1e mist% the solid lands%
Li1e clouds they sha-e themsel,es and go)
&ut in my s-irit will I dwell%
Page 56 of 116
And dream my dream% and hold it true= .7
For tho< my li-s may 2reathe adieu%
I cannot thin1 the thine farewell)
WO"SWOT#
WILLIA! WO"SWOT#
&IO(A'#ICAL SHETC#
William Wordsworth was 2orn at Coc1ermouth% Cum2erland% on A-ril 0th%
.007) #is father% 9ohn Wordsworth% was the agent of Sir 9) Lowther%
who later 2ecame the first Earl of Lonsdale) At the age of eight the
2oy was sent to school at #aw1shead) The im-ressions of his 2oyhood
-eriod are related in the auto2iogra-hical -oem% GThe 'reludeG%
@written .67>% -u2lished .6>7A% and from this -oetical record we
discern how strong the influences of Nature were to sha-e and de,elo-
his imagination) Wordsworth<s father died in .06?% lea,ing the family
-oorly -ro,ided for) The main asset was a considera2le claim u-on the
Earl of Lonsdale% which that indi,idual refused to -ay) On his death%
in .678% the successor to the title and estates -aid the amount of the
claim in full with accumulated interest) In the inter,al% howe,er% the
Wordsworth family remained in ,ery straitened circumstances) Enough
money was -ro,ided 2y Wordsworth<s guardians to send him to Cam2ridge
+ni,ersity In .060) #e entered St) 9ohn<s College% and after an
undistinguished course graduated without honors in 9anuary% .0/.) #is
,acations were s-ent chiefly in #aw1shead and Wales% 2ut one memora2le
,acation was mar1ed 2y a wal1ing eFcursion with a friend through France
and Swit4erland% the former country then 2eing on the ,erge of
re,olution)
Shortly after lea,ing the +ni,ersity% in No,em2er% .0/.% Wordsworth
returned to France% remaining there until "ecem2er of the following
year) "uring this -eriod he was com-letely won o,er to the -rinci-les
of the re,olution) The later reaction from these -rinci-les
constituted the one moral struggle of his life)
In .0/? his first wor1 a--eared 2efore the -u2lic::two -oems% entitled
GThe E,ening Wal1G and G"escri-ti,e S1etchesG) Coleridge% who read
these -ieces at Cam2ridge% di,ined that they announced the emergence of
an original -oetical genius a2o,e the hori4on) eaders of the -oems
to:day% who are wise after the e,ent% could scarcely di,ine as much)
At a2out this -eriod Wordsworth recei,ed a 2eEuest of /77 -ounds from
aisley Cal,ert% which ena2led him and his sister "orothy to ta1e a
small cottage at acedown in "orsetshire) #ere he wrote a num2er of
-oems in which he wor1ed off the ferment of his re,olutionary ideas)
These ideas can scarcely 2e said to ha,e trou2led him much in later
Page 57 of 116
years)
An im-ortant incident in his life% hardly second in im-ortance to the
stimulating com-anionshi- of his sister% was his meeting with
Coleridge% which occurred -ro2a2ly towards the close of .0/>)
Coleridge% who was 2ut little younger than Wordsworth% had the more
richly eEui--ed% if not the more richly endowed% mind) #e was li,ing
at Nether Stowey% and in order to 2enefit 2y the stimulus which such a
friendshi- offered% the Wordsworth<s mo,ed to AlfoFden% three miles
away from Stowey @9uly% .0/0A) It was during a wal1ing eF-edition to
the Luantoc1 #ills in No,em2er of that year that the -oem of GThe
Ancient !arinerG was -lanned) It was intended that the -oem should 2e
a 3oint -roduction% 2ut Wordsworth<s contri2ution was confined to the
suggestion of a few details merely% and some scattered lines which are
indicated in the notes to that -oem) Their -oetic theories were soon
to ta1e definite sha-e in the -u2lication of the famous GLyrical
&alladsG @Se-tem2er% .0/6A% to which Coleridge contri2uted GThe Ancient
!arinerG% and Wordsworth some characteristic lyrical% reflecti,e% and
narrati,e -oems) The eFcessi,e sim-licity and alleged tri,iality of
some of these -oems long continued to gi,e offence to the conser,ati,e
lo,ers of -oetry) E,en to:day we feel that Wordsworth was sometimes
the ,ictim of his own theories)
In 9une of this same year @.0/6A Wordsworth and his sister accom-anied
Coleridge to (ermany) They soon -arted com-any% the Wordsworths
settling at (oslar% while Coleridge% intent u-on study% went in search
of (erman meta-hysics at (ottingen) Wordsworth did not come into any
contract with (erman life or thought% 2ut sat through the winter 2y a
sto,e writing -oems for a second edition of the GLyrical &alladsG)
A-ril% .0//% found the 2rother and sister again in England) In
"ecem2er they settled down at "o,e Cottage% Town End% (rasmere% and
ne,er% sa,e for 2rief inter,als% a2andoned the La1e Country) In .678%
as has 2een said% a slight accession of fortune fell to Wordsworth 2y
the settlement of the Lonsdale claim) The share of each of the family
was .%677 -ounds) On the strength of this wind:fall the -oet felt that
he might marry% and accordingly 2rought home !ary #utchinson as his
wife)
The su2seEuent career of Wordsworth 2elongs to the history of -oetry)
Of e,ents in the ordinary sense there are few to record) #e
successi,ely occu-ies three houses in the La1e Country after a2andoning
"o,e Cottage) We find him at Allan &an1 in .676% in the 'arsonage at
(rasmere in .6.7% and at ydal !ount from .6.? to his death in .6>7)
#e ma1es occasional eFcursions to Scotland or the Continent% and at
long inter,als ,isits London% where Carlyle sees him and records his
,i,id im-ressions) For many years Wordsworth en3oys the sinecure of
"istri2utor of Stam-s for Westmoreland @B77 -ounds a yearA% and on his
resignation of that office in his son<s fa,or% he is -laced on the
Ci,il List for a well deser,ed -ension of ?77 -ounds) On Southey<s
death% in .6B?% he is a--ointed 'oet Laureate) #e died at (rasmere on
Page 58 of 116
A-ril 8?rd% .6>7)
Wordsworth<s -rinci-al long -oems are: GThe 'reludeG @.67> -u2lished
.6>7A= GThe EFcursionG @.6.BA= GThe White "oe of ylstoneG @.6.>A and
G'eter &ell The WaggonerG @.6./A) #is fame rests -rinci-ally on his
shorter narrati,e -oems% his meditati,e lyrics% including his two great
odes% GTo "utyG and GOn the Intimations of ImmortalityG% and on the
sonnets% which ran1 with the finest in the language) The longer -oems
ha,e many fine -assages eFhi2iting his -owers of gra-hic descri-tion%
and illustrating his mystical -hiloso-hy of nature)
Thomas Carlyle<s descri-tion of Wordsworth is of interest: 5For the
rest% he tal1ed well in his way= with ,eracity% easy 2re,ity% and
force% as a wise tradesman would of his tools and wor1sho-% and as no
unwise one could) #is ,oice was good% fran1% and sonorous% though
-ractically clear% distinct% and forci2le% rather than melodious= the
tone of him% 2usinessli1e% sedately confident= no discourtesy% yet no
anFiety a2out 2eing courteous) A fine wholesome rusticity% fresh as
his mountain 2ree4es% sat well on the stalwart ,eteran% and on all he
said and did) $ou would ha,e said that he was a usually taciturn man%
glad to unloc1 himself to audience sym-athetic and intelligent% when
such offered itself) #is face 2ore mar1s of much% not always -eaceful%
meditation= the loo1 of it not 2land or 2ene,olent so much as close%
im-regna2le% and hard= a man Gmulta tacere loEui,e -aratusG% in a world
where he had eF-erienced no lac1 of contradictions as he strode along)
The eyes were not ,ery 2rilliant% 2ut they had a Euiet clearness= there
was enough of 2row% and well:sha-ed= rather too much chee1 @<horse
face< I ha,e heard satirists sayA= face of sEuarish sha-e% and
decidedly longish% as I thin1 the head itself was @its length going
hori4ontalA= he was large:2oned% lean% 2ut still firm:1nit% tall% and
strong:loo1ing when he stood% a right good old steel:gray figure% with
rustic sim-licity and dignity a2out him% and a ,i,acious strength
loo1ing through him% which might ha,e suited one of those old
steel:gray mar1grafs whom #enry the Fowler set u- towards the <marches<
and do 2attle with the intrusi,e heathen in a stalwart and 3udicious
manner)5
C#ONOLO(ICAL TA&LE
&orn% A-ril 0% .007% at Coc1ermouth% Cum2erland)
(oes to #aw1shead (rammar School% .006)
Sent 2y guardians to St) 9ohn<s College% Cam2ridge% Octo2er% .060)
Foreign tour with 9ones% .0/7)
(raduates as &)A) without honors% 9anuary% .0/.)
Page 59 of 116
esidence in France% No,em2er% .0/.% to "ecem2er% .0/8)
'u2lication of GThe E,ening Wal1G% and G"escri-ti,e S1etchesG% .0/?)
Legacy from aisley Cal,ert of /77 -ounds% .0/B)
Li,es at acedown% "orsetshire% autumn of .0/> to summer of .0/0)
Com-oses GThe &orderersG% a tragedy% .0/>:.0/C)
Close friendshi- with Coleridge 2egins in .0/0)
ents a house at AlfoFden% .0/0)
(enesis of the GLyrical &alladsG% .0/0)
GLyrical &alladsG -u2lished Se-tem2er% .0/6)
(erman ,isit% Se-tem2er% .0/6% to A-ril% .0//)
Li,es at "o,e Cottage% (rasmere% "ecem2er 8.% .0// to .67C% .670:.676)
The Lonsdale de2t of 6%>77 -ounds re-aid% .678)
!arries !ary #utchinson% Octo2er% .678)
"eath 2y drowning of his 2rother% Ca-tain 9ohn Wordsworth% .67>)
Li,es at Coleorton% Leicestershire% .67C to .670)
Collected Edition of -oems% .670)
Li,es at Allan &an1% Easedale% .676 to .6.7)
Li,es at the 'arsonage% (rasmere% .6.7 to .6.8)
Loss of two children and remo,al to ydal !ount% (rasmere% .6.? to .6>7)
A--ointed distri2utor of stam-s for Westmoreland @B77 -ounds a yearA%
.6.?)
GThe EFcursionG a--ears% 9uly% .6.B)
#onorary degree of ")C)L) from OFford% .6?/)
esigns his office as distri2utor of stam-s% .6B8)
ecei,es a -ension from Sir ) 'eel of ?77 -ounds% .6B8)
A--ointed 'oet Laureate% .6B?)
Page 60 of 116
"ies at (rasmere% A-ril 8?% .6>7)
A''ECIATIONS
Coleridge% with rare insight% summari4ed Wordsworth<s characteristic
defects and merits as follows=
5The first characteristic% though only occasional defect% which I
a--ear to myself to find in these -oems is the inconstancy of the
style) +nder this name I refer to the sudden and un-re-ared
transitions from lines or sentences of -eculiar felicity @at all e,ents
stri1ing and originalA to a style% not only unim-assioned 2ut
undistinguished)
5The second defect I can generali4e with tolera2le accuracy% if the
reader will -ardon an uncouth and newly:coined word) There is% I
should say% not seldom a Gmatter:of:factnessG in certain -oems) This
may 2e di,ided into% first% a la2orious minuteness and fidelity in the
re-resentation of o23ects% and there -ositions% as they a--eared to the
-oet himself= secondly% the insertion of accidental circumstances% in
order to the full eF-lanation of his li,ing characters% their
dis-ositions and actions= which circumstances might 2e necessary to
esta2lish the -ro2a2ility of a statement in real life% when nothing is
ta1en for granted 2y the hearer= 2ut a--ear su-erfluous in -oetry%
where the reader is willing to 2elie,e for his own sa1e) ) )
5Third= an undue -redilection for the GdramaticG form in certain -oems%
from which one or other of two e,ils result) Either the thoughts and
diction are different from that of the -oet% and then there arises an
incongruity of style= or they are the same and indistinguisha2le% where
two are re-resented as tal1ing% while in truth one man only s-ea1s) ) )
5The fourth class of defects is closely connected with the former= 2ut
yet are such as arise li1ewise from an intensity of feeling
dis-ro-ortionate to such 1nowledge and ,alue of the o23ects descri2ed%
as can 2e fairly antici-ated of men in general% e,en of the most
culti,ated classes= and with which therefore few only% and those few
-articularly circumstanced% can 2e su--osed to sym-athi4e: in this
class% I com-rise occasional -roliFity% re-etition% and an eddying%
instead of -rogression% of thought) ) )
5Fifth and last= thoughts and images too great for the su23ect) This
is an a--roFimation to what might 2e called mental 2om2ast% as
distinguished from ,er2al: for% as in the latter there is a
dis-ro-ortion of the eF-ressions to the thoughts% so in this there is a
dis-ro-ortion of thought to the circumstance and occasion) ) )
Page 61 of 116
5To these defects% which ) ) ) are only occasional% I may o--ose ) ) )
the following @for the most -art corres-ondentA eFcellencies:
5First= an austere -urity of language 2oth grammatically and logically=
in short a -erfect a--ro-riateness of the words to the meaning) ) )
5The second characteristic eFcellence of !r) Wordsworth<s wor1s is::a
corres-ondent weight and sanity of the thoughts and sentiments% won not
from 2oo1s% 2ut from the -oet<s own meditati,e o2ser,ations) They are
fresh and ha,e the dew u-on them) ) )
5Third= ) ) ) the sinewy strength and originality of single lines and
-aragra-hs= the freEuent Gcuriosa felicitasG of his diction) ) )
5Fourth= the -erfect truth of nature in his images and descri-tions as
ta1en immediately from nature% and -ro,ing a long and genial intimacy
with the ,ery s-irit which gi,es the -hysiognomic eF-ressions to all
the wor1s of nature) Li1e a green field reflected in a calm and
-erfectly trans-arent la1e% the image is distinguished from the reality
only 2y its greater softness and lustre) Li1e the moisture or the
-olish on a -e22le% genius neither distorts nor false:colors its
o23ects= 2ut on the contrary% 2rings out many a ,ein and many a tint%
which esca-e the eye of common o2ser,ation% thus raising to the ran1 of
gems what had 2een often 1ic1ed away 2y the hurrying foot of the
tra,eller on the dusty high:road of custom) ) )
5Fifth= a meditati,e -athos% a union of dee- and su2tle thought with
sensi2ility= a sym-athy with man as man= the sym-athy indeed of a
contem-lator% rather than a fellow:sufferer or co:mate% 2ut of a
contem-lator% from whose ,iew no difference of ran1 conceals the
sameness of the nature= no in3uries of wind or weather% of toil% or
e,en of ignorance% wholly disguise the human face di,ine) The
su-erscri-tion and the image of the Creator still remains legi2le to
GhimG under the dar1 lines% with which guilt or calamity had cancelled
or cross:2arred it) #ere the !an and the 'oet lose and find themsel,es
in each other% the one as glorified% the latter as su2stantiated) In
this mild and -hiloso-hic -athos% Wordsworth a--ears to me without a
com-eer) Such as he is= so he writes)
5Last and -re:eminently% I challenge for this -oet the gift of
imagination in the highest and strictest sense of the word) In the
-lay of fancy% Wordsworth% to my feelings% is not always graceful% and
sometimes recondite) ) ) &ut in imaginati,e -ower% he stands nearest of
all writers to Sha1es-eare and !ilton= and yet in a 1ind -erfectly
un2orrowed and his own)5
These are the grounds u-on which Coleridge 2ases the -oetic claims of
Wordsworth)
!atthew Arnold% in the -reface to his well:1nown collection of
Page 62 of 116
Wordsworth<s -oems% accords to the -oet a ran1 no less eFalted) 5I
firmly 2elie,e that the -oetical -erformance of Wordsworth is% after
that of Sha1es-eare and !ilton% of which all the world now recogni4es
the worth% undou2tedly the most considera2le in our language from the
Eli4a2ethan age to the -resent time)5 #is essential greatness is to 2e
found in his shorter -ieces% des-ite the freEuent intrusion of much
that is ,ery inferior) Still it is 52y the great 2ody of -owerful and
significant wor1 which remains to him after e,ery reduction and
deduction has 2een made% that Wordsworth<s su-eriority is -ro,ed)5
Coleridge had not dwelt sufficiently% -erha-s% u-on the 3oyousness
which results from Wordsworth<s -hiloso-hy of human life and eFternal
nature) This !atthew Arnold considers to 2e the -rime source of his
greatness) 5Wordsworth<s -oetry is great 2ecause of the eFtraordinary
-ower with which Wordsworth feels the 3oy offered to us in the sim-le
-rimary affections and duties= and 2ecause of the eFtraordinary -ower
with which% in case after case% he shows us this 3oy% and renders it so
as to ma1e us share it)5 (oethe<s -oetry% as Wordsworth once said% is
not ine,ita2le enough% is too consciously moulded 2y the su-reme will
of the artist) 5&ut Wordsworth<s -oetry%5 writes Arnold% 5when he is
at his 2est% is ine,ita2le% as ine,ita2le as Nature herself) It might
seem that Nature not only ga,e him the matter for his -oem% 2ut wrote
his -oem for him)5 The set -oetic style of GThe EFcursionG is a
failure% 2ut there is something uniEue and unmatcha2le in the sim-le
grace of his narrati,e -oems and lyrics) 5Nature herself seems% I say%
to ta1e the -en out of his hand% and to write for him with her own
2are% sheer% -enetrating -ower) This arises from two causes: from the
-rofound sincereness with which Wordsworth feels his su23ect% and also
from the -rofoundly sincere and natural character of his su23ect
itself) #e can and will treat such a su23ect with nothing 2ut the most
-lain% first hand% almost austere naturalness) #is eF-ression may
often 2e called 2ald% as% for instance% in the -oem of Gesolution and
Inde-endenceG= 2ut it is 2ald as the 2are mountain to-s are 2ald% with
a 2aldness which is full of grandeur) ) ) Where,er we meet with the
successful 2alance% in Wordsworth% of -rofound truth of su23ect with
-rofound truth of eFecution% he is uniEue)5
'rofessor "owden has also laid stress u-on the harmonious 2alance of
Wordsworth<s nature% his different faculties seeming to inter-enetrate
one another% and yield mutual su--ort) #e has li1ewise called
attention to the austere naturalism of which Arnold s-ea1s)
5Wordsworth was a great naturalist in literature% 2ut he was also a
great Idealist= and 2etween the naturalist and the idealist in
Wordsworth no o--osition eFisted: each wor1ed with the other% each
ser,ed the other) While Scott% 2y allying romance with reality% sa,ed
romantic fiction from the eFtra,agances and follies into which it had
fallen% Wordsworth<s s-ecial wor1 was to o-en a higher way for
naturalism in art 2y its union with ideal truth)5
Criticism has long since ceased to ridicule his G&etty FoyG% and his
Page 63 of 116
G#arry (illG% whose 5teeth% they chatter% chatter still)5 Such
malicious s-ort -ro,ed only too easy for Wordsworth<s contem-oraries%
and still the essential ,alue of his -oetry was unim-aired)
The range of -oetry is indeed ineFhausti2le% and e,en the greatest
-oets must suffer some su2traction from uni,ersal -re:eminence)
Therefore we may fran1ly admit the deficiencies of Wordsworth%::that he
was lac1ing in dramatic force and in the -ower of characteri4ation=
that he was singularly deficient in humor% and therefore in the sa,ing
grace of self:criticism in the ca-acity to see himself occasionally in
a ridiculous light= that he has little of the romantic glamor and none
