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distress； when its technical beauties and wonderful pictures seem
shadowy and unreal； like the yellow sunshine and the woods of that
autumn day when a man learned that his friend was dead。 No； it was
not the speculations and arguments that consoled or encouraged us。
We did not listen to Tennyson as to Mr Frederic Harrison's glorified
Anglican clergyman。 We could not murmur； like the Queen of the May …
〃That good man； the Laureate； has told tis words of peace。〃
What we valued was the poet's companionship。 There was a young
reader to whom All along the Valley came as a new poem in a time of
recent sorrow。
〃The two…and…thirty years were a mist that rolls away；〃
said the singer of In Memoriam； and in that hour it seemed as if none
could endure for two…and…thirty years the companionship of loss。 But
the years have gone by； and have left
〃Ever young the face that dwells
With reason cloister'd in the brain。〃 ｛10｝
In this way to many In Memoriam is almost a life…long companion： we
walk with Great…heart for our guide through the valley Perilous。
In this respect In Memoriam is unique； for neither to its praise nor
dispraise is it to be compared with the other famous elegies of the
world。 These are brief outbursts of griefreal； as in the hopeless
words of Catullus over his brother's tomb； or academic； like Milton's
Lycidas。 We are not to suppose that Milton was heart…broken by the
death of young Mr King； or that Shelley was greatly desolated by the
death of Keats； with whom his personal relations had been slight； and
of whose poetry he had spoken evil。 He was nobly stirred as a poet
by a poet's deathlike Mr Swinburne by the death of Charles
Baudelaire； but neither Shelley nor Mr Swinburne was lamenting
dimidium animae suae； or mourning for a friend
〃Dear as the mother to the son；
More than my brothers are to me。〃
The passion of In Memoriam is personal； is acute； is life…long； and
thus it differs from the other elegies。 Moreover； it celebrates a
noble object； and thus is unlike the ambiguous affection； real or
dramatic； which informs the sonnets of Shakespeare。 So the poem
stands alone； cloistered； not fiery with indignation； not breaking
into actual prophecy； like Shelley's Adonais； not capable； by reason
even of its meditative metre； of the organ music of Lycidas。 Yet it
is not to be reckoned inferior to these because its aim and plan are
other than theirs。
It is far from my purpose to 〃class〃 Tennyson； or to dispute about
his relative greatness when compared with Wordsworth or Byron；
Coleridge； Shelley； or Burns。 He rated one song of Lovelace above
all his lyrics； and； in fact； could no more have written the
Cavalier's To Althea from Prison than Lovelace could have written the
Morte d'Arthur。 〃It is not reasonable； it is not fair；〃 says Mr
Harrison； after comparing In Memoriam with Lycidas； 〃to compare
Tennyson with Milton；〃 and it is not reasonable to compare Tennyson
with any poet whatever。 Criticism is not the construction of a class
list。 But we may reasonably say that In Memoriam is a noble poem； an
original poem； a poem which stands alone in literature。 The
wonderful beauty； ever fresh； howsoever often read； of many stanzas；
is not denied by any critic。 The marvel is that the same serene
certainty of art broods over even the stanzas which must have been
conceived while the sorrow was fresh。 The second piece；
〃Old yew； which graspest at the stones；〃
must have been composed soon after the stroke fell。 Yet it is as
perfect as the proem of 1849。 As a rule； the poetical expression of
strong emotion appears usually to clothe the memory of passion when
it has been softened by time。 But here already 〃the rhythm；
phrasing； and articulation are entirely faultless； exquisitely clear；
melodious； and rare。〃 ｛11｝ It were superfluous labour to point at
special beauties； at the exquisite rendering of nature； and copious
commentaries exist to explain the course of the argument； if a series
of moods is to be called an argument。 One may note such a point as
that （xiv。） where the poet says that； were he to meet his friend in
life；
〃I should not feel it to be strange。〃
It may have happened to many to mistake； for a section of a second；
the face of a stranger for the face seen only in dreams； and to find
that the recognition brings no surprise。
Pieces of a character apart from the rest； and placed in a designed
sequence； are xcii。； xciii。； xcv。 In the first the poet says …
〃If any vision should reveal
Thy likeness； I might count it vain
As but the canker of the brain；
Yea； tho' it spake and made appeal
To chances where our lots were cast
Together in the days behind；
I might but say； I hear a wind
Of memory murmuring the past。
Yea； tho' it spake and bared to view
A fact within the coming year；
And tho' the months； revolving near；
Should prove the phantom…warning true；
They might not seem thy prophecies；
But spiritual presentiments；
And such refraction of events
As often rises ere they rise。〃
The author thus shows himself difficile as to recognising the
personal identity of a phantasm； nor is it easy to see what mode of
proving his identity would be left to a spirit。 The poet； therefore；
appeals to some perhaps less satisfactory experience：…
〃Descend； and touch； and enter； hear
The wish too strong for words to name；
That in this blindness of the frame
My Ghost may feel that thine is near。〃
The third poem is the crown of In Memoriam； expressing almost such
things as are not given to man to utter：…
And all at once it seem'd at last
The living soul was flash'd on mine；
And mine in this was wound； and whirl'd
About empyreal heights of thought；
And came on that which is； and caught
The deep pulsations of the world；
AEonian music measuring out
The steps of Timethe shocks of Chance …
The blows of Death。 At length my trance
Was cancell'd； stricken thro' with doubt。
Vague words！ but ah； how hard to frame
In matter…moulded forms of speech；
Or ev'n for intellect to reach
Thro' memory that which I became。〃
Experiences like this； subjective； and not matter for argument； were
familiar to Tennyson。 Jowett said； 〃He was one of those who； though
not an upholder of miracles； thought that the wonders of Heaven and
Earth were never far absent from us。〃 In The Mystic； Tennyson； when
almost a boy； had shown familiarity with strange psychological and
psychical conditions。 Poems of much later life also deal with these；
and； more or less consciously； his philosophy was tinged； and his
confidence that we are more than 〃cunning casts in clay〃 was
increased； by phenomena of experience； which can only be evidence for
the mystic himself； if even for him。 But this dim aspect of his
philosophy； of course； is 〃to the Greeks foolishness。〃
His was a philosophy of his own； not a philosophy for disciples； and
〃those that eddy round and round。〃 It was the sum of his reflection
on the mass of his impressions。 I have shown； by the aid of dates；
that it was not borrowed from Huxley； Mr Stopf