of the narrati,e energy of Scott= that Shelley<s lyrical flights lea,e
him -lodding along the dusty highway= and that &yron<s -reternatural
force ma1es his -assion seen 2y contrast -ale and ineffectual) All
this and more may freely 2e granted% and yet for his influence u-on
English thought% and es-ecially u-on the -oetic thought of his country%
he must 2e named after Sha1es-eare and !ilton) The intellectual ,alue
of his wor1 will endure= for lea,ing aside much ,alua2le doctrine%
which from didactic eFcess fails as -oetry% he has 2rought into the
world a new -hiloso-hy of Nature and has em-hasised in a manner
distincti,ely his own the dignity of sim-le manhood)::G'elham EdgarG)
EFEENCES ON WO"SWOT#<S LIFE AN" WOHS
GWordsworthG 2y F) W) #) !yers% in GEnglish !en of LettersG series)
Toronto: The !acmillan Com-any of Canada% Limited)
GWordsworthG 2y Walter aleigh% London: Edward Arnold)
GWordsworthG 2y osaline !asson% in GThe 'eo-le<s &oo1sG series)
London: T) C) P E) C) 9ac1%
GWordsworthianaG edited 2y William Hnight) Toronto: The !acmillan
Com-any of Canada% Limited)
GEssays Chiefly on 'oetryG 2y Au2rey de *ere% 8 ,olumes) Toronto: The
!acmillan Com-any of Canada% Limited)
GLiterary EssaysG 2y ichard #olt #utton) Toronto: The !acmillan
Com-any of Canada% Limited)
GStudies in LiteratureG 2y Edward "owden) London: Hegan 'aul% Trench%
Tru2ner P Co)% Ltd)
GAs-ects of 'oetryG 2y 9) S) C) Shair-) &oston: #oughton !ifflin and
Com-any)
GLi,es of (reat English Writers from Chaucer to &rowningG 2y Walter S)
Page 64 of 116
#inchman and Francis &) (ummere) &oston: #oughton% !ifflin and Com-any)
G(reat English 'oetsG 2y 9ulian #ill) 'hiladel-hia: (eorge W) 9aco2s P
Co)
GThe (reater English 'oets of the Nineteenth CenturyG 2y William !orton
'ayne) New $or1: #enry #olt and Com-any)
GThe eligious S-irit in the 'oetsG 2y W) &oyd Car-enter% New $or1:
Thomas $) Crowell P Co%
GLandsca-e in 'oetry from #omer to TennysonG 2y Francis T) 'algra,e)
GA #istory of Nineteenth Century LiteratureG 2y (eorge Saints2ury)
G'ersonal Traits of &ritish AuthorsG 2y E) T) !ason) New $or1: Charles
Scri2ner<s Sons)
GThe English 'oetsG edited 2y T) #um-hrey Ward% *ol) i,) Toronto: The
GSelections from WordsworthG edited 2y !atthew Arnold in GThe (olden
Treasury SeriesG) Toronto: The !acmillan Com-any of Canada% Limited)
GLiterary StudiesG 2y Walter &agehot% *ol) ii) London: Longmans%
(reen and Co)
GA Study of English and American 'oetsG 2y 9) Scott Clar1) New $or1:
Charles Scri2ner<s Sons)
G'ro-hets of the CenturyG edited 2y Arthur ic1ett) London: Ward Loc1
and Co)% Limited)
G#istory of English LiteratureG 2y A) S) !ac1en4ie) Toronto: The
GA Student<s #istory of English LiteratureG 2y William Edward Simonds)
&oston: #oughton% !ifflin and Com-any)
G'oems of William WordsworthG edited 2y Edward "owden) &oston: (inn P
Com-any)
G#ome Life of (reat AuthorsG 2y #attie Tyng (riswold) Chicago: A) C)
!cClurg P Co)
NOTES
Page 65 of 116
!IC#AEL
The -oem was com-osed in .677% and -u2lished in the second ,olume of the
GLyrical &alladsG in the same year) 5Written at the Town:end% (rasmere%
a2out the same time as GThe &rothersG) The Shee-:fold% on which so much
of the -oem turns% remains% or rather the ruins of it) The character and
circumstances of Lu1e were ta1en from a family to whom had 2elonged% many
years 2efore% the house we li,ed in at Town:end% along with some fields
and woodlands on the eastern shore of (rasmere) The name of the E,ening
Star was not in fact gi,en to this house% 2ut to another on the same side
of the ,alley% more to the north)5
In a letter to Charles 9ames FoF the -oet says: 5In the two -oems% GThe
&rothersG and G!ichaelG% I ha,e attem-ted to draw a -icture of the
domestic affections% as I 1now they eFist among a class of men who are
now almost confined to the north of England) They are small inde-endent
G-ro-rietorsG of land% here called <statesmen< Ii)e)% estates:menJ% men
of res-ecta2le education% who daily la2or on their little -ro-erties) ) )
Their little tract of land ser,es as a 1ind of rallying -oint for their
domestic feelings% as a ta2let u-on which they are written% which ma1es
them o23ects of memory in a thousand instances% when they would otherwise
2e forgotten) The two -oems that I ha,e mentioned were written to show
that men who do not wear fine clothes can feel dee-ly)5
Edward Fulton in a GA Selection of the Shorter 'oems of WordsworthG
@!acmillanA says: 5The reason Wordsworth succeeds 2est in descri2ing the
ty-e of character -ortrayed in G!ichaelG and GThe &rothersG is% of
course% chiefly 2ecause he 1new that ty-e 2est= 2ut the fact that it was
the ty-e for which he himself might ha,e stood as the re-resentati,e was
not without its effect u-on him) #is ideal man is 2ut a ,ariation of
himself) As "ean Church -uts it: <The ideal man with Wordsworth is the
hard:headed% frugal% unam2itious dalesman of his own hills% with his
strong affections% his sim-le tastes% and his Euiet and 2eautiful home=
and this dalesman% 2uilt u- 2y communion with nature and 2y meditation
into the -oet:-hiloso-her% with his serious faith and his ne,er:failing
s-ring of en3oyment% is himself)< Ty-es of character wholly alien to his
own ha,e little attraction for him) #e is content to loo1 into the
de-ths of his own heart and to re-resent what he sees there) #is field
of ,ision% therefore% is a ,ery limited one: it ta1es in only a few
ty-es) It is GmanG% in fact% rather than men% that interests him)5
The -oem G!ichaelG is well ada-ted to show Wordsworth<s -owers of
realism) #e descri2es the -oem as 5a -astoral%5 which at once induces a
com-arison% greatly to Wordsworth<s ad,antage% with the -seudo:-astorals
of the age of 'o-e) There the she-herds and she-herdesses were scarcely
the -ale shadows of reality% while Wordsworth<s -oem ne,er swer,es from
the line of truth) 5The -oet%5 as Sir #enry Taylor says with reference
to G!ichaelG% 5writes in his confidence to im-art interest to the
realities of life% deri,ing 2oth the confidence and the -ower from the
dee- interest which he feels in them) It is an attri2ute of unusual
Page 66 of 116
susce-ti2ility of imagination to need no eFtraordinary -ro,ocati,es= and
when this is com2ined with intensity of o2ser,ation and -eculiarity of
language% it is the high -ri,ilege of the -oet so endowed to rest u-on
the common realities of life and to dis-ense with its anomalies)5 The
student should therefore 2e careful to o2ser,e @.A the truth of
descri-tion% and the a--ro-riateness of the descri-tion to the
characters= @8A the strong and accurate delineation of the characters
themsel,es) Not only is this to 2e noted in the -assages where the -oet
has ta1en -ains o-enly to -ortray their ,arious characteristics% 2ut
there are many -assages% or single lines -erha-s% which ser,e more su2tly
to delineate them) What -roud reser,e% what sorrow -ainfully restrained%
the following line% for eFam-le% contains: 5Two e,enings after he had
heard the news)5
TO T#E "AIS$
CO!'OSE" .678: '+&LIS#E" .670
5This and the other -oems addressed to the same flower were com-osed at
Town:end% (rasmere% during the earlier -art of my residence there)5 The
three -oems on the "aisy were the out-ourings of one mood% and were
-rom-ted 2y the same s-irit which mo,ed him to write his -oems of hum2le
life) The sheltered garden flowers ha,e less attraction for him than the
common 2lossoms 2y the wayside) In their uno2trusi,e humility these
5unassuming Common:-laces of Nature5 might 2e regarded% as the -oet says%
5as administering 2oth to moral and s-iritual -ur-oses)5 The 5Lesser
Celandine%5 2uffeted 2y the storm% affords him% on another occasion% a
sym2ol of mee1 endurance)
Shelley and Heats ha,e many 2eautiful references to flowers in their
-oetry) Heats has merely a sensuous delight in their 2eauty% while
Shelley 2oth re,els in their hues and fragrance% and sees in them a
sym2ol of transitory lo,eliness) #is GSensiti,e 'lantG shows his
eFEuisite sym-athy for flower life)
TO T#E C+CHOO
CO!'OSE" IN T#E OC#A" AT TOWN:EN" .678: '+&LIS#E" .670
Wordsworth% in his 'reface to the .6.> edition% has the following note on
ll) ?% B of the -oem:::5This concise interrogation characterises the
seeming u2iEuity of the cuc1oo% and dis-ossesses the creature almost of
cor-oreal eFistence= the Imagination 2eing tem-ted to this eFertion of
her -ower% 2y a consciousness in the memory that the cuc1oo is almost
-er-etually heard throughout the season of s-ring% 2ut seldom 2ecomes an
o23ect of sight)5 The cuc1oo is the 2ird we associate with the name of
Page 67 of 116
the ,ale of sunshine and of flowers% and yet its wandering ,oice 2rings
2ac1 to him the thought of his ,anished childhood) We ha,e already
noticed the almost sacred ,alue which Wordsworth attaches to the
im-ressions of his youth% and e,en to the memory of these im-ressions
which remains with him to console his maturer life) The 2ird is a lin1
which 2inds him to his childhood:
5And I can listen to thee yet=
Can lie u-on the -lain
And listen% till I do 2eget
That golden time again)5
In other -oems% es-ecially in the GIntimaticns of ImmortalityG% he s-ea1s
of 5the glory and the freshness of a dream%5 which hallowed nature for
him as a child% and which grew fainter as the 5shades of the -rison:house
2egan to close u-on the growing &oy5)
N+TTIN(
CO!'OSE" .0//= '+&LIS#E" .677)
5Written in (ermany= intended as a -art of a -oem on my own life% 2ut
struc1 out as not 2eing wanted there) Li1e most of my schoolfellows% I
was an im-assioned Nutter) For this -leasure% the *ale of Esthwaite%
a2ounding in co--ice wood% furnished a ,ery wide range) These ,erses
arose out of the remem2rance of feelings I had often had when a 2oy% and
-articularly in the eFtensi,e woods that still stretch from the side of
Esthwaite La1e towards (raythwaite)5
Wordsworth -ossessed in an unusual degree the -ower of re,i,ing the
im-ressions of his youth) Few auto2iogra-hical records are so ,i,id in
this res-ect as his G'reludeG) In his famous ode on the GIntimations of
Immortality from ecollections of Early ChildhoodG% he dwells u-on the
unreflecti,e eFultation which in the child res-onds to the 3oyousness of
nature% and with a -rofound intuition that may not 2e 3ustified in the
facts% he sees in this heedless delight a mystical intimation of
immortality)
In the -oem GNuttingG the animal eFhilaration of 2oyhood is finely
2lended with this dee-er feeling of mystery) The 2oy eFultingly
-enetrates into one of those woodland retreats where nature seems to 2e
holding communion with herself) For some moments he is su2dued 2y the
2eauty of the -lace% and lying among the flowers he hears with ecstasy
the murmur of the stream) Then the s-irit of ra,age -eculiar to 2oyhood
comes o,er him% and he rudely mars the 2eauty of the s-ot:
5And the shady noo1
Of ha4els% and the green and mossy 2ower%
Page 68 of 116
"eformed and sullied% -atiently ga,e u-
Their Euiet 2eing:5
Such wantonness seems to his maturer reflection a sacrilege% and e,en the
2oy was not insensi2le to the silent re-roach of the 5intruding s1y)5
TO+C#%::FO T#EE IS A S'IIT IN T#E WOO"S) !any lines might 2e Euoted
from Wordsworth to illustrate his theory of the -ersonal attri2utes of
nature) In some of his more ele,ated -assages nature in all her
-rocesses is regarded as the intimate re,elation of the (odhead% the
radiant garment in which the "eity clothes #imself that our senses may
a--rehend #im) Thus% when we touch a tree or a flower we may 2e said to
touch (od himself) In this way the 2eauty and -ower of nature 2ecome
sacred for Wordsworth% and ins-ired his ,erse at times with a solemn
dignity to which other -oets ha,e rarely attained)
The immanence of (od in nature% and yet #is su-eriority to #is own
re,elation of #imself is 2eautifully eF-ressed in some of the later
,erses of G#art Lea- WellG:
5The &eing% that is in the clouds and air%
That is in the green lea,es among the gro,es%
!aintains a dee- and re,erential care
For the unoffending creatures whom he lo,es)5
$et the life in nature is ca-a2le of multi-lying itself infinitely% and
each of her manifold di,isions -ossesses a distincti,e mood= one might
almost say a se-arate life of its own) It is% in his a2ility to ca-ture
the true emotional mood which clings to some 2eautiful o23ect or scene in
nature% and which that o23ect or scene may truly 2e said to ins-ire% that
Wordsworth<s -ower lies)
Wordsworth -ossessed e,ery attri2ute necessary to the descri-ti,e
-oet%::su2tle -owers of o2ser,ation% ears delicately tuned to sei4e the
,ery shadow of sound% and a diction of co-ious strength suggesti,e 2eyond
the limits of ordinary eF-ression) $et -urely descri-ti,e -oetry he
scorned) 5#e eF-atiated much to me one day%5 writes !r) Au2rey de *ere%
5as we wal1ed among the hills a2o,e (rasmere% on the mode in which Nature
had 2een descri2ed 2y one of the most 3ustly -o-ular of England<s modern
-oets::one for whom he -reser,ed a high and affectionate res-ect
Ie,idently Sir Walter ScottJ) <#e too1 -ains%< Wordsworth said= <he went
out with his -encil and note:2oo1% and 3otted down whate,er struc1 him
most::a ri,er ri--ling o,er the sands% a ruined tower on a roc1 a2o,e it%
a -romontory% and a mountain:ash wa,ing its red 2erries) #e went home
and wo,e the whole together into a -oetical descri-tion)< After a -ause%
Wordsworth resumed% with a flashing eye and im-assioned ,oice= <&ut
Nature does not -ermit an in,entory to 2e made of her charms; #e should
ha,e left his -encil and note:2oo1 at home% fiFed his eye as he wal1ed
with a re,erent attention on all that surrounded him% and ta1en all into
a heart that could understand and en3oy) Then% after se,eral days had
Page 69 of 116
-assed 2y% he should ha,e interrogated his memory as to the scene) #e
would ha,e disco,ered that while much of what he had admired was
-reser,ed to him% much was also most wisely o2literated= that which
remained::the -icture sur,i,ing in his mind::would ha,e -resented the
ideal and essential truth of the scene% and done so in a large -art 2y
discarding much which% though in itself stri1ing% was not characteristic)
In e,ery scene many of the most 2rilliant details are 2ut accidental= a
true eye for Nature does not note them% or at least does not dwell on
them)<5
The student should learn to com-are the descri-ti,e methods of Coleridge
and Wordsworth) See es-ecially Lowell<s note Euoted on --) ./0:./6= also
see --) B0 f)
INFL+ENCE OF NAT+AL O&9ECTS
This -oem was com-osed at (oslar in .0// as -art of the first 2oo1 of
GThe 'reludeG @-u2lished in .6>7A) It was first -rinted in Coleridge<s
-eriodical GThe FriendG% in "ecem2er% .67/% with the instructi,e though
-edantic title% 5(rowth of (enius from the Influences of Natural O23ects
on the Imagination% in &oyhood and Early $outh)5 It a--eared in
Wordsworth<s -oems of .6.> with the following title:::5Influence of
Natural O23ects in calling forth and strengthening the Imagination in
&oyhood and Early $outh)5
The o-ening ,erses of this -oem are still another instance of the
identification of (od with nature) As !r) Sto-ford &roo1e writes% 5we
are here in contact with a 'erson% not with a thought) &ut who is this
-ersonD Is she only the creation of imagination% ha,ing no su2stanti,e
reality 2eyond the mind of WordsworthD No% she is the -oetic
im-ersonation of an actual &eing% the form which the -oet gi,es to the
li,ing S-irit of (od in the outward world% in order that he may -ossess a
meta-hysical thought as a su23ect for his wor1 as an artist)5
GThe Lines Com-osed a2o,e Tintern A22eyG contain the highest eF-ression
which Wordsworth has gi,en to this thought% To the heedless animal
delight in nature had succeeded a season in his youth when the 2eauty and
-ower of nature 5haunted him li1e a -assion%5 though he 1new not why)
The 5di44y ra-ture5 of those moods he can no longer feel) $et%
5Not for this
Faint I nor murmur= other gifts
#a,e followed% for such loss% I would 2elie,e
A2undant recom-ense) For I ha,e learned
To loo1 on nature% not as in the hour
Of thoughtless youth= 2ut hearing oftentimes
The still sad music of humanity%
Nor harsh nor grating% though of am-le -ower
Page 70 of 116
To chasten and su2due) GAnd I ha,e felt
A -resence that distur2s me with the 3oy
Of ele,ated thoughts: a sense su2lime
Of something far more dee-ly interfused%
Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns%
And the round ocean and the li,ing air%
And the 2lue s1y% and in the mind of man:
A motion and a s-irit% that im-els
All thin1ing things% all o23ects of all thought%
And rolls through all thingsG)5
In ll) B8:BC% of GThe Influence of Natural O23ectsG% we ha,e an
inimita2le Wordsworthian effect) Into the midst of his wild s-ort the
,oice of Nature steals% and su2dues his mind to recei,e the im-ulses of
-eace and 2eauty from without) We in,oluntarily thin1 of the 2oy he has
cele2rated% his -laymate u-on Windermere% who lo,ed to rouse the owls
with mimic hootings% 2ut
5When a lengthened -ause
Of silence came and 2affled his 2est s1ill%
Then sometimes% in that silence while he hung
Listening% a gentle shoc1 of mild sur-rise
#as carried far into his heart the ,oice
Of mountain torrents= or the ,isi2le scene
Would enter unawares into his mind%
With all its solemn imagery% its roc1s%
Its woods% and that uncertain hea,en% recei,ed
Into the 2osom of the steady la1e)5
GThe 'reludeG% ,) ?0/ f)
ELE(IAC STANNAS
CO!'OSE" .67>: '+&LIS#E" .670)
Further references to 9ohn Wordsworth will 2e found in the following
-oems:::GTo the "aisyG @5Sweet Flower5A% GElegiac *erses in !emory of !y
&rotherG% GWhen to the Attractions of the &usy WorldG% GThe &rothersG%
and GThe #a--y WarriorG)
With lines ??:B7% and >0:C7% com-are the GIntimations of ImmortalityG%
ll) .0C:.60:::
5What though the radiance which was once so 2right
&e now for e,er ta1en from my sight%
Though nothing can 2ring 2ac1 the hour
Of s-lendor in the grass% of glory in the flower=
We will grie,e not% rather find
Strength in what remains 2ehind=
Page 71 of 116
In the -rimal sym-athy
Which ha,ing 2een must e,er 2e=
In the soothing thoughts that s-ring
Out of human suffering=
In the faith that loo1s through death%
In years that 2ring the -hiloso-hic mind)5
A &IEF #ISTO$ AN" "ESCI'TION OF T#E SONNET
The sonnet form was introduced into English -oetry 2y Sir Thomas Wyatt
and the Earl of Surrey) Their eF-eriments in the sonnet were -u2lished
in GTottel<s !iscellanyG in .>>0% and were -rom-ted 2y an admiration of
'etrarch and other Italian models) Italy was almost certainly the
original home of the sonnet @sonnetKItal) GsonettoG% Ga little soundG% or
Gshort strainG% from GsuonoG% GsoundGA% and there it has 2een assiduously
culti,ated since the thirteenth century) In the fourteenth century "ante
and 'etrarch ga,e the form a Euro-ean cele2rity)
The Structure of the Sonnet)
&efore saying anything of its de,elo-ment in English -oetry% it is
ad,isa2le to eFamine an admittedly -erfect sonnet% so that we may gain an
idea of the nature of this ty-e of -oem% 2oth as to form and su2stance)
Wordsworth<s sonnet u-on !ilton @GLondonG% .678A will ser,e our -ur-ose
@see -age .60A) &y reference to it you will o2ser,e:::
@.A That the sonnet is written in iam2ic -entameter% and consists of
fourteen lines::that num2er 2y re-eated eF-erimentation ha,ing 2een found
the most a--ro-riate for the eF-ression of a single emotional mood)
@8A As an eFamination of the rimes will show @a 2 2 a a 2 2 a: c d d e c
eA% there is a natural metrical di,ision at the end of the eighth line)
The first eight lines in technical language are called the 5octa,e%5 the
last siF lines are called the 5sestet)5 The octa,e is sometimes said to
consist of two Euatrains% and the sestet of two tercets)
@?A There is not only a metrical di,ision 2etween the octa,e and the
sestet% 2ut the character of the thought also undergoes a su2tle change
at that -oint) It is to 2e understood% of course% that in the whole -oem
there must 2e 2oth unity of thought and mood) $et% at the ninth line%
the thought which is introduced in the octa,e is ela2orated% and
-resented as it were under another as-ect) As !r) !ar1 'attison has
admira2ly eF-ressed it: 5This thought or mood should 2e led u- to% and
o-ened in the early lines of the sonnet= strictly% in the first Euatrain=
in the second Euatrain the hearer should 2e -laced in full -ossession of
it) After the second Euatrain there should 2e a -ause::not full% nor
-roducing the effect of a 2rea1::as of one who had finished what he had
Page 72 of 116
got to say% and not -re-aring a transition to a new su23ect% 2ut as of
one who is turning o,er what has 2een said in the mind to enforce it
further) The o-ening of the second system% strictly the first tercet%
should turn 2ac1 u-on the thought or sentiment% ta1e it u- and carry it
forward to the conclusion) The conclusion should 2e a resultant summing
the total of the suggestion in the -receding lines) ) ) ) While the
conclusion should lea,e a sense of finish and com-leteness% it is
necessary to a,oid anything li1e e-igrammatic -oint)5
@BA An eFamination of the rimes again will show that greater strictness
-re,ails in the octa,e than in the sestet) The most regular ty-e of the
octa,e may 2e re-resented 2y a 2 2 a a 2 2 a% turning therefore u-on two
rimes only) The sestet% though it contains 2ut siF lines% is more
li2eral in the dis-osition of its rimes) In the sonnet which we are
eFamining% the rime system of the sestet in c d d e c e::containing% as
we see% three se-arate rimes) In the sestet this is -ermissi2le%
-ro,ided that there is not a riming cou-let at the close)
@>A Again% with reference to the rime% it will 2e o2ser,ed that the ,owel
terminals of the octa,e and the sestet are differentiated) Anything
a--roaching assonance 2etween the two di,isions is to 2e counted as a
defect)
@CA It is e,ident that there is unity 2oth of thought and mood in this
sonnet% the sestet 2eing differentiated from the octa,e% only as a2o,e
descri2ed)
@0A It is almost unnecessary to add that there is no slo,enly diction%
that the language is dignified in -ro-ortion to the theme% and that there
is no o2scurity or re-etition in thought or -hraseology)
These rules will a--ear to the young reader of -oetry as almost
unnecessarily se,ere) &ut it must 2e remem2ered that the sonnet is
a,owedly a con,entional form @though in it much of the finest -oetry in
our language is containedA% and as such the con,entional laws attaching
to all -rescri2ed forms must 2e o2ser,ed to win com-lete success)
S-enser% Sha1es-eare% and !ilton ha,e lent the authority of their great
names to certain distinct ,ariations from the rigid 'etrarchan ty-e) The
-eculiarity of S-enser<s sonnets is that the rime of the octa,e o,erflows
into the sestet% thus marring the eFEuisite 2alance which should su2sist
2etween the two -arts% and yielding an effect of cloying sweetness)
Although the famous stan4a:form which he in,ented in his 5Faerie Lueene5
has found many imitators% his sonnet inno,ations are -ractically
unim-ortant)
The Sha1es-earean sonnet% on the contrary% must 2e regarded as a
well:esta2lished ,ariant from the stricter Italian form) Though
Sha1es-eare<s name has made it famous% it did not originate with him)
Surrey and "aniel had ha2itually em-loyed it% and in fact it had come to
Page 73 of 116
2e recogni4ed as the acce-ted English form) Its characteristic feature%
as the following sonnet from Sha1es-eare will show% was a di,ision into
three distinct Euatrains% each with alternating rimes% and closed 2y a
cou-let) The transition of thought at the ninth line is usually
o2ser,ed:::
5When% in disgrace with fortune and men<s eyes%
I all alone 2ewee- my outcast state%
And trou2le deaf hea,en with my 2ootless cries%
And loo1 u-on myself% and curse my fate%
Wishing me li1e to one more rich in ho-e%
Featured li1e him% li1e him with friends -ossess<d%
"esiring this man<s art and that man<s sco-e%
With what I most en3oy contented least=
$et in these thoughts myself almost des-ising%
#a-ly I thin1 on thee::and then my state%
Li1e to the lar1 at 2rea1 of day arising
From sullen earth% sings hymns at hea,en<s gate=
For thy sweet lo,e remem2er<d such wealth 2rings%
That then I scorn to change my state with 1ings)5
It is !ilton<s merit that he rescued the sonnet from the snare of ,er2al
wit in which the Eli4a2ethans had in,ol,ed it% and made it res-ond to
other -assions than that of lo,e) #is sonnets% as imitations of the
Italian form% are more successful than the scattered efforts in that
direction of Wyatt and Surrey) They are indeed regular in all res-ects%
sa,e that he is not always careful to o2ser,e the -ause in the thought%
and the su2tle change which should di,ide the octa,e from the sestet)
After !ilton there is a -ause in sonnet:writing for a hundred years)
William Lisles &owles @.0C8:.6>7A% memora2le for his influence u-on
Coleridge% was among the first again to culti,ate the form) Coleridge
and Shelley ga,e the sonnet scant attention% and were careless as to its
structural Eualities) Heats% a-art from Wordsworth% was the only -oet of
the early years of the century who reali4ed its ca-a2ilities) #e has
written a few of our memora2le sonnets% 2ut he was not entirely satisfied
with the acce-ted form% and eF-erimented u-on ,ariations that cannot 2e
regarded as successful)
There is no dou2t that the stimulus to sonnet:writing in the nineteenth
century came from Wordsworth% and he% as all his recent 2iogra-hers
admit% recei,ed his ins-iration from !ilton) Wordsworth<s sonnets% less
remar1a2le certainly than a su-reme few of Sha1es-eare<s% ha,e still
im-osed themsel,es as models u-on all later writers% while the
Sha1es-earean form has fallen into disuse) A word here% therefore% as to
their form)
The strict rime mo,ement of the octa,e a 2 2 a a 2 2 a is o2ser,ed in
se,en only of the -resent collection of twel,e% namely% in the first
sonnet% the second% the third% the fifth% the siFth% the se,enth% and the
Page 74 of 116
eighth) The rime formula of the octa,e with which Wordsworth<s name is
chiefly associated is a 2 2 a a c c a) The sonnets in which this
additional rime is introduced are the fourth% the ninth% the tenth% the
ele,enth and the twelfth)
As regards the transition from octa,e to sestet the following sonnets
o2ser,e the -rescri2ed law% namely% the second% third% siFth% se,enth%
and ninth) The se,en remaining sonnets all show some irregularity in
this res-ect) The first sonnet @GFair StarGA with its a2ru-t
Gen3am2ementG at the close of the octa,e% and the thought -ause in the
2ody of the first line of the sestet% is a form much em-loyed 2y !rs)
&rowning% 2ut rigorously a,oided 2y "ante (a2riel ossetti with his more
scru-ulous ideal of sonnet construction) This im-erfect transition is
seen again in the fourth% fifth% eighth% tenth% ele,enth% and twelfth
sonnets) Its 2oldness certainly amounts to a technical fault in the two
sonnets on GHing<s College Cha-elG)
In the sestet we naturally eF-ect and find much ,ariety in the
dis-osition of the rimes) The conclusion of the last sonnet 2y a cou-let
is most unusual in Wordsworth)
5IT IS NOT TO &E T#O+(#T OF5
This sonnet was com-osed in Se-tem2er% .678% first -u2lished in the
!orning 'ost in .67?% and su2seEuently in .670)
WITTEN IN LON"ON% SE'TE!&E% .678:
'+&LIS#E" .670
5This was written immediately after my return from France to London% when
I could not 2ut 2e struc1% as here descri2ed% with the ,anity and -arade
of our own country% es-ecially in great towns and cities% as contrasted
with the Euiet% I may say the desolation% that the e,olution had
-roduced in France) This must 2e 2orne in mind% or else the eader may
thin1 that in this and the succeeding Sonnets I ha,e eFaggerated the
mischief engendered and fostered among us 2y undistur2ed wealth)5
LON"ON% .678
This sonnet was written in .67? and -u2lished in .670)
Page 75 of 116
5"AH AN" !OE "AH T#E S#A"ES OF E*ENIN( FELL5
This sonnet was written after a 3ourney across the #am2leton #ills%
$or1shire) Wordsworth says: 5It was com-osed Octo2er Bth% .678% after a
3ourney on a day memora2le to me::the day of my marriage) The hori4on
commanded 2y those hills is most magnificent)5 "orothy Wordsworth%
descri2ing the s1y:-ros-ect% says: 5Far off from us in the western s1y we
saw the sha-es of castles% ruins among gro,es% a great s-reading wood%
roc1s and single trees% a minster with its tower unusually distinct%
minarets in another Euarter% and a round (recian tem-le also= the colours
of the shy of a 2right gray% and the forms of a so2er gray% with dome)5
5S+'ISE" &$ 9O$::I!'ATIENT AS T#E WIN"5
This sonnet was suggested 2y the -oet<s daughter Catherine long after her
death) She died in her fourth year% on 9une B% .6.8) Wordsworth was
a2sent from home at the time of her death) The sonnet was -u2lished in
.6.>)
5#AIL% TWILI(#T SO*EEI(N OF A 'EACEF+L #O+5
This sonnet was -u2lished in .6.>)
5I T#O+(#T OF T#EE% !$ 'ATNE AN" !$ (+I"E5
This sonnet% which concludes 5The i,er "uddon5 series% is usually
entitled 5After:Thought5) The series was written at inter,als% and was
finally -u2lished in .687) 5The "uddon rises on Wrynose Fell% near to
<Three Shire Stone%< where Westmoreland% Cum2erland% and Lancashire meet)5
5S+C# A(E% #OW &EA+TIF+L;5
This sonnet% -u2lished in .680% was inscri2ed to Lady Fit4gerald at the
time in her se,entieth year)
ALFE"% LO" TENN$SON
&IO(A'#ICAL SHETC#
Page 76 of 116
Alfred Tennyson was 2orn at Somers2y% a small hamlet among the
Lincolnshire wolds% on August Cth% .67/) #is father% the e,) (eorge
Clayton Tennyson% the ,icar of Somers2y% was a man of large and
culti,ated intellect% interested in -oetry% mathematics% -ainting% music%
and architecture% 2ut somewhat harsh and austere in manner% and su23ect
to fits of gloomy de-ression% during which his -resence was a,oided 2y
his family= he was sincerely de,oted to them% howe,er% and himself
su-er,ised their education) #is mother% Eli4a2eth Fytche% the daughter
of the e, Ste-hen Fytche of Louth% was a 1ind:hearted% gentle% refined
woman% 2elo,ed 2y her family and friends) #er influence o,er her sons
and daughters was un2ounded% and o,er none more so than Alfred% who in
after life recogni4ed to the full what he owed to his mother)
The family was large% consisting of twel,e sons and daughters% of whom
the eldest died in infancy) Alfred was the fourth child% his 2rothers
Frederic1 and Charles 2eing older than he) The home life was a ,ery
ha--y one) The 2oys and girls were all fond of 2oo1s% and their games
-artoo1 of the nature of the 2oo1s they had 2een reading) They were
gi,en to writing% and in this they were encouraged 2y their father% who
-ro,ed himself a wise and discriminating critic) Alfred early showed
signs of his -oetic 2ent= at the age of twel,e he had written an e-ic of
four thousand lines% and e,en 2efore this a tragedy and innumera2le -oems
in 2lan1 ,erse) #e was not encouraged% howe,er% to -reser,e these
s-ecimens of his early -owers% and they are now lost)
Alfred attended for a time a small school near his home% 2ut at the age
of se,en he was sent to the (rammar School at Louth) While at Louth he
li,ed with his grandmother% 2ut his days at school were not ha--y% and he
afterwards loo1ed 2ac1 o,er them with almost a shudder) &efore he was
twel,e he returned home% and 2egan his -re-aration for the uni,ersity
under his father<s care) #is time was not all de,oted to serious study%
2ut was s-ent in roaming through his father<s li2rary% de,ouring the
great classics of ancient and modern times% and in writing his own -oems)
The family each summer remo,ed to !a2lethor-e on the Lincolnshire coast)
#ere Alfred learned to lo,e the sea in all its moods% a lo,e which lasted
through his life)
In .680% after Frederic1 had entered Cam2ridge% the two 2rothers% Charles
and Alfred% 2eing in want of -oc1et money% resol,ed to -u2lish a ,olume
of -oems) They made a selection from their numerous -oems% and offered
the 2oo1 to a 2oo1seller in Louth% For some un1nown reason he acce-ted
the 2oo1% and soon after% it was -u2lished under the title% G'oems 2y Two
&rothersG) There were in reality three 2rothers% as some of Frederic1<s
-oems were included in the ,olume) The 2rothers were -romised 87 -ounds%
2ut more than one half of this sum they had to ta1e out in 2oo1s) With
the 2alance they went on a trium-hal eF-edition to the sea% re3oicing in
the successful launching of their first literary effort)
In .686 Charles and Alfred Tennyson matriculated at Trinity College%
Cam2ridge% where their elder 2rother Frederic1 had already 2een for some
Page 77 of 116
time) Alfred was a somewhat shy lad% and did not at once ta1e 1indly to
the life of his college) #e soon% howe,er% found himself one of a famous
society 1nown as 5The A-ostles%5 to which 2elonged some of the 2est men
in the +ni,ersity) Not one mem2er of the 5A-ostles5 at this time% 2ut
afterwards made a name for himself% and made his influence felt in the
world of -olitics or letters) The society met at regular inter,als% 2ut
Alfred did not ta1e much -art in the de2ates% -referring to sit silent
and listen to what was said) All his friends had un2ounded admiration
for his -oetry and unlimited faith in his -oetic -owers) This faith was
strengthened 2y the award of the +ni,ersity 'ri4e for English *erse to
Alfred in 9une% .68/) #e did not wish to com-ete% 2ut on 2eing -ressed%
-olished u- an old -oem that he had written some years 2efore% and
-resented it for com-etition% the su23ect 2eing GTim2uctooG) The -oem
was in 2lan1 ,erse and really showed considera2le -ower= in fact it was a
remar1a2le -oem for one so young)
'erha-s the most -owerful influence on the life of Tennyson was the
friendshi- he formed while at Cam2ridge with Arthur #enry #allam% the son
of the historian% #enry #allam) The two 2ecame inse-ara2le friends% a
friendshi- strengthened 2y the engagement of #allam to the -oet<s sister)
The two friends agreed to -u2lish a ,olume of -oems as a
3oint:-roduction% 2ut #enry #allam% the elder% did not encourage the
-ro3ect% and it was dro--ed) The result was that in .6?7% G'oems%
Chiefly LyricalG% was -u2lished with the name of Alfred Tennyson alone on
the title -age) The ,olume was re,iewed enthusiastically 2y #allam% 2ut
was more or less slated 2y Christo-her North in the columns of
G&lac1woods< !aga4ineG) Tennyson was ,ery angry a2out the latter re,iew
and re-lied to the re,iewer in some caustic% 2ut entirely unnecessary%
,erses)
In the same year #allam and Tennyson made an eF-edition into S-ain to
carry aid to the re2el leader against the 1ing of S-ain) The eF-edition
was not 2y any means a success) In .6?. Tennyson left Cam2ridge% without
ta1ing his degree% and shortly after his return home his father died)
The family% howe,er% did not remo,e from Somers2y% 2ut remained there
until .6?0) Late in .6?8 a--eared another ,olume entitled G'oems 2y
Alfred TennysonG) This drew u-on the unfortunate author a 2itterly
sarcastic article in the GLuarterlyG% written -ro2a2ly 2y its 2rilliant
editor% 9ohn (i2son Loc1hart) The result of this article was that
Tennyson was silent for almost ten years% a -eriod s-ent in ridding
himself of the wea1nesses so 2rutally -ointed out 2y the re,iewer)
In .6??% Arthur #enry #allam died% and for a time the light of life
seemed to ha,e gone out for Alfred Tennyson) The effect of the death of
#allam u-on the -oet was eFtraordinary) It seemed to ha,e changed the
whole current of his life= indeed he is said% under the strain of the
awful suddeness and uneF-ectedness of the e,ent% to ha,e contem-lated
suicide) &ut saner thoughts inter,ened% and he again too1 u- the 2urden
of life% with the determination to do what he could in hel-ing others)
From this time of storm and stress came GIn !emoriamG)
Page 78 of 116
From .6?8 to .6B8 Tennyson s-ent a ro,ing life) Now at home% now in
London% now with his friends in ,arious -arts of England) #e was
s-ending his time in finishing his -oems% so that when he again came
2efore the world with a ,olume% he would 2e a master) The circle of his
friends was widening% and now included the greater num2er of the
master:minds of England) #e was -oor% so -oor in fact that he was
reduced to the necessity of 2orrowing the 2oo1s he wished to read from
his friends) &ut during all this time he ne,er wa,ered in his allegiance
to -oetry= he had determined to 2e a -oet% and to de,ote his life to
-oetry) At last in .6B8 he -u2lished his G'oemsG in two ,olumes% and the
world was conEuered) From this time onwards he was recogni4ed as the
leading -oet of his century)
In .6B>% Tennyson% -oor still% was granted a -ension of 877 -ounds%
chiefly through the influence of his friend ichard !onc1ton !ilnes% and
Thomas Carlyle) There was a great deal of criticism regarding this
-ension from sources that should ha,e 2een fa,ora2le% 2ut the general
,erdict a--ro,ed the grant) In .6B0 a--eared GThe 'rincessG% a -oem%
which% at that time% did not materially add to his fame= 2ut the -oet was
now hailed as one of the great ones of his time% and much was eF-ected of
him)
In .6>7 three most im-ortant e,ents in the life of Tennyson ha--ened) #e
-u2lished GIn !emoriamG% in memory of his friend% Arthur #enry #allam= he
was a--ointed 'oet Laureate% in succession to Wordsworth= and he married
Emily Selwood% a lady to whom he had 2een engaged for se,enteen years%
2ut whom his -o,erty had -re,ented him from leading to the altar) From
this time onwards the life of the -oet flowed smoothly) #e was ha--ily
married% his fame was esta2lished% his 2oo1s 2rought him sufficient
income on which to li,e comforta2le and well) From this -oint there is
little to relate in his career% eFce-t the -u2lication of his ,arious
,olumes)
After his marriage Tennyson li,ed for some time at Twic1enham% where in
.6>8 #allam Tennyson was 2orn) In .6>. he and his wife ,isited Italy% a
,isit commemorated in GThe "aisyG) In .6>? they remo,ed to Farringford
at Freshwater in the Isle of Wight% a residence su2seEuently -urchased
with the -roceeds of G!audG% -u2lished in .6>>) The -oem had a somewhat
miFed rece-tion% 2eing recei,ed in some Euarters with unstinted a2use and
in others with the warmest -raise) In the year that G!audG was -u2lished
Tennyson recei,ed the honorary degree of ")C)L)% from OFford) In .6>/
was -u2lished the first four of the GIdylls of the HingG% followed in
.6CB 2y GEnoch Arden and Other 'oemsG) In .6C> his mother died) In .6C/
he occu-ied Aldworth% an almost inaccessi2le residence in Surrey% near
London% in order to esca-e the annoyance of summer ,isitors to the Isle
of Wight% who insisted on in,ading his -ri,acy% which% -erha-s% more than
any other he es-ecially ,alued)
From .607 to .667 Tennyson was engaged -rinci-ally on his dramas::GLueen
Page 79 of 116
!aryG% G#aroldG% and G&ec1etG%::2ut% with the eFce-tion of the last%
these did not -ro,e -articularly successful on the stage) In .667
G&allads and 'oemsG was -u2lished% an astonishing ,olume from one so
ad,anced in years) In .668 the G'romise of !ayG was -roduced in -u2lic%
2ut was soon withdrawn) In .66B Tennyson was raised to the -eerage as
&aron Tennyson of Aldworth and Farringford% after ha,ing on two -re,ious
occasions refused a 2aronetcy) In .66> GTiresias and Other 'oemsG was
-u2lished) In this ,olume was -u2lished G&alin and &alanG% thus
com-leting the GIdylls of the HingG% which now assumed their -ermanent
order and form) G"emeter and Other 'oemsG followed in .66/% including
GCrossing the &arG) In .6/8% on Octo2er Cth% the -oet died at Aldworth%
5with the moonlight u-on his 2ed and an o-en Sha1es-eare 2y his side)5 A
few days later he was 2uried in Westminster A22ey% 2y the side of o2ert
&rowning% his friend and contem-orary% who had -receded him 2y only a few
years)
Carlyle has left us a gra-hic descri-tion of Tennyson as he was in middle
life: 5One of the finest::loo1ing men in the world) A great shoc1 of
rough% dus1y dar1 hair= 2right% laughing ha4el eyes= massi,e aEuiline
face::most massi,e yet most delicate= of sallow 2rown com-leFion% almost
Indian:loo1ing= clothes cynically loose% free:and:easy= smo1es infinite
to2acco) #is ,oice is musically metallic::fit for loud laughter and
-iercing wail% and all that may lie 2etween= s-eech and s-eculation free
and -lenteous= I do not meet in these late decades such com-any o,er a
-i-e; We shall see what he will grow to)5 To this may 2e added a
-aragra-h from Caroline FoF: 5Tennyson is a grand s-ecimen of a man% with
a magnificent head set on his shoulders li1e the ca-ital of a mighty
-illar) #is hair is long and wa,y and co,ers a massi,e head) #e wears a
2eard and mustache% which one 2egrudges as hiding so much of that firm%
-owerful% 2ut finely:chiselled mouth) #is eyes are large and gray% and
o-en wide when a su23ect interests him= they are well shaded 2y the no2le
2row% with its strong lines of thought and suffering) I can Euite
understand Samuel Lawrence calling it the 2est 2alance of head he had
e,er seen)5
C#ONOLO(ICAL TA&LE
&orn% August C% .67/% at Somers2y% Lincolnshire)
(oes to Louth (rammar School% .6.C)
'u2lishes% along with his 2rother Charles% G'oems 2y Two &rothersG% .680)
(oes to Trinity College% Cam2ridge% .686)
Forms friendshi- with Arthur #enry #allam% .686)
Wins *ice:Chancellor<s (old !edal for his -oem GTim2uctooG% .68/)
Page 80 of 116
'u2lishes G'oems% Chiefly LyricalG% .6?7)
!a1es an eF-edition to the 'yrenees with Arthur #enry #allam% .6?7)
Lea,es Cam2ridge% owing to the illness of his father% .6?.)
*isits the hine with Arthur #enry #allam% .6?8)
'u2lishes G'oems 2y Alfred TennysonG% .6?8)
Arthur #enry #allam dies% .6??)
emo,es from Somers2y to #igh &eech in E--ing Forest% .6?0)
'u2lishes G'oemsG in two ,olumes% .6B8)
(ranted a -ension of 877 -ounds from the Ci,il List% .6B>)
'u2lishes GThe 'rincessG% .6B0)
'u2lishes GIn !emoriamG% .6>7)
A--ointed 'oet Laureate% .6>7)
!arries !iss Emily Selwood% .6>7)
Tours southern Euro-e with his wife% .6>.)
#allam Tennyson 2orn% .6>8)
Writes GOde on the "eath of the "u1e of WellingtonG% .6>8)
Ta1es u- his residence at Farringford in the Isle of Wight% .6>?)
Lionel Tennyson 2orn% .6>B)
Writes GThe Charge of the Light &rigadeG% .6>>)
The +ni,ersity of OFford confers on him the degree of ")C)L)% .6>>)
'u2lishes G!aud and Other 'oemsG% .6>>)
'urchases Farringford% .6>C)
'u2lishes GIdylls of the HingG% .6>/)
Writes his GWelcome to AleFandraG% .6C?)
'u2lishes GEnoch ArdenG% .6CB= GThe #oly (railG% .6C/)
Page 81 of 116
#is mother dies% .6C>)
'urchases land at #aslemere% Surrey% .6C6% and 2egins erection of
Aldworth)
'u2lishes GLueen !aryG% .60>= the drama successfully -erformed 2y #enry
Ir,ing% .60C)
'u2lishes G#aroldG% .60C)
#is drama GThe FalconG -roduced% .6C/)
See1s 2etter health 2y a tour on the Continent with his son #allam% .667)
'u2lishes G&allads and Other 'oemsG% .667)
#is drama GThe Cu-G successfully -erformed% .66.)
#is drama GThe 'romise of !ayG -ro,es a failure% .668)
aised to the -eerage as &aron Tennyson of Aldworth and Farringford% .66B)
'u2lishes G&ec1etG% .66B)
#is son Lionel dies% .66>)
'u2lishes GTiresias and Other 'oemsG% .66>) This ,olume contains G&alin
and &alanG% thus com-leting his GIdylls of the HingG)
'u2lishes G"emeter and Other 'oemsG% .66/)
"ies at Aldworth% Octo2er C% .6/8% and is 2uried in Westminster A22ey)
The G"eath of OenoneG is -u2lished% .6/8)
A''ECIATIONS
5Since the days when "ryden held office no Laureate has 2een a--ointed so
distinctly -re:eminent a2o,e all his contem-oraries% so truly the 1ing of
the -oets% as he u-on whose 2rows now rests the Laureate crown) "ryden<s
grandeur was sullied% his muse was ,enal% and his life was ,icious= still
in his 1ee-ing the office acEuired a certain dignity= after his death it
declined into the de-ths of de-redation% and each succeeding dullard
dimmed its failing lustre) The first ray of ho-e for its re,i,al s-rang
into life with the a--ointment of Southey% to whom succeeded Wordsworth%
a -oet of worth and genius% whose name certainly assisted in
resuscitating the ancient dignity of the a--ointment) Alfred Tennyson
deri,es less honor from the title than he confers u-on it= to him we owe
Page 82 of 116
a de2t of gratitude that he has redeemed the laurels with his -oetry%
no2le% -ure% and undefiled as e,er -oet sung)5::GWalter #amiltonG)
5Tennyson is many sided= he has a great ,ariety of su23ects) #e has
treated of the classical and the romantic life of the world= he has 2een
1eenly ali,e to the 2eauties of nature= and he has tried to sym-athi4e
with the social -ro2lems that confront man1ind) In this res-ect he is a
re-resentati,e -oet of the age% for this ,ery di,ersity of natural gifts
has made him -o-ular with all classes) 'erha-s he has not 2een -erfectly
cosmo-olitan% and sometimes the theme in his -oetry has recei,ed a slight
treatment com-ared to what might ha,e 2een gi,en it 2y dee-er thin1ing
and more -hiloso-hical -oets% 2ut he has caught the s-irit of the age and
has eF-ressed its thought% if not always forci2ly% at least more
2eautifully than any other -oet%5::GCharles ead NutterG)
5In technical elegance% as an artist in ,erse% Tennyson is the greatest
of modern -oets) Other masters% old and new% ha,e sur-assed him in
s-ecial instances= 2ut he is the only one who rarely nods% and who always
finishes his ,erse to the eFtreme) #ere is the a2solute sway of metre%
com-elling e,ery rhyme and measure needful to the thought= here are
sinuous alliterations% uniEue and ,arying 2rea1s and -auses% winged
flights and falls% the glory of sound and color e,erywhere -resent% or%
if missing% a2sent of the -oet<s free will) The fullness of his art
e,ades the charm of s-ontaneity) #is original and fastidious art is of
itself a theme for an essay) The -oet who studies it may well des-air%
he can ne,er eFcel it= its strength is that of -erfection= its wea1ness%
the e,er:-erfection which mar1s a still:life -ainter)5::GEdmund Clarence
StedmanG)
5A stri1ing Euality of Tennyson<s -oetry is its sim-licity% 2oth in
thought and eF-ression) This trait was characteristic of his life% and
so we naturally eF-ect to find it in his ,erse) Tennyson was too sincere
2y nature% and too strongly a,erse to eF-erimenting in new fields of
-oetry% to attem-t the affected or uniEue) #e -ur-osely a,oided all
su23ects which he feared he could not treat with sim-licity and
clearness) So% in his shorter -oems% there are few o2scure or am2iguous
-assages% little that is not easy of com-rehension) #is su23ects
themsel,es tend to -re,ent am2iguity or o2scurity) For he wrote of men
and women as he saw them a2out him% of their 3oys and sorrows% their
trials% their ideals%::and in this was nothing com-leF) Thus there is a
homely Euality to his -oems% 2ut they are 1e-t from the common-lace 2y
the great tenderness of his feeling) #ad Tennyson 2een -rimarily of a
meta-hysical or -hiloso-hical mind all this might ha,e 2een different)
True% he was somewhat of a student of -hiloso-hy and religion% and some
of his -oems are of these su23ects% 2ut his thought e,en here is always
sim-le and -lain% and he ne,er attem-ted the dee- study that was not
characteristic of his nature) No less successful is he in a,oiding
o2scurity in eF-ression) There are few -assages that need much
eF-lanation) In this he offers a stri1ing contrast to &rowning% who
often -ainfully hid his meaning under com-leF -hraseology) #is
Page 83 of 116
,oca2ulary is remar1a2ly large% and when we study his use of words% we
find that in many cases they are from the two:sylla2led class) This
matter of choice of clear% sim-le words and -hrases is ,ery im-ortant)
For% 3ust so much as our attention is drawn from what a -oet says to the
medium% the language in which he says it% so much is its clearness
in3ured) *i,idly to see -ictures in our imagination or to 2e affected 2y
our emotions% we must not% as we read% eF-erience any 3ar) In Tennyson
we ne,er ha,e to thin1 of his eF-ressions::eFce-t to admire their sim-le
2eauty) Sim-licity and 2eauty% then% are two noticea2le Eualities of his
-oetry)5::GCharles ead NutterG)
5An idyllic or -icturesEue mode of con,eying his sentiments is the one
natural to Tennyson% if not the only one -ermitted 2y his limitations)
#e is a 2orn o2ser,er of -hysical nature% and% whene,er he a--lies an
ad3ecti,e to some o23ect or -assingly alludes to some -henomenon which
others ha,e 2ut noted% is almost infalli2ly correct) #e has the unerring
first touch which in a single line -ro,es the artist= and it 3ustly has
2een remar1ed that there is more true English landsca-e in many an
isolated stan4a of GIn !emoriamG than in the whole of GThe SeasonsG% that
,aunted descri-ti,e -oem of a former century)5::GEdmund Clarence StedmanG)
5In descri2ing scenery% his microsco-ic eye and mar,ellously delicate ear
are eFercised to the utmost in detecting the minutest relations and most
e,anescent melodies of the o23ects 2efore him% in order that his
re-resentation shall include e,erything which is im-ortant to their full
-erfection) #is -ictures of rural English scenery gi,e the inner s-irit
as well as the outward form of the o23ects% and re-resent them% also% in
their relation to the mind which is ga4ing on them) The -icture in his
mind is s-read out 2efore his detecting and dissecting intellect% to 2e
transformed to words only when it can 2e done with the most refined
eFactness% 2oth as regards color and form and melody)5::GE)') Whi--leG)
5For the most -art he wrote of the e,ery day lo,es and duties of men and
women= of the -rimal -ains and 3oys of humanity= of the as-irations and
trials which are common to all ages and all classes and inde-endent e,en
of the diseases of ci,ili4ation% 2ut he made them new and sur-rising 2y
the art which he added to them% 2y 2eauty of thought% tenderness of
feeling% and eFEuisiteness of sha-ing)5::GSto-ford A) &roo1eG)
5The tenderness of Tennyson is one of his remar1a2le Eualities::not so
much in itself% for other -oets ha,e 2een more tender::2ut in com2ination
with his rough -owers) We are not sur-rised that his rugged strength is
ca-a2le of the mighty and tragic tenderness of is-ah% 2ut we could not
thin1 at first that he could feel and reali4e the eFEuisite tenderness of
GElaineG) It is a wonderful thing to ha,e so wide a tenderness% and only
a great -oet can -ossess it and use it well)5::GSto-ford A) &roo1eG)
5Tennyson is a great master of -athos= 1nows the ,ery tones that go to
the heart= can arrest e,ery one of these loo1s of u-2raiding or a--eal 2y
which human woe 2rings the tear into the human eye) The -athos is dee-=
Page 84 of 116
2ut it is the ma3esty not the -rostration of grief)5::G'eter &ayneG)
5Indeed the truth must 2e strongly 2orne in u-on e,en the warmest
admirers of Tennyson that his recluse manner of life closed to him many
a,enues of communication with the men and women of his day% and that%
whether as a result or cause of his eFclusi,eness% he had 2ut little of
that restless% intellectual curiosity which constantly whets itself u-on
new eF-eriences% finds significance where others see confusion% and
2eneath the a--arently common-lace in human character reaches some
harmoni4ing truth) Gi4-ahG and GThe (randmotherG show what a rich
har,est he would ha,e rea-ed had he cared more freEuently to wal1 the
thoroughfares of life) #is finely wrought character studies are ,ery few
in num2er% and e,en the range of his ty-es is disa--ointingly
narrow)5::G'elham EdgarG)
5No reader of Tennyson can miss the note of -atriotism which he
-er-etually sounds) #e has a dee- and genuine lo,e of country% a -ride
in the achie,ements of the -ast% a confidence in the greatness of the
future) And this sense of -atriotism almost reaches insularity of ,iew)
#e loo1s out u-on the larger world with a gentle commiseration% and
sur,eys its un:English ha2its and constitution with sym-athetic contem-t)
The -atriotism of Tennyson is so2er rather than glowing= it is meditati,e
rather than enthusiastic) Occasionally indeed% his words catch fire% and
the ,erse lea-s onward with a sound of trium-h% as in such a -oem as GThe
Charge of the Light &rigadeG or in such a glorious 2allad as GThe
e,engeG) Neither of these -oems is li1ely to -erish until the glory of
the nation -erishes% and her deeds of a s-lendid chi,alrous -ast sin1
into o2li,ion% which only shameful cowardice can 2ring u-on her) &ut as
a rule Tennyson<s -atriotism is not a contagious and ins-iring
-atriotism) It is meditati,e% -hiloso-hic% self:com-lacent) It re3oices
in the infalli2ility of the English 3udgment% the eternal security of
English institutions% the -erfection of English forms of
go,ernment)5::GW) 9) "awsonG)
5Tennyson always s-ea1s from the side of ,irtue= and not of that new and
strange ,irtue which some of our later -oets ha,e eFalted% and which%
when it is stri--ed of its fine garments% turns out to 2e nothing else
than the unrestrained indulgence of e,ery natural im-ulse= 2ut rather of
that old fashioned ,irtue whose laws are <self:re,erence% self:1nowledge%
self:control%< and which finds its highest em2odiment in the morality of
the GNew TestamentG) There is a s-iritual courage in his wor1% a force
of fate which conEuers dou2t and dar1ness% a light of inward ho-e which
2urns dauntless under the shadow of death) Tennyson is the -oet of
faith= faith as distinguished from cold dogmatism and the acce-tance of
traditional creeds= faith which does not ignore dou2t and mystery% 2ut
trium-hs o,er them and faces the un1nown with fearless heart) The effect
of Christianity u-on the -oetry of Tennyson may 2e felt in its general
moral Euality) &y this it is not meant that he is always -reaching) &ut
at the same time the -oet can hardly hel- re,ealing% more 2y tone and
accent than 2y definite words% his moral sym-athies) #e is essentially
Page 85 of 116
and characteristically a -oet with a message) #is -oetry does not eFist
merely for the sa1e of its own -erfection of form) It is something more
than the sound of one who has a lo,ely ,oice and can -lay s1ilfully u-on
an instrument) It is a -oetry with a meaning and a -ur-ose) It is a
,oice that has something to say to us a2out life) When we read his -oems
we feel our hearts u-lifted% we feel that% after all it is worth while to
struggle towards the light% it is worth while to try to 2e u-right and
generous and true and loyal and -ure% for ,irtue is ,ictory and goodness
is the only fadeless and immortal crown) The secret of the -oet<s
influence must lie in his s-ontaneous witness to the reality and
su-remacy of the moral life) #is music must thrill us with the
con,iction that the hum2lest child of man has a duty% an ideal% a
destiny) #e must sing of 3ustice and of lo,e as a sure reward% a
steadfast law% the safe -ort and ha,en of the soul)5::G#enry *an "y1eG)
EFEENCES ON TENN$SON<S LIFE AN" WOHS
GAlfred% Lord Tennyson: A !emoirG 2y #allam Tennyson) Toronto: The
!acmillan Com-any of Canada% Limited) 'rice Q8)77)
GTennyson and his FriendsG edited 2y #allam% Lord Tennyson) Toronto: The
GAlfred% Lord Tennyson: A Study of his Life and Wor1sG 2y Arthur Waugh)
London: William #einemann)
GTennysonG 2y Sir Alfred Lyall in GEnglish !en of LettersG series)
GAlfred TennysonG 2y Arthur Christo-her &enson in GLittle &iogra-hiesG)
London: !ethuen P Co)
GAlfred Tennyson: A Saintly LifeG 2y o2ert F) #orton) London: 9) !)
"ent P Co)
GAlfred TennysonG 2y Andrew Lang) New $or1: "odd% !ead and Com-any)
GTennyson: #is Art and elation to !odern LifeG 2y Sto-ford A) &roo1e)
London: William #einemann)
GA Study of the Wor1s of Alfred% Lord TennysonG 2y Edward Cam-2ell
Tainsh) Toronto: The !acmillan Com-any of Canada% Limited)
GThe 'oetry of TennysonG 2y #enry *an "y1e) New $or1: Charles Scri2ner<s
Sons)
GA Tennyson 'rimerG 2y William !acneile "iFon) New $or1: "odd% !ead P
Com-any)
Page 86 of 116
GA #and2oo1 to the Wor1s of Alfred% Lord TennysonG 2y !orton Luce)
GTennyson: A Critical StudyG 2y Ste-hen (wynn in the G*ictorian Era
SeriesG) London: &lac1ie P Sons% Limited)
GTennyson% us1in% !ill% and Other Literary EstimatesG 2y Frederic
#arrison) Toronto: The !acmillan Com-any of Canada% Limited)
GLi,es of (reat English Writers from Chaucer to &rowningG 2y Walter S)
#inchman and Francis &) (ummere) &oston: #oughton% !ifflin and Com-any)
G'ersonal S1etches of ecent AuthorsG 2y #attie Tyng (riswold) Chicago:
A) C) !cClurg and Com-any)
Gecords of Tennyson% us1in% &rowningG 2y Anne itchie) New $or1:
#ar-er P &rothers)
G!emories of the TennysonsG 2y e,) #) ") awnsley) (lasgow: 9ames
!aclehose and Sons)
GThe Teaching of TennysonG 2y 9ohn Oats) London: 9ames &owden)
GTennyson as a eligious TeacherG 2y Charles F) () !asterman) London:
!ethuen P Co)
GThe Social Ideals of Alfred Tennyson as elated to #is TimeG 2y William
Clar1 (ordon) Chicago: The +ni,ersity of Chicago 'ress)
GThe eligious S-irit in the 'oetsG 2y W) &oyd Car-enter) New $or1:
Thomas $) Crowell P Co)
GLiterary EssaysG 2y ) #) #utton) Toronto: The !acmillan Com-any of
Canada% Limited)
G*ictorian 'oetsG 2y Edmund Clarence Stedman) &oston: #oughton% !ifflin
and Com-any)
GThe (reater English 'oets of the Nineteenth CenturyG 2y William !orton
'ayne) New $or1: #enry #olt and Com-any)
GThe !asters of English LiteratureG 2y Ste-hen (wynn) Toronto: The
GA Study of English and American 'oetsG 2y 9) Scott Clar1) New $or1:
Charles Scri2ner<s Sons)
GThe Wor1s of Tennyson with Notes 2y the AuthorG edited with !emoir 2y
#allam% Lord Tennyson) Toronto: The !acmillan Com-any of Canada% Limited)
Page 87 of 116
NOTES
OENONE
5The -oem of GOenoneG is the first of Tennyson<s ela2orate essays in a
metre o,er which 2e afterwards o2tained an eminent command) It is also
the first of his idylls and of his classical studies% with their
melodious rendering of the #omeric e-ithets and the com-osite words%
which Tennyson had the art of coining after the (ree1 manner
@<lily:cradled%< <ri,er:sundered%< <dewy:dashed<A for com-act descri-tion
or ornament) Se,eral additions were made in a later edition= and the
corrections then made show with what sedulous care the -oet di,ersified
the structure of his lines% changing the -auses that 2rea1 the monotonous
run of 2lan1 ,erse% and a,oiding the use of wea1 terminals when the line
ends in the middle of a sentence) The o-ening of the -oem was in this
manner decidedly im-ro,ed= yet one may 3udge that the finest -assages are
still to 2e found almost as they stood in the original ,ersion= and the
concluding lines% in which the note of anguish culminates% are left
untouched)5
5Ne,ertheless the 2lan1 ,erse of GOenoneG lac1s the e,en flow and
harmonious 2alance of entire sections in the G!orte d<ArthurG or
G+lyssesG% where the lines are swift or slow% rise to a -oint and fall
gradually% in cadences arranged to corres-ond with the dramatic mo,ement%
showing that the -oet has eFtended and -erfected his metrical resources)
The later style is sim-lified= he has re3ected cum2rous meta-hor= he is
less sententious= he has -runed away the flowery eFu2erance and lightened
the sensuous colour of his earlier com-osition)5::GSir Alfred LyallG)
First -u2lished in .6?8:?) It recei,ed its -resent im-ro,ed form in the
edition of .6B8) The story of 'aris and Oenone may 2e read in Lem-riere%
or in any good classical dictionary) &riefly it is as follows:::'aris
was the son of 'riam% Hing of Troy% and #ecu2a) It was foretold that he
would 2ring great ruin on Troy% so his father ordered him to 2e slain at
2irth) The sla,e% howe,er% did not destroy him% 2ut eF-osed him u-on
!ount Ida% where she-herds found him and% 2rought him u- as one of
themsel,es) 5#e gained the esteem of all the she-herds% and his graceful
countenance and manly de,elo-ment recommended him to the fa,our of
Oenone% a nym-h of Ida% whom he married% and with whom he li,ed in the
most -erfect tenderness) Their con3ugal 2liss was soon distur2ed) At
the marriage of 'eleus and Thetis% Eris% the goddess of discord% who had
not 2een in,ited to -arta1e of the entertainment% showed her dis-leasure
2y throwing into the assem2ly of gods% who were at the cele2ration of the
nu-tials% a golden a--le on which were written the words G"etur
-ulchrioriG) All the goddesses claimed it as their own: the contention
at first 2ecame general% 2ut at last only three% 9uno @#ereA% *enus
Page 88 of 116
@A-hroditeA% and !iner,a @'allasA% wished to dis-ute their res-ecti,e
right to 2eauty) The gods% unwilling to 2ecome ar2iters in an affair of
so tender and delicate a nature% a--ointed 'aris to ad3udge the -ri4e of
2eauty to the fairest of the goddesses% and indeed the she-herd seemed
-ro-erly Eualified to decide so great a contest% as his wisdom was so
well esta2lished% and his -rudence and sagacity so well 1nown) The
goddesses a--eared 2efore their 3udge without any co,ering or ornament%
and each tried 2y -romises and entreaties to gain the attention of 'aris%
and to influence his 3udgment) 9uno -romised him a 1ingdom= !iner,a%
military glory= and *enus% the fairest woman in the world for his wife)5
@Lem-riere)A 'aris accorded the a--le to A-hrodite% a2andoned Oenone%
and after he had 2een ac1nowledged the son of 'riam went to S-arta% where
he -ersuaded #elen% the wife of !enelaus% to flee with him to Troy) The
ten years< siege% and the destruction of Troy% resulted from this rash
act) Oenone<s significant words at the close of the -oem foreshadow this
disaster) Tennyson% in his old age concluded the narrati,e in the -oem
called GThe "eath of OenoneG) According to the legend 'aris% mortally
wounded 2y one of the arrows of 'hiloctetes% sought out the a2andoned
Oenone that she might heal him of his wound) &ut he died 2efore he
reached her% 5and the nym-h% still mindful of their former lo,es% threw
herself u-on his 2ody% and sta22ed herself to the heart% after she had
-lentifully 2athed it with her tears)5 Tennyson follows another
tradition in which 'aris reaches Oenone% who scornfully re-els him) #e
-assed onward through the mist% and dro--ed dead u-on the mountain side)
#is old she-herd -laymates 2uilt his funeral -yre) Oenone follows the
yearning in her heart to where her hus2and lies% and dies in the flames
that consume him)
In Cha-ter I* of !r) Sto-ford &roo1e<s GTennysonG% there is a ,alua2le
commentary u-on GOenoneG) #e deals first with the imaginati,e treatment
of the landsca-e% which is characteristic of all Tennyson<s classical
-oems% and instances the remar1a2le im-ro,ement effected in the
descri-ti,e -assages in the ,olume of .6B8) 5&ut fine landsca-e and fine
figure re:drawing are not enough to ma1e a fine -oem) #uman interest%
human -assion% must 2e greater than Nature% and dominate the su23ect)
Indeed% all this lo,ely scenery is nothing in com-arison with the sorrow
and lo,e of Oenone% recalling her lost lo,e in the -laces where once she
li,ed in 3oy) This is the main humanity of the -oem) &ut there is more)
#er common sorrow is lifted almost into the -ro-ortions of (ree1 tragedy
2y its cause and 2y its results) It is caused 2y a Euarrel in Olym-us%
and the mountain nym-h is sacrificed without a thought to the ,anity of
the careless gods) That is an e,er:recurring tragedy in human history)
!oreo,er% the -ersonal tragedy dee-ens when we see the fateful dread in
Oenone<s heart that she will% far away% in time hold her lo,er<s life in
her hands% and refuse to gi,e it 2ac1 to him::a fatality that Tennyson
treated 2efore he died) And% secondly% Oenone<s sorrow is lifted into
dignity 2y the ,ast results which flowed from its cause) &ehind it were
the mighty fates of Troy% the ten years< 2attle% the anger of Achilles%
the wanderings of +lysses% the tragedy of Agamemnon% the founding of
ome% and the three great e-ics of the ancient world)5
Page 89 of 116
Another -oint of general interest is to 2e noted in the -oem) "es-ite
the classical theme the tone is consistently modern% as may 2e gathered
from the -hiloso-hy of the s-eech of 'allas% and from the tender yielding
nature of Oenone) There is no hint here of the ,indicti,e resentment
which the old classical writers% would ha,e associated with her grief)
Similarly Tennyson has systematically modernised the Arthurian legend in
the GIdylls of the HingG% gi,ing us nineteenth century thoughts in a
con,entional mediae,al setting)
A -assage from &ayne% -uts this Euestion clearly: 5Oenone wails
melodiously for 'aris without the remotest suggestion of fierceness or
re,engeful wrath) She does not u-2raid him for ha,ing -referred to her
the fairest and most lo,ing wife in (reece% 2ut wonders how any one could
lo,e him 2etter than she does) A (ree1 -oet would ha,e used his whole
-ower of eF-ression to instil 2itterness into her resentful words) The
classic legend% instead of re-resenting Oenone as forgi,ing 'aris% ma1es
her nurse her wrath throughout all the anguish and terror of the Tro3an
War) At its end% her 'aris comes 2ac1 to her) "e-ri,ed of #elen% a
2ro1en and 2affled man% he returns from the ruins of his nati,e Troy% and
entreats Oenone to heal him of a wound% which% unless she lends her aid%
must 2e mortal) Oenone gnashes her teeth at him% refuses him the remedy%
and lets him die) In the end% no dou2t% she falls into remorse% and
1ills herself::this is Euite in the s-irit of classic legend= im-laca2le
,engeance% soul:sic1ened with its own ,ictory% dies in des-air) That
forgi,eness of in3uries could 2e anything 2ut wea1ness::that it could 2e
honoura2le% 2eautiful% 2ra,e::is an entirely Christian idea= and it is
2ecause this idea% although it has not yet -ractically conEuered the
world% although it has indeed 2ut slightly modified the conduct of
nations% has ne,ertheless secured recognition as ethically and socially
right% that Tennyson could not ho-e to enlist the sym-athy and admiration
of his readers for his Oenone% if he had cast her image in the tearless
2ron4e of 'agan o2duracy)5
.) I"A) A mountain range in !ysia% near Troy) The scenery is% in -art%
idealised% and -artly ins-ired 2y the ,alley of Cauteret4) See
GIntroductionG% -) F,i)
8) IONIAN) Ionia was the district ad3acent to !ysia) <Ionian%<
therefore% is eEui,alent to <neigh2ouring)<
.7) TO'!OST (A(A+S) A Latinism% cf) Gsummus monsG)
.8) TOAS) The Troad @TroasA was the district surrounding Troy)
ILIONKIlium% another name for Troy)
.B) COWNKchief ornament)
Page 90 of 116
88:8?) O !OT#E I"A::"IE) !r) Stedman% in his G*ictorian 'oetsG% de,otes
a ,alua2le cha-ter to the discussion of Tennyson<s relation to
Theocritus% 2oth in sentiment and form) 5It is in the GOenoneG that we
disco,er Tennyson<s earliest ada-tation of that refrain% which was a
stri1ing 2eauty of the -astoral elegiac ,erse=
5<O mother Ida% hear1en ere I die%<
5is the analogue of @Theocr) IIA)
5<See thou= whence came my lo,e% O lady !oon%< etc)
5Throughout the -oem the Syracusan manner and feeling are strictly and
no2ly maintained)5 Note% howe,er% the modernisation already referred to)
!OT#E I"A) The (ree1s constantly -ersonified Nature% and attri2uted a
se-arate indi,idual life to ri,ers% mountains% etc) Wordsworth<s
GEFcursionG% &oo1 I*)% might 2e read in illustration% es-ecially from the
line 2eginning::
5Once more to distant ages of the world)5
!AN$:FO+NTAIN<" I"A) !any streams too1 their source in Ida) #omer
a--lies the same e-ithet to this mountain)
8B:?8) These lines are in imitation of certain -assages from Theocritus)
See Stedman% G*ictorian 'oetsG% --) 8.? f) They illustrate Tennyson<s
s1ill in mosaic wor1)
?7) !$ E$ES::LO*E) Cf) Sha1es-eare% 8 #enry *I) ii) ?) .0:
5!ine eyes are full of tears% my heart of grief)5
?C) COL" COWN<" SNAHE) 5Cold crown<d5 is not a com-ound e-ithet%
meaning 5with a cold head)5 Each ad3ecti,e mar1s a -articular Euality)
GCrown<dG has reference to the sem2lance of a coronet that the hoods of
certain sna1es% such as co2ras% -ossess)
?0) T#E "A+(#TE OF A I*E:(O") Oenone was the daughter of the ri,er
Ce2renus in 'hrygia)
?/:B7) AS $ON"E WALLS::&EAT#E") The walls of Troy were 2uilt 2y
'oseidon @Ne-tuneA and A-ollo% whom 9u-iter had condemned to ser,e Hing
Laomedon of Troas for a year) The stones were charmed into their -laces
2y the 2reathing of A-ollo<s flute% as the walls of The2es are said to
ha,e risen to the strain of Am-hion<s lyre) Com-are GTithonusG% C8:C?:
5Li1e that strange song I heard A-ollo sing%
When Ilion% li1e a mist% rose into towers)5
Page 91 of 116
And cf) also GThe 'rincessG% iii) ?8C)
B8:B?) T#AT::WOE) Com-are GIn !emoriamG% *)
>7) W#ITE #OO*E") Cf) 5hoo,es5 for hoofs% in the GLady of ShalottG% l)
.7.)
>.) SI!OIS) One of the many streams flowing from !ount Ida)
C>) #ES'EIAN (OL") The fruit was in colour li1e the golden a--les in
the garden of the #es-erides) The #es-erides were three @or fourA
nym-hs% the daughters of #es-erus) They dwelt in the remotest west% near
!ount Atlas in Africa% and were a--ointed to guard the golden a--les
which #ere ga,e to Neus on the day of their marriage) One of #ercules<
twel,e la2ours was to -rocure some of these a--les) See the articles
G#es-eridesG and G#erculesG in Lem-riere)
CC) S!ELT A!&OSIALL$) Am2rosia was the food of the gods) Their drin1
was nectar) The food was sweeter than honey% and of most fragrant odour)
08) W#ATE*E OEA") A classical construction) The Oreads were mountain
nym-hs)
06) F+LL:FACE"::(O"S) This means either that not a face was missing% or
refers to the im-ressi,e countenances of the gods) Another -ossi2le
inter-retation is that all their faces were turned full towards the 2oard
on which the a--le was cast) Com-are for this e-ithet GLotos EatersG% 0=
and G'rincessG% ii) .CC)
0/) 'ELE+S) All the gods% sa,e Eris% were -resent at the marriage
2etween 'eleus and Thetis% a sea:deity) In her anger Eris threw u-on the
2anEuet:ta2le the a--le which 'aris now holds in his hand) 'eleus and
Thetis were the -arents of the famous Achilles)
6.) IIS) The messenger of the gods) The rain2ow is her sym2ol)
6?) "ELI*EIN(Kannouncing)
6/:.77) These lines% and the o-ening lines of the -oem are among the 2est
of Tennyson<s 2lan1 ,erse lines% and therefore among the 2est that
English -oetry contains) The descri-tion owes some of its 2eauty to
#omer) In its earlier form% in the ,olume of .6?8:?% it is much less
-erfect)
.?8) A CESTE" 'EACOCH) The -eacoc1 was sacred to #ere @9unoA)
.7?) A (OL"EN CLO+") The gods were wont to recline u-on Olym-us 2eneath
a cano-y of golden clouds)
.7B) "O''IN( FA(ANT "EW) "ro-s of glittering dew fell from the golden
Page 92 of 116
cloud which shrouded #ere and Neus) See GIliadG% MI*% ?B. f)
.7> f) #ere was the Eueen of #ea,en) 'ower was therefore the gift which
she naturally -roffered)
..B) Su--ly the elli-sis)
.8.:.88) 'OWE FITTE"::WIS"O!) 'ower that ada-ts itself to e,ery crisis=
-ower which is 2orn of wisdom and enthroned 2y wisdom @i)e) does not owe
its su-remacy to 2rute strengthA)
.8.:.88) FO! ALL:ALLE(IANCE) Note the elli-sis and the in,ersion)
.86:.?.) W#O #A*E ATTAINE"::S+'E!AC$) Cf) GLotos EatersG% l) .>> f% and
GLucretiusG% .7B:.76)
The gods% who haunt
The lucid inters-ace of world and world
Where ne,er cree-s a cloud% or mo,es a wind%
Nor e,er falls the least white star of snow%
Nor e,er lowest roll of thunder moans)
.?0) O<ET#WATE" WIT#Kcrossed 2y)
.B8 f) Com-are the tone of 'allas< s-eech with what has 2een said in the
introduction% -) li, f)% concerning Tennyson<s lo,e of moderation and
restraint% and his 2elief in the efficacy of law)
Com-are also the general tem-er of the GOde on the "eath of the "u1e of
WellingtonG% and es-ecially ll) 87.:87>)
.BB::.B6) $et these Eualities are not 2estowed with -ower as the end in
,iew) 'ower will come without see1ing when these great -rinci-les of
conduct are o2ser,ed) The main thing is to li,e and act 2y the law of
the higher Life%::and it is the -art of wisdom to follow right for its
own sa1e% whate,er the conseEuences may 2e)
.>.) SEL+EL OF (+E"ON) To follow u- my words with rewards @such as #ere
-roffersA would not ma1e me fairer)
.>?:.CB) 'allas reads the wea1ness of 'aris<s character% 2ut disdains to
offer him a more worldly reward) An access of moral courage will 2e her
sole gift to him% so that he shall front danger and disaster until his
-owers of endurance grow strong with action% and his full:grown will
ha,ing -assed through all eF-eriences% and ha,ing 2ecome a -ure law unto
itself% shall 2e commensurate with -erfect freedom% i)e)% shall not 1now
that it is circumscri2ed 2y law)
This is the -hiloso-hy that we find in Wordsworth<s GOde to "utyG)
Page 93 of 116
Stern Lawgi,er; $et thou dost wear
The (odhead<s most 2enignant grace=
Nor 1now we anything so fair
As is the smile u-on thy face:
Flowers laugh 2efore thee on their 2eds%
And fragrance in thy footing treads=
Thou dost -reser,e the stars from wrong%
And the most ancient hea,ens% through thee%
are fresh and strong)
.C>:.C0) Note how dramatic this interru-tion is)
.07) I"ALIAN A'#O"ITE) Idalium was a town in Cy-rus= an island where
the goddess was es-ecially worshi--ed) She was freEuently called Cy-ria
or the Cy-rian)
.0.) FES# AS T#E FOA!) A-hrodite was 2orn from the wa,es of the sea%
near the Island of Cy-rus)
NEW:&AT#E" IN 'A'#IAN WELLS) 'a-hos was a town in Cy-rus) A-hrodite was
said to ha,e landed at 'a-hos after her 2irth from the sea:foam) She is
sometimes called the 'a-hian or 'a-hia on this account)
.6B) S#E S'OHE AN" LA+(#<") #omer calls her 5the laughter:lo,ing
A-hrodite)5
./>:l/0) A WIL"::WEE") The influence of 2eauty u-on the 2easts is a
common theme with -oets) Cf) +na and the lion in S-enser<s GFaery LueenG)
87B) T#E$ C+T AWA$ !$ TALLEST 'INES) E,idently to ma1e shi-s for 'aris<s
eF-edition to (reece)
8?>:8B7) T#EE AE::"IE) Lamartine in GLe LacG @written 2efore .687A
has a ,ery similar -assage)
8>7) CASSAN"A) The daughter of Hing 'riam% and therefore the sister of
'aris) She had the gift of -ro-hecy)
8C7) A FIE "ANCES) Signifying the 2urning of Troy)
T#E E'IC AN" !OTE "<AT#+
First -u2lished% with the e-ilogue as here -rinted% in .6B8) The G!orte
d<ArthurG was su2seEuently ta1en out of the -resent setting% and with
su2stantial eF-ansion a--eared as the final -oem of the GIdylls of the
HingG% with the new title% GThe 'assing of ArthurG)
Walter Sa,age Landor dou2tless refers to the G!orte d<ArthurG as early as
Page 94 of 116
.6?0% when writing to a friend% as follows:::5$esterday a !r) !oreton% a
young man of rare 3udgment% read to me a manuscri-t 2y !r) Tennyson%
2eing different in style from his -rinted -oems) The su23ect is the
"eath of Arthur) It is more #omeric than any -oem of our time% and
ri,als some of the no2lest -arts of the Odyssea)5 A still earlier
com-osition is assured 2y the corres-ondence of Edward Fit4gerald who
writes that% in .6?>% while staying at the S-eddings in the La1e Country%
he met Tennyson and heard the -oet read the G!orte d<ArthurG and other
-oems of the .6B8 ,olume) They were read out of a !S)% 5in a little red
2oo1 to him and S-edding of a night <when all the house was mute)<5
In GThe E-icG we ha,e s-ecific reference to the #omeric influence in
these lines:
5Nay% nay%5 said #all%
5Why ta1e the style of those heroic timesD
For nature 2rings not 2ac1 the !astodon%
Nor we those times= and why should any man
emodel modelsD these twel,e 2oo1s of mine
Were faint #omeric echoes% nothing:worth%5 ) ) )
Critics ha,e agreed for the most -art in considering the G!orte d<ArthurG
as the most #omeric of Tennyson<s -oems) &ayne writes: 5Not only in the
language is it #omeric% 2ut in the design and manner of treatment) The
concentration of interest on the hero% the a2sence of all modernism in
the way of lo,e% story or -assion -ainting% the martial clearness%
terseness% 2re,ity of the narrati,e% with definite s-ecification% at the
same time% are eFEuisitely true to the #omeric -attern)5 &rimley notes%
with -ro2a2ly greater -recision% that: 5They are rather *irgilian than
#omeric echoes= ela2orate and stately% not nai,e and eager to tell their
story= rich in -ictorial detail= carefully studied= conscious of their
own art= more anFious for 2eauty of wor1manshi- than interest of action)5
It has freEuently 2een -ointed out in this 2oo1 how -rone Tennyson is to
regard all his su23ects from the modern -oint of ,iew:
a truth
Loo1s freshest in the fashion of the day)
The E-ic and the e-ilogue strongly em-hasi4e this modernity in the ,aried
modern ty-es of character which they re-resent% with their di,erse
o-inions u-on contem-orary to-ics) 5As to the e-ilogue%5 writes !r)
&roo1e @-) .?7A% 5it illustrates all I ha,e 2een saying a2out Tennyson<s
method with su23ects drawn from (ree1 or romantic times) #e filled and
sustained those su23ects with thoughts which were as modern as they were
ancient) While he -laced his readers in Camelot% Ithaca% or Ida% he made
them feel also that they were standing in London% OFford% or an English
woodland) When the G!orte d<ArthurG is finished% the hearer of it sits
ra-t) There were <modern touches here and there%< he says% and when he
slee-s he dreams of
Page 95 of 116
5Hing Arthur% li1e a modern gentleman
Of stateliest -ort= and all the -eo-le cried%
<Arthur is come again% he cannot die)<
Then those that stood u-on the hills 2ehind
e-eated::<Come again% and thrice as fair:<
And% further inland% ,oices echoed::<Come
With all good things and war shall 2e no more)
5The old tale% thus modernised in an e-ilogue% does not lose its dignity%
for now the recoming of Arthur is the recoming of Christ in a wider and
fairer Christianity) We feel here how the new mo,ement of religion and
theology had sent its full and eFciting wa,e into Tennyson) Arthur<s
death in the 2attle and the mist is the death of a form of Christianity
which% eFhausted% died in dou2t and dar1ness) #is ad,ent as a modern
gentleman is the coming of a 2righter and more lo,ing Christ into the
hearts of men) For so ends the e-ilogue) When the ,oices cry% <Come
again% with all good things%<
5At this a hundred 2ells 2egan to -eal%
That with the sound I wo1e% and heard indeed%
The clear church:2ells ring in the Christmas:morn)5
T#E ALLE(OICAL ELE!ENT)::The statement is made on -) FFF, of this 2oo1
that in GThe Idylls of the HingG 5the effort is made to reconcile the
human story with the allegory% and in conseEuence the issues are
confusedly -resented to our mind)5 It is characteristic of the G!orte
d<ArthurG fragment that it is a--arently free from all allegorical
intention) It is merely a mo,ing human story with a fascinating element
of mystery ins-ired 2y the original Celtic legend) An element of
allegory lies in the e-ilogue% and GThe 'assing of ArthurG still further
enforces the allegorical -ur-ose) &ut here% as !r) &roo1e again writes
@-) ?0.A% 5we are close throughout to the ancient tale) No allegory% no
ethics% no rational soul% no -reaching sym2olism% enter here% to dim%
confuse% or s-oil the story) Nothing is added which does not 3ustly
eFalt the tale% and what is added is chiefly a greater fulness and
2readth of humanity% a more lo,ely and su-reme Nature% arranged at e,ery
-oint to enhance into 1eener life the human feelings of Arthur and his
1night% to lift the ultimate hour of sorrow and of death into no2ility)
Arthur is 2orne to a cha-el nigh the field::
5A 2ro1en chancel with a 2ro1en cross%
That stood on a dar1 strait of 2arren land=
On one side lay the Ocean% and on one
Lay a great water% and the moon was full)
5What a no2le framewor1::and with what no2le consciousness it is drawn; )
) ) ) All the landsca-e::than which nothing 2etter has 2een in,ented 2y
any English -oet::li,es from -oint to -oint as if Nature herself had
created it= 2ut e,en more ali,e than the landsca-e are the two human
Page 96 of 116
figures in it::Sir &edi,ere standing 2y the great water% and Arthur lying
wounded near the cha-el% waiting for his 1night) Ta1e one -assage% which
to hear is to see the thing:
5So saying% from the ruin<d shrine he ste-t%
And in the moon athwart the -lace of tom2s%
Where lay the mighty 2ones of ancient men%
Old 1nights% and o,er them the sea:wind sang
Shrill% chill with fla1es of foam) #e% ste--ing down
&y 4ig4ag -aths% and 3uts of -ointed roc1%
Came on the shining le,els of the la1e)
5Twice he hides the sword% and when Arthur as1s: <What hast thou seen%
what heardD< &edi,ere answers:
5<I heard the ri--le washing in the reeds%
And the wild water la--ing on the crag%<
5::lines so stee-ed in the loneliness of mountain tarns that I ne,er stand
in solitude 2eside their waters 2ut I hear the ,erses in my heart) At
the last he throws it)
5The great 2rand
!ade lightnings in the s-lendour of the moon%
And flashing round and round% and whirl<d in an arch%
Shot li1e a streamer of the northern morn%
Seen where the mo,ing isles of winter shoc1
&y night% with noises of the northern sea)
5<So flashed and fell the 2rand EFcali2ur%< and ne,er yet in -oetry did
any sword% flung in the air% flash so su-er2ly)
5The rest of the natural descri-tion is eEually ali,e% and the -assage
where the sound echoes the sense% and &edi,ere% carrying Arthur% clangs
as he mo,es among the icy roc1s% is as clear a -iece of ringing% smiting%
clashing sound as any to 2e found in Tennyson:
5"ry clashed his harness in the icy ca,es
And 2arren chasms% and all to left and right
The 2are 2lac1 cliff clang<d round him% as he 2ased
#is feet on 3uts of sli--ery crag that rung
Shar-:smitten with the dint of armed heels)
5We hear all the changes on the ,owel GaG::e,ery sound of it used to gi,e
the im-ression::and then% in a moment% the ,erse runs into 2readth%
smoothness and ,astness: for &edi,ere comes to the shore and sees the
great water=
5And on a sudden lo; the le,el la1e%
And the long glories of the winter moon%
Page 97 of 116
5in which the ,owel GoG% in its changes is used% as the ,owel GaG has 2een
used 2efore)
5The Euestions and re-lies of Arthur and &edi,ere% the re-roaches of the
Hing% the eFcuses of the Hnight% the sorrow and the final wrath of
Arthur% are worthy of the landsca-e% as they ought to 2e= and the
dominance of the human element in the scene is a -iece of no2le
artist:wor1) Arthur is royal to the close% and when he -asses away with
the wee-ing Lueens across the mere% unli1e the star of the tournament he
was of old% he is still the Hing) Sir &edi,ere% left alone on the
free4ing shore% hears the Hing gi,e his last message to the world) It is
a modern Christian who s-ea1s% 2ut the -hrases do not sound out of
harmony with that which might 2e in omance) !oreo,er% the end of the
saying is of A,ilion or A,alon::of the old heathen Celtic -lace where the
wounded are healed and the old made young)5
In the final analysis% therefore% the significance of the G!orte
d<ArthurG is a significance of 2eauty rather than moralistic -ur-ose) It
has 2een said that the reading of !ilton<s GLycidasG is the surest test
of one<s -owers of -oetical a--reciation) I fear that the test is too
se,ere for many readers who can still en3oy a sim-ler style of -oetry)
&ut any -erson who can read the G!orte d<ArthurG% and fail to 2e
im-ressed 2y its s-lendid -ictures% and su2dued to admiration 2y the
dignity of its language% need scarcely ho-e for -leasure from any -oetry)
T#E E'IC
?) SACE" &+S#) The mistletoe) This -lant was sacred to the Celtic
tri2es% and was an o23ect of -articular ,eneration with the "ruids%
es-ecially when associated with the oa1:tree)
6) O (ONEKeither gone)
.6) T#E (ENEAL "ECA$ OF FAIT#) The story of Arthur is intended to show
how faith sur,i,es% although the form 2e changed) See es-) G!orte
d<ArthurG% ll) 8B7:8B8)
80:86) <#E &+NT::SO!E TWEL*E &OOHS)< This must not 2e ta1en literally)
See% howe,er% -) FFFiii) of the &iogra-hical S1etch% as to Tennyson<s
hesitation in treating the su23ect)
B6:>.) This is self:-ortraiture) Lord Tennyson<s method of reading was
im-ressi,e though -eculiar)
!OTE "<AT#+
T#E AT#+IAN LE(EN") Throughout the mediae,al -eriod three great cycles
Page 98 of 116
of stories commanded the imagination of the -oets) Of these cycles one%
the tale of Troy in its curious mediae,al guise% attested the -otent
s-ell of antiEue legend)I.J The two other great cycles were of later
origin% and centred around the commanding historical figures of
Charlemagne% and the -hantom glory of the legendary Arthur)
I.JThe eFtraordinary interest in the half legendary career of AleFander
the (reat must 2e noticed here% as also the -rofound res-ect amounting to
,eneration for the oman -oet% *ergil)
The origin of the Arthurian story is in,ol,ed in o2scurity) The crudest
form of the myth has dou2tless a core of historic truth% and re-resents
him as a mighty Celtic warrior% who wor1s ha,oc among the heathen SaFon
in,aders) Accretions naturally are added% and a miraculous origin and a
mysterious death throw a su-erstitious halo around the hero) When the
2rilliant -ersonality of Lancelot 2rea1s into the tale% and the legend of
the #oly (rail is su-eradded% the theme eFercised an irresisti2le
fascination u-on the imagination of mediae,al Euro-e)
The ,icissitudes of the Celtic inha2itants of &ritain are as romantic as
any of which history holds record) After the de-arture of the oman
in,aders from the island% the nati,e -o-ulation swiftly reasserted
itself) The 'icts of Caledonia and the Scots of Ireland were their
natural foes% 2ut conflict with these enemies ser,ed only to stimulate
the national life) &ut actual disaster threatened them when in the fifth
and siFth centuries the heathen Angles and SaFons 2ore down in
de,astating hordes u-on the land) It is at this critical -eriod in the
national history that Arthur must ha,e li,ed) #ow long or how ,aliant
the resistance was we cannot 1now) That it was ,ain is certain) A large
2ody of &ritons fled from annihilation across the channel% and founded in
the region of Armurica in France% a new &rittany) !eanwhile% in the
older &ritain% the foe -ressed hard u-on their fellow:countrymen% and
dro,e them into the western limits of the island% into the fastnesses of
Wales% and the roc1y -arts of Cornwall) #ere% and in Northern France%
-roud in their defeat and tenacious of the instincts of their race% they
li,ed and still li,e% in the imaginati,e memories of the -ast) For them
the future held little store of earthly gain% and yet they made the whole
world their de2tor)
E,en in the courts of the conEueror SaFon their strange and 2eautiful
-oetry won fa,our% and in a later century the Norman 1ings and 2arons
welcomed eagerly the wandering minstrels from &rittany and Wales) &ut it
was not from these scattered sources that Celtic traditions 2ecame a
Euro-ean -ossession% as a 2rief statement of literary history will
clearly show)
The first recorded mention of Arthur<s name occurs in a 2rief and
anonymous G#istory of the &ritonsG% written in Latin in the tenth
century% and attri2uted to Nennius) This history is curiously am-lified
Page 99 of 116
in the twelfth century 2y (eoffrey of !onmouth% first in a story dealing
with the -ro-hecies of !erlin% and later in a G#istory of the Hings of
&ritainG) This 2oo1% with its 2rilliant descri-tion of the court of
Arthur% ga,e the legend a wides-read -o-ularity) It was four times
within the same century translated into French ,erse% the most famous of
these renderings 2eing the ,ersion of Wace% called GLe &rutG% which ma1es
some addition to (eoffrey<s original% gathered from &reton sources) In
the same century% too% Chretien de Troyes% the foremost of Arthurian
-oets% com-osed his famous cycle of -oems)
Of all these manifold sources Tennyson was confessedly ignorant) Where
the details are not of his own in,ention% his GIdylls of the HingG rest
entirely u-on !alory<s G!orte d<ArthurG% which CaFton -rinted in .B6>%
su--lemented in the case of GEnid and (eraintG% and GThe !arriage of
(eraintG 2y a translation of the Welsh G!a2inogionG 2y Lady Charlotte
(uest)
T#E STO$ OF T#E I"$LLS)::It is well to remem2er the e,ents that led u-
to Arthur<s death) (uine,ere<s guilty lo,e for Lancelot had 2een
disco,ered and re,ealed 2y Arthur<s ne-hew% the traitor !odred) The
Lueen fled the court and sought refuge with the nuns of Almes2ury)
Lancelot fled to his castle in the north% where the Hing in ,ain 2esieged
him) !eanwhile !odred had stirred u- a re,olt% and leaguing himself with
the SaFon in,aders% had usur-ed Arthur<s throne) On his march southward
to resist his ne-hew% Arthur halts at the nunnery of Almes2ury% and in
the (uine,ere idyll the mo,ing story of their last farewell is told)
Then the Hing ad,anced to meet !odred) The descri-tion of that 5last
weird 2attle in the west5 is gi,en in GThe 'assing of ArthurG% and leads
u- to the im-ressi,e line with which our -resent -oem o-ens) Towards the
close of that fateful day% there came::
A 2itter wind% clear from the North% and 2lew
The mist aside% and with that wind the tide
ose% and the -ale Hing glanced across the field
Of 2attle: 2ut no man was mo,ing there=
Nor any cry of Christian heard thereon%
Nor yet of heathen= only the wan wa,e
&ro1e in among dead faces% to and fro
Swaying the hel-less hands% and u- and down
Tum2ling the hollow helmets of the fallen%
And shi,er<d 2rands that once had fought with ome%
And rolling far along the gloomy shores
The ,oice of days of old and days to 2e)
The Hing s-ea1s des-airingly to &edi,ere% who answering% swears to him
undying allegiance% and -oints to the traitor% !odred% who still stands
unharmed:
Thereu-on:::
Page 100 of 116
the Hing
!ade at the man: then !odred smote his liege
#ard on the helm which many a heathen sword
#ad 2eaten thin= while Arthur at one 2low%
Stri1ing the last stro1e with EFcali2ur%
Slew him% and all 2ut slain himself% he fell)
B) L$ONNESSE) The geogra-hy of the GIdylls of the HingG is designedly
,ague) The region of Lyonnesse was su--osed to 2e ad3acent to Cornwall%
and the sea now co,ers it) The Scilly Islands are held to ha,e 2een the
western limit of this fa2ulous country)
C) T#E &OL" SI &E"I*EE) The e-ithet 52old5 is used re-eatedly in this
,aguely descri-ti,e fashion with Sir &edi,ere<s name) Cf) lines ?/% C/%
..>% .>.% 88C) The use of 5-ermanent e-ithets5 in narrati,e -oetry has
2een consecrated 2y the eFam-le of #omer% who constantly em-loys such
eF-ressions as 5the swift:footed Achilles%5 5wide:ruling Agamemnon%5 etc)
&edi,ere is descri2ed in GThe Coming of ArthurG as follows:::
For 2old in heart and act and word was he
Whene,er slander 2reathed against the Hing)
.8) A (EAT WATE) This eF-ression has occasioned much unnecessary
comment on the score of its alleged artificiality) There might 2e a gain
in definiteness in su2stituting 5la1e%5 or 5ri,er%5 as the case might 2e%
2ut there would 2e a corres-onding loss in -oetry and in meaning at this
-articular -lace) 5#ad <a great la1e< 2een su2stituted for it% the
-hrase would ha,e needed to 2e translated 2y the mind into water of a
certain sha-e and si4e% 2efore the -icture was reali4ed 2y the
imagination)5 @&rimley)A It would ha,e% conseEuently% 2een more -recise%
2ut 5less -oetic and -ictorial)5
If further 3ustification for the eF-ression were needed it might 2e
stated that 5water5 stands for la1e in certain -arts of England% e)g)
5"ewentwater%5 etc)= and% what is of more im-ortance% that !alory uses
5water5 in the same sense: 5The 1ing ) ) ) ) saw afore him in a great
water a little shi-)5 G!orte d<ArthurG i,) C)
8.) OF CA!ELOT) Arthur<s ca-ital% as noted in GThe Lady of ShalottG) In
s-ea1ing of the allegorical meaning of GThe Idylls of the HingG% Tennyson
states that 5Camelot% for instance% a city of shadowy -alaces% is
e,erywhere sym2olical of the gradual growth of human 2eliefs and
institutions% and of the s-iritual de,elo-ment of man)5 Always 2ear in
mind that Tennyson has also said: 5There is no single fact or incident in
the Idylls% howe,er seemingly mystical% which cannot 2e eF-lained without
any mystery or allegory whate,er)5
88) I 'EIS#::!A"E) In GThe Coming of ArthurG this thought is am-lified:
Page 101 of 116
For first Aurelius li,ed and fought and died%
And after him Hing +ther fought and died%
&ut either failed to ma1e the 1ingdom one)
And after these Hing Arthur for a s-ace%
GAnd thro the -uissance of his Ta2le ound
"rew all their -etty -rincedoms under him%
Their 1ing and head% and made a realm% and reignedG)
And in GThe 'assing of ArthurG we read:
Ill doom is mine
To war against my -eo-le and my 1nights)
The 1ing who fights his -eo-le fights himself)
8?) T#O< !ELINE SWAE::A(AIN) !erlin was the great wi4ard of Arthur<s
court) In the allegorical ,iew of the -oem he ty-ifies the intellect%
or% in Tennyson<s words: 5the sce-tical understanding)5
This -ro-hecy concerning Arthur is again referred to in GThe Coming of
ArthurG:
And !erlin in our time
#ath s-o1en also% not in 3est% and sworn%
Though men may wound him% that he will not die%
&ut -ass and come again)
This 2elief is common to all the Arthurian sources) Com-are% for
eFam-le% Wace<s G&rutG: 5Arthur% if the story lies not% was mortally
wounded in the 2ody: he had himself 2orne to A,alon to heal his wounds)
There he is still= the &ritons await him% as they say and
understand ) ) ) The -ro-het s-o1e truth% and one can dou2t% and always
will dou2t whether he is dead or li,ing)5 "r) Sy1es writes that% 5The
slee- of Arthur associates the &ritish story with the similar stories of
Charlemagne and Frederic1 &ar2arossa of (ermany% &rian in Ireland%
&oa2dil el Chico in S-ain% etc)5
80) EMCALI&+) Arthur<s magical sword) It is descri2ed in GThe Coming
of ArthurG% ll) 8/> f)% as:
the sword
That rose from out the 2osom of the la1e%
And Arthur rowed across and too1 it::rich
With 3ewels% elfin +rim% on the hilt%
&ewildering heart and eye::the 2lade so 2right
That men are 2linded 2y it::on one side%
(ra,en in the oldest tongue of all this world%
5Ta1e me%5 2ut turn the 2lade and ye shall see%
And written in the s-eech ye s-ea1 yourself%
5Cast me away)5
Page 102 of 116
It has 2een ,ariously held that EFcali2ur ty-ifies tem-oral authority% or
s-iritual -ower) The casting away of the sword% therefore% re-resents
the ine,ita2le change in which human things are in,ol,ed% and e,en faith
itself) Com-are G!orte d<ArthurG% ll) 8B7:8B.)
!agical wea-ons and enchanted armour are a -ortion of the eEui-ment of
almost all the great legendary heroes) Their swords and their horses
usually 2ear distincti,e names) oland<s sword was G"urandalG% and
Charlemagne<s was G9oyeuseG)
?0) FLIN( #I!) The sword is ,iewed as -ossessing life)
T#E !I""LE !EE) Com-are a similar classical construction in Oenone% l)
.7% to-most (argarus)
>?:>>) T#E WINTE !OON::#ILT) The frosty air made the moonlight more
than usually 2rilliant)
C7) T#IS WA$::!IN") An echo of *ergil<s line% Aeneid% *III) 87) GAtEue
animum nunc huc celerem% nunc di,idit illucG) 5And he di,ides his swift
mind now this way% now that)5
C?) !AN$:HNOTTE" WATE FLA(S) "r) Sy1es has a careful note on this
eF-ression @GSelect 'oems of TennysonG= (age P Co)A) 5The e-ithet
many:1notted is difficult to eF-lain) The -ossi2le eF-lanations would
refer the descri-tion to @.A the root:stoc1 of the flag% which shows
additional 2ul2s from year to year= @8A the 3oints in the flower stal1s%
of which some half:do4en may 2e found on each stal1= @?A the large
seed:-ods that terminate in stal1s% a ,ery noticea2le feature when the
-lant is sere= @BA the ,arious 2unches or 1nots of iris in a 2ed of the
-lants% so that the whole -hrase suggests a thic1ly matted 2ed of flags)
I fa,our the last inter-retation% though Tennyson<s fondness of technical
accuracy in his references ma1es the second more than -ossi2le)5
07:0.) I #EA"::CA() It is interesting to read Cha-ter *)% &oo1 MMI) of
!alory in connection with Tennyson<s ,ersion of the story) #e is
throughout true to the s-irit of the original) GA -ro-osG of lines
07:0.% we find in !alory: 5What saw thou% thereD5 said the Hing) 5Sir%5
he said% 5I saw nothing 2ut the waters wa- and the wa,es wan)5 Tennyson%
in these two lines% gi,es us a consummate eFam-le of creati,e imitation)
6B) CO+NTIN( T#E "EW$ 'E&&LES) This a-tly descri2es the a2sor-tion of
his mind)
6> f) and >C:>6 su-ra) Com-are the descri-tion of EFcali2ur% and of
&edi,ere<s hesitancy% in !alory<s 2oo1) 5So Sir &edi,ere de-arted% and
2y the way he 2eheld that no2le sword% that the -ommel and haft were all
of -recious stones% and then he said to himself% <If I throw this rich
sword in the water% thereof shall ne,er come good% 2ut harm and loss)<
Page 103 of 116
And then Sir &edi,ere hid EFcali2ur under a tree)5
.7B) T#E LONEL$ !AI"EN OF T#E LAHE) The 5Lady of the La1e5 was -resent
at the crowning of Arthur) In the GComing of ArthurG she is descri2ed as
dwelling::
"own in a dee-= calm% whatsoe,er storms
!ay sha1e the world% and when the surface rolls
#ath -ower to wal1 the waters li1e our Lord)
Arthur<s first meeting with her is descri2ed in !alory::: 5So they rode
till they came to a la1e% the which was a fair water and 2road% and in
the midst of the la1e Arthur was ware of an arm clothed in white samite%
that held a fair sword in that hand) <Lo%< said !erlin% <yonder is that
sword that I s-a1e of)< With that they saw a damsel going u-on the la1e=
<What damsel is thatD< said Arthur) <That is the Lady of the La1e%< said
!erlin= <and within that la1e is a roc1% and therein is as fair a -lace
as any u-on earth% and richly 2eseen)<5
In G(areth and LynetteG the Lady of the La1e is mystically figured forth
u-on the great gate of Camelot)
.7>:.7C) NINE $EAS::#ILLS) #allam% Lord Tennyson% in the !emoir% Euotes
Fit4gerald<s short account of a row on La1e Windermere with the -oet=
5<esting on our oars one calm day on Windermere% whither we had gone for
a wee1 from dear S-edding<s @!irehouseA% at the end of !ay% .6?>= resting
on our oars% and loo1ing into the la1e Euite unruffled and clear% Alfred
Euoted from the lines he had lately read us from the !S) of G!orte
d<ArthurG a2out the lonely lady of the la1e and EFcali2ur:
5Nine years she wrought it% sitting in the dee-s%
+nder the hidden 2ases of the hills)
5::Not 2ad% that) Fit4% is itD
5This 1ind of remar1 he would ma1e when rendering his own or others<
-oetry when he came to lines that he -articularly admired from no ,anity
2ut from a -ure feeling of artistic -leasure)5 @*ol) I) --) .>8:.>?A)
..8) Note the slowness of the mo,ement eF-ressed in the rhythm of this
line% and com-are with it line .C6) Contrast the swiftness and energy
eF-ressed in ll) .??:.?C)
.8.) A+T#OIT$::HIN() This line has 2een descri2ed as Sha1es-earian)
Its strength is deri,ed from the force of the meta-horical
-ersonification) The 2oldness of the -oetical construction is carried
into the meta-hor in the neFt line)
.8/) FO A !AN) &ecause a man)
Page 104 of 116
.?8) AN" SLA$ T#EE WIT# !$ #AN"S) Com-are !alory: 5And 2ut if thou do
now as I 2id thee% if e,er I may see thee% I shall slay thee with mine
own hands% for thou wouldest for my rich sword see me dead)5 In owe and
We22<s edition it is suggested that <with my hands< is added for one of
two reasons%::either 52ecause he had now no sword= or more -ro2a2ly%
these words are introduced in imitation of #omer<s ha2it of mentioning
s-ecific details: cf) <he went ta1ing long ste-s with his feet)<5 This
eF-lanation is ingenious% 2ut unnecessary in ,iew of the Euotation from
!alory) The note -roceeds: 5Notice the touch of human -ersonality in the
1ing<s shar- anger= otherwise Arthur is generally re-resented 2y Tennyson
as a rather colourless 2eing% and as almost <too good for human nature<s
daily food)<5
.??:.B8) &rimley in his ,alua2le essay on Tennyson% analyses this -oem
in some detail) Of this -assage he writes: 5A series of 2rilliant
effects is hit off in these two words% <made lightnings)< <Whirl<d in an
arch%< is a s-lendid instance of sound answering to sense% which the
older critics made so much of= the additional sylla2le which 2rea1s the
measure% and necessitates an increased ra-idity of utterance% seeming to
eF-ress to the ear the rush of the sword u- its -ara2olic cur,e) And
with what la,ish richness of -resentati,e -ower is the 2oreal aurora% the
collision% the crash% and the thunder of the meeting ice2ergs% 2rought
2efore the eye) An inferior artist would ha,e shouted through a -age%
and em-tied a whole -allet of colour% without any result 2ut interru-ting
his narrati,e% where Tennyson in three lines stri1ingly illustrates the
fact he has to tell%::associates it im-ressi,ely with one of Nature<s
grandest -henomena% and gi,es a com-lete -icture of this -henomenon
2esides)5 The whole essay deser,es to 2e carefully read)
.B?) "I'T T#E S+FACE) A -oetical construction)
.>0) Note the -ersonification of the sword)
.68:.6?) CLOT#E"::#ILLS) #is 2reath made a ,a-our in the frosty air
through which his figure loomed of more than human si4e) Tennyson gi,es
us the same effect in G(uine,ereG% >/0:
The mo,ing ,a-our rolling round the Hing%
Who seem<d the -hantom of a (iant in it%
Enwound him fold 2y fold)
&ut the classical eFam-le is found in Wordsworth<s descri-tion of the
mountain she-herd in GThe 'reludeG% &oo1 *III)
When u- the lonely 2roo1s on rainy days
Angling I went% or trod the trac1less hills
&y mists 2ewildered% suddenly mine eyes
#a,e glanced u-on him distant a few ste-s%
In si4e a giant% stal1ing through thic1 fog%
#is shee- li1e (reenland 2ears% or as he ste--ed
Page 105 of 116
&eyond the 2oundary line of some hill:shadow%
#is form hath flashed u-on me% glorified
&y the dee- radiance of the setting sun%
./.:./8) AN" ON A S+""EN::!OON) 5"o we not%5 writes &rimley% 5seem to
2urst from the narrow stee- -ath down the ra,ine% whose tall -reci-itous
sides hide the s1y and the 2road landsca-e from sight% and come out in a
moment u-on::
5the le,el la1e%
And the long glories of the winter moon;5
./?) #O*EKho,e in sight)
The closing scene in this drama is im-ressi,ely descri2ed 2y !alory) 5So
Sir &edi,ere came again to the Hing% and told him what he saw) <Alas%<
said the Hing% <hel- me hence% for I dread me I ha,e tarried o,er long)<
Then Sir &edi,ere too1 the Hing u-on his 2ac1% and so went with him to
that water side) And when they were at the water side% e,en fast 2y the
2an1 ho,ed a little 2arge% with many fair ladies in it% and among them
all was a Eueen% and all they had 2lac1 hoods% and all they we-t and
shrie1ed when they saw Hing Arthur) <Now% -ut me into the 2arge%< said
the Hing: and so they did softly) And there recei,ed him three Eueens
with great mourning% and so they set him down% and in one of their la-s
Hing Arthur laid his head= and then that Eueen said= <Ah% dear 2rother%
why ha,e ye tarried so long from meD Alas% this wound on your head hath
caught o,ermuch cold)< And so then they rowed from the land= and Sir
&edi,ere 2eheld ail those ladies go from him) Then Sir &edi,ere cried=
<Ah% my Lord Arthur% what shall 2ecome of me now ye so from me% and lea,e
me here alone among mine enemiesD< <Comfort thyself%< said the Hing:%
<and do as well as thou mayest% for in me is no trust for to trust in)
For I will into the ,ale of A,ilion% to heal me of my grie,ous wound)
And if thou hear ne,er more of me% -ray for my soul)< &ut e,er the
Eueens and the ladies we-t and shrie1ed% that it was -ity to hear) And%
as soon as Sir &edi,ere had lost the sight of the 2arge% he we-t and
wailed% and so too1 the forest% and so he went all that night) ) ) ) ) )5
It is interesting to note how the -oet suggests here and there the
-hrasing of his original% 2ut e,en more interesting to note his
am-lifications) It may 2e dou2ted whether Tennyson has here sur-assed
his original) For its touching sim-licity he has su2stituted a dignified
grandeur% and has in,ol,ed -lain statements in gorgeous rhetoric% as in
his -assage u-on the efficacy of -rayer) The unadorned original had said
only 5-ray for my soul)5
./6) T#EE L+EENS WIT# COWNS OF (OL") 5That one was Hing Arthur<s
sister% !organ le Fay= the other was the Lueen of Northgales @WalesA= the
third was the Lady of the la1e)5 G!aloryG)
8.>:8.C) "AS#<" WIT# "O'S::OF ONSET) Words are sometimes -oetical from
Page 106 of 116
their -recision% and sometimes% as here% they suggest without definite
reference) The meaning is 5dashed with dro-s of 2lood5 from the onset or
encounter)
8tC:887) Arthur is again descri2ed in GThe Last TournamentG)
That ,ictor of the 'agan throned in hall%
#is hair% a sun that rayed from off a 2row
Li1e hillsnow high in hea,en% the steel:2lue eyes%
The golden 2eard that cloth<d his li-s with light)
886) !$ FOE#EA" AN" !$ E$ES) Com-are the note to line .?8) #ere the
s-ecific terms are used according to the e-ical manner instead of the
general term 5face)5
8?8:8??) Com-are the (os-el of G!atthewG ii) ..)
8B7:8B8) These often:Euoted lines ha,e 2een already referred to a2o,e)
Their ,ery intellectuality is alien to the s-irit of the original) In
Tennyson<s conce-tion they afford the central meaning of the -oem% and
also of the com-leted GIdyllsG) We must 2ow to the will of (od who
2rings all things in their due season) (ood customs too dee-ly rooted
are li1e clear waters grown stagnant)
8>B:8>>) FO SO::(O") The idea that the earth is 2ound 2y a gold chain
to hea,en is com-arati,ely common in literature from #omer downwards)
Archdeacon #are has a -assage in his sermon on GSelf:SacrificeG which
dou2tless was familiar to Tennyson: 5This is the golden chain of lo,e%
where2y the whole creation is 2ound to the throne of the Creator)5
8>0:8>6) IF IN"EE" I (O::"O+&T) There is no reason to su--ose that these
lines indicate Tennyson<s -ersonal misgi,ings on the su23ect of
immortality)
8>/) T#E ISLAN" *ALLE$ OF A*ILION) !r) hys in his GStudies in the
Arthurian LegendG com2ats the old idea that A,alon @A,ilionA meant the
5Island of A--les5 @Welsh a,al% a--leA) The name im-lies the Island of
Hing A,alon% a Celtic di,inity% who -resided among the dead)
The ,alley of A,alon was su--osed to 2e near (laston2ury% in
Somersetshire% where 9ose-h of Arimathea first landed with the #oly (rail)
C0 ff) There is an e,ident sym2olical meaning in this dream) Indeed
Tennyson always a--ears to use dreams for -ur-oses of sym2ol) The lines
are an a--lication of the eF-ression= 5The old order changeth%5 etc) The
-arson<s lamentation eF-ressed in line .6% 5+-on the general decay of
faith%5 is also directly answered 2y the assertion that the modern Arthur
will arise in modern times) There is a certain grotesEueness in the
li1ening of Hing Arthur to 5a modern gentleman of stateliest -ort)5 &ut
Tennyson ne,er wanders far from conditions of his own time) As !r)
Page 107 of 116
Sto-ford &roo1e writes= 5Arthur% as the modern gentleman% as the modern
ruler of men% such a ruler as one of our Indian heroes on the frontier%
is the main thing in Tennyson<s mind% and his conce-tion of such a man
contains his ethical lesson to his countrymen)5
T#E &OOH
'u2lished in .6>> in the ,olume% G!aud and other 'oemsG) GThe &roo1G is
one of the most successful of Tennyson<s idylls% and is in no degree% as
the earlier -oem G"oraG was% a Wordsworthian imitation) The 2roo1
itself% which 2ic1ers in and out of the story as in its nati,e ,alley%
was not the Somers2y 2roo1% which does not now 5to 3oin the 2rimming
ri,er%5 2ut -ours into the sea) The graylings and other details are
imaginary) A literary source has 2een suggested @see "r) Sy1es< noteA in
(oethe<s -oem% G"as &aechleinG% which 2egins:
1lar% and clear%
sinn= and thin1=
du hinD goest thouD
"u &achlein% sil2erhell und Thou little 2roo1% sil,er 2right "u eilst
,orue2er immerdar% Thou hastenest e,er onward% Am +fer steh< ich%
sinn< und I stand on the 2rin1% thin1 Wo 1ommst du herD Wo gehst
Whence comest thouD Where
The &roo1 re-lies:
Schoss% dar1 roc1s%
!oss<) and moss)
Ich 1omm< aus dun1ler Felsen I come from the 2osom of the !ein Lauf
geht ue2er &lum< und !y course goes o,er flowers
The charm of the -oem lies in its delicate characteri4ation% in its tone
of -ensi,e memory suffused with cheerfulness% and es-ecially in the song
of the 2roo1% a2out which the action re,ol,es) Twenty years ha,e wrought
many changes in the human li,es of the story% 2ut the 2roo1 flows on
fore,er% and "arnley 2ridge still s-ans the 2rimming ri,er% and shows for
only change a richer growth of i,y)
C) #OW !ONE$ &EE"S% i)e) 2y -roducing interest at loan)
6) T#E T#IN( T#AT::IS) The -oet<s function is thus descri2ed 2y
Sha1es-eare:
As imagination 2odies forth
The forms of things un1nown% the -oet<s -en
Turns them to sha-es% and gi,es to airy nothing
A local ha2itation and a name)
::G!idsummer Night<s "reamG% *)% .)
Page 108 of 116
.0) #ALF:EN(LIS# NEIL(#E$ AI) The Neilgherry #ills are in !adras)
The climate resem2les somewhat that of England)
?0) !OE I*$% i)e) than twenty years ago)
BC) WILLOW WEE" AN" !ALLOW) These are marsh -lants)
/?:/>) NOT ILLITEATE::"EE") Hatie was not without reading= 2ut she was
not of those who da22le in sentimental no,els @the source of imaginary
tearsA% and saturate themsel,es with unctuous charities= and whose -owers
to act are sa--ed 2y their eFcess of feeling)
.7>) +NCLAI!<") As ha,ing nothing to do with her) Hatie resented the
im-lication in the Euestion of line .77) She therefore disdained to
answer it) !essrs) owe and We22 hold that line .77 is a hint that the
s-ea1er% Lawrence Aylmer% was res-onsi2le for 9ames<s fit of 3ealousy)
l8>f) Note the art with which the old man<s garrulousness is eF-ressed)
The cautious -recision of lines .>.:.>8 is -articularly a-t)
.0C) NETTE" S+N&EA!) The sunlight reflected li1e a net:wor1 on the
2ottom) The ri--les on the surface would ha,e this effect)
.6/) ANO) A ri,er in Italy which flows -ast Florence)
.6/:./7) "O!E OF &+NELLESC#I) &runelleschi @&roo:nei:les<:1eA was an
Italian architect @.?00:.BBBA% who com-leted the cathedral of Santa !aria
in Florence) Its dome is of great si4e and im-ressi,eness)
./B) &$::SEAS) Tennyson was fond of Euoting this line as one of his
roost successful indi,idual lines) Its rhythm is indeed sonorous)
./>:./C) AN" #OL"::A'IL A+T+!NS) O23ection has 2een ta1en to the
somewhat -edantic -recision of these lines) See% howe,er% the reference
on --) lFFii):lFF,ii) to Tennyson<s em-loyment of science in -oetry)
The fact is familiar% of course% that in the Anti-odes the seasons are
the re,erse of ours)
87?) &ION$ IN(S) Formed 2y the tendrils of the -lant)
IN !E!OIA!
The -oem% GIn !emoriamG% in memory of Arthur #enry #allam% was -u2lished
in .6>7% at first anonymously% 2ut the authorshi- was not long in dou2t)
Arthur #enry #allam% the son of #enry #allam% the historian% was 2orn in
Page 109 of 116
.6..) #e entered Eton in .688% and remained there until .680% when he
went to Cam2ridge) There he met Alfred Tennyson% and the two young men
formed a friendshi- for one another% 2ro1en only 2y #allam<s early death)
In .6?8% he graduated from Cam2ridge% 2ecame engaged to Emily Tennyson%
the sister of Alfred% and entered on the study of law) In .6??% he had a
se,ere illness and after his reco,ery was ta1en 2y his father for a tour
on the Continent% in the ho-e of restoring his health) Sir Francis
#astings "oyle tells the story of his death: 5A se,ere 2out of influen4a
wea1ened him% and whilst he was tra,elling a2road for change of air% and
to reco,er his strength% one of his usual attac1s a--arently returned
u-on him without warning% whilst he was still unfitted to resist it= so
that when his -oor father came 2ac1 from a wal1 through the streets of
*ienna% he was lying dead on the sofa where he had 2een left to ta1e a
short rest) !r) #allam sat down to write his letters% and it was only 2y
slow and im-erce-ti2le degrees that a certain anFiety% in conseEuence of
Arthur<s stillness and silence% dawned u-on his mind= he drew near to
ascertain why he had not mo,ed nor s-o1en% and found that all was o,er)5
The 2ody was 2rought 2ac1 to England and 2uried in Cle,edon Church% on
the 2an1s of the Se,ern)
The effect u-on Tennyson of the death of Arthur #allam was o,erwhelming)
For a time it 52lotted out all 3oy from his life and made him long for
death% in s-ite of his feeling that he was in some measure a hel- and
comfort to his sister)5 +nder the influence of this great sorrow he
wrote GThe Two *oicesG% G+lyssesG% 5G&rea1% &rea1% &rea1G%5 and 2egan
that eFEuisite series of lyric -oems% afterwards 3oined together in the
GIn !emoriamG) #is friendshi- for #allam remained throughout life with
him as one of his most -recious -ossessions)
The -oems in the teFt are selected from the GIn !emoriamG% and ha,e a
more or less close connection with each other) It is 2etter% howe,er% to
regard each -oem as a se-arate -oem% without any attem-t to -lace it in
its relation to the GIn !emoriamG as a whole)
The 2est annotated edition of GIn !emoriamG is that 2y A) C) &radley
@!acmillanA) Other useful editions are edited 2y Wallace @!acmillanA%
and 2y o2inson @Cam2ridge 'ressA) Eli4a2eth &) Cha-man<s GCom-anion to
In !emoriamG @!acmillanA% contains the 2est analysis of the -oem)
MM*II
5The ,ery memory of such an affection as he had cherished for #allam is
an ins-iration) Heen and acute as the sense of loss may 2e% it -urifies
rather than destroys the influence of a hallowed lo,e::its effect is to
ideali4e and sanctify) This general truth is enforced 2y se,eral
illustrations)5::G#enry E) She-herdG)
8) NO&LE A(E) Fierce lo,e of freedom)
Page 110 of 116
C) #IS LICENSE) 5Li,es without law% 2ecause untrou2led 2y the -rom-tings
of a higher nature)5
C) FIEL" OF TI!E) The term of his natural life)
.8) WANT:&E(OTTEN EST) #allam% Lord Tennyson inter-rets: 5est::the
result of some deficiency or narrowness)5
.C) NE*E TO #A*E LO*E") Life is enriched 2y the mere act of ha,ing
lo,ed)
LMI*
5Still 2rooding on all the -ossi2le relations of his old friend to the
life and the lo,e that he has left% the -oet now com-ares him to some
genius of lowly 2irth% who should lea,e his o2scure home to rise to the
highest office of state% and should sometimes in the midst of his
greatness% remem2er% as in a dream% the dear scenes of old% and it may
2e% the hum2le ,illager who was his chosen -laymate)5::Eli4a2eth )
Cha-man)
.) "OST T#O+% ETC) This section was com-osed 2y Tennyson when he was
wal1ing u- and down the Strand and Fleet Street in London)
>) IN*I"IO+S &A) O2stacle to success) In,idious is used in the sense
of 5offensi,e)5
0) CIC+!STANCE) Ad,erse circumstances)
/) &$ FOCE) Strength of character and will)
.7) (OL"EN HE$S) Heys of office of state)
..) !O+L") As a minister of the Crown)
.B) COWNIN( SLO'E) A felicitous -hrase) If it were a -reci-ice it
could not 2e clim2ed)
.>) 'ILLA) That on which they 2uild% and which su--orts them)
8.) NAOWE) When he was still in his 5low estate)5
86) E!E!&E !E) &radley notes that 5the -athetic effect is increased 2y
the fact that in the two -receding stan4as we are not told that his old
friend does remem2er him)5
LMMMIII
Page 111 of 116
5With the dawning of the New $ear% fresh ho-e Euic1ens in the -oet<s
2reast) #e would fain hasten its laggard footste-s% longing for the
flowers of s-ring and for the glory of summer) Can trou2le li,e in the
s-ring::the season of life and lo,e and musicD Let the s-ring come% and
he will sing <for Arthur a sweeter% richer reEuiem)<5::GEli4a2eth )
Cha-manG)
.) NOT#EN S#OE) o2ertson eF-lains: 5The north 2eing the last to 2e
included in the widening circle of lengthening daylight as it readies
further and further down from the eEuator)5
8) NEW:$EA) The natural% not the calendar year) The re:awa1ening of
life in nature)
>) CLO+"E" NOONS) From the noons% which are still clouded)
C) 'O'E) Own)
/) S'IE) Flowering s-i1es)
.7) S'EE"WELL) 5The (ermander S-eedwell is a slender% wiry -lant% whose
stem sometimes cree-s along the surface of the ground 2efore it grows
u-wards) The flowers ha,e four small -etals of the 2rightest 2lue% and
within the flower at the foot of the -etals is a small white circle% with
a little white eye loo1ing u-) Two stamens with crimson heads rise from
this white circle% and in the ,ery centre of the flower there is a tiny
green seed:,essel% with a s-i1e coming out of the to-)5::GC) &) SmithG)
.8) LA&+N+!S)
5And all the gold from each la2urnum chain
"ro-s to the grass)5 ::GTo !ary &oyleG)
LMMM*I
5I can o-en my 2eing also to the re,i,ing influences of Nature::as on a
certain e,ening% 2almy and glorious after the rain% when the 2ree4e
seemed as if it might 2reathe new life% and waft me across the seas away
from the land of dou2t and death to some far off s-here of more than
earthly -eace%5::GArthur W) o2insonG)
.) SWEET AFTE S#OWES% ETC) This -oem was written at &armouth)
.) A!&OSIAL) Am2rosia was the food of the immortal gods) The wind was
from the west and was 5di,inely re,i,ing)5
B) &EAT#IN( &AE) !a1ing the hori4on 2are of clouds)
>) A'T) *iolent motion is not im-lied)
Page 112 of 116
C) "EW$:TASSEL<") From the showers)
0) #ONE" FLOO") &etween two -romontaries)
/) SI(#) 5Im-art as 2y a 2reath or sigh)5
.7) NEW LIFE) "ue to the new friendshi-)
..) "O+&T AN" "EAT#) These ha,e u- to this time haunted him)
.?) FO! &ELT% ETC) Tennyson eF-lains: 5The west wind rolling to the
Eastern seas till it meets the e,ening star)5
.C) W#IS'E 5'EACE)5 Sto-ford &roo1e says of this -oem: 5Each ,erse is
lin1ed li1e 2ell to 2ell in a chime to the ,erse 2efore it% swelling as
they go from thought to thought% and finally rising from the landsca-e of
earth to the landsca-e of infinite s-ace) Can anything 2e more
im-assioned and yet more solemnD It has the swiftness of youth and the
no2leness of manhood<s sacred 3oy)5
CI
5In the garden% loo1ing round on tree and shru2 and flower and 2roo1::all
the friends of many years::a fresh -ang comes with the sight of each)
All these will 2e unwatched% unlo,ed% uncared for= till% -erha-s% they
find a home in a stranger<s heart% growing dear to him and his% while the
memory fades of those who lo,e them now)5::GEli4a2eth ) Cha-manG)
.7) T#E &OOH) The 2roo1 at Somers2y flowed -ast the 2ottom of the
-arsonage grounds) It is constantly mentioned in Tennyson<s -oems)
#allam Tennyson says that the charm and 2eauty of the 2roo1 haunted his
father through life)
..) LESSE WAIN) +rsa !inor% or the Little &ear= a small constellation
containing the -ole star) Wain means 5wagon%5 another name for the
constellation)
.B) #EN AN" CAHE) #eron and corn:cra1e)
8.) LA&O+E) #e does not mo,e away% 2ut stays always there)
88) (LE&E) Soil)
CMI*
5The world now is all for the s-read of 1nowledge: and I should 2e the
last to demur) &ut 1nowledge has an ardent im-etuosity% which in its
Page 113 of 116
-resent immature condition may 2e fraught with many -erils) Hnowledge 2y
itself% so far from 2eing of necessity hea,enly% may e,en 2ecome de,ilish
in its selfish ,iolence) E,erything de-ends u-on its 2eing held in due
su2ordination to those higher elements in our nature which go to ma1e
wisdom) Would that the ideal aim of our education were to -roduce such
as he was% in whom e,ery increase in intellectual a2ility was accom-anied
2y the growth of some finer grace of the s-irit)5::GArthur W) o2insonG)
B) #E 'ILLAS) 5Wisdom hath 2uilded her house% she hath hewn out her
se,en -illars)5::G'ro,er2sG /: .)
>) A FIE) The fire of ins-iration)
C) SETS) #ard% li1e a flint)
C) FOWA") &old% without re,erence)
0) C#ANCE) Of success)
6) TO "ESIE) (o,erned 2y -assion% without restraint or self:control)
.7) FEA OF "EAT#) Hnowledge does not 1now what is 2eyond the gra,e and
therefore fears death)
..) C+T FO! LO*E% ETC) Wallace says: 5Hnowledge% in its own nature% can
ha,e no lo,e% for lo,e is not of the intellect% and 1nowledge is all of
the intellect: so% too% she can ha,e no faith% for faith in its nature is
a confession of ignorance% since she 2elie,es what she cannot 1now)5
.8) 'ALLAS) 'allas Athene% the goddess of wisdom among the (ree1s% was
fa2led to ha,e s-rung% fully grown and fully armed% from the 2rain of
Neus) Wild 'allas means 5false wisdom)5
.0) A #I(#E #AN") Wisdom)
8?) T#$ (OAL) The goal of wisdom)
86) E*EENCE% ETC) In faith and lo,e)
CM*
5Another s-ring has come% and all its lo,ely sights and sounds wa1e
answering chords in the -oet<s 2reast) The life within him stirs and
Euic1ens in res-onsi,e harmony with the world without) &ut his regret%
too% 2lossoms li1e a flower%5::GEli4a2eth ) Cha-manG)
8) &+(EONS) &uds)
8) !ANE OF L+ICH) Luic1:set tangle)
Page 114 of 116
?) SL+AES) Fields)
6) SI(#TLESS) In,isi2le)
.B) (EENIN() Shining out on the sea)
CM*III
5"o not 2elie,e that man<s soul is li1e mere matter% or has 2een
-roduced% li1e lower forms in the earlier ages of the earth% only to
-erish) &elie,e that he is destined 2oth to ad,ance to something higher
on the earth% and also to de,elo- in some higher -lace elsewhere% if he
re-eats the -rocess of e,olution 2y su2duing the lower within him to the
uses of the higher% whether in -eaceful growth or through -ainful
struggle)5::GA) C) &radleyG)
8) #IS $O+T#) 5Limited time% howe,er old or long% must 2e always young%
com-ared with the hoary age of eternity)5
B) EAT# AN" LI!E) Flesh and 2one)
.7) SEE!IN(:AN"O!) &ut in reality sha-ed and guided)
..) C$CLIC STO!S) 5'eriodic cataclysms%5 or 5storms lasting for whole
ages)5
.C) T$'E) EFem-lify)
.6) ATTI&+TES OF WOE) Trial and suffering are the crown of man in this
world)
87) I"LE) +seless)
88) #EATE" #OT) A reference to the tem-ering of steel)
8C) EELIN( FA+N) #uman 2eings with horns% a tail% and goats< feet)
They were more than half:2rutish in their nature)
86) T#E A'E AN" T#E TI(E) A reference to the theory of e,olution%
although "arwin<s GOrigin of S-eciesG did not a--ear until .6>/)
CMMIII
5Again the mysterious -lay of mighty cosmic forces arrests his thought)
E,erything in the material uni,erse is changing% transient= all is in a
state of fluF% of motion% of -er-etual disintegration or re:integration)
Page 115 of 116
&ut there is one thing fiFed and a2iding::that which we call s-irit::and
amid all uncertainty% one truth is certain::that to a lo,ing human soul a
-arting which shall 2e eternal is unthin1a2le)5::GEli4a2eth ) Cha-manG)
B) STILLNESS) #allam Tennyson remar1s that 2alloonists say that e,en in
a storm the middle sea is noiseless) It is the shi- that is the cause of
the howling of the wind and the lashing of the storm)
B) CENTAL SEA) Far from land)
6) LIHE CLO+"S% ETC) A reference to geological changes)
Page 116 of 116

Selections From Wordsworth and Tennyson

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Selections From Wordsworth and Tennyson

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Title: Selections from Wordsworth and Tennyson

Author: William Wordsworth and Alfred Lord Tennyson

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