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on the mass of his impressions。 I have shown； by the aid of dates；
that it was not borrowed from Huxley； Mr Stopford Brooke； or the late
Duke of Argyll。 But； no doubt； many of the ideas were 〃in the air；〃
and must have presented themselves to minds at once of religious
tendency； and attracted by the evolutionary theories which had always
existed as floating speculations； till they were made current coin by
the genius and patient study of Darwin。 That Tennyson's opinions
between 1830 and 1840 were influenced by those of F。 D。 Maurice is
reckoned probable by Canon Ainger； author of the notice of the poet
in The Dictionary of National Biography。 In the Life of Maurice；
Tennyson does not appear till 1850； and the two men were not at
Cambridge together。 But Maurice's ideas； as they then existed； may
have reached Tennyson orally through Hallam and other members of the
Trinity set； who knew personally the author of Letters to a Quaker。
However； this is no question of scientific priority： to myself it
seems that Tennyson 〃beat his music out〃 for himself； as perhaps most
people do。 Like his own Sir Percivale； 〃I know not all he meant。〃
Among the opinions as to In Memoriam current at the time of its
publication Lord Tennyson notices those of Maurice and Robertson。
They 〃thought that the poet had made a definite step towards the
unification of the highest religion and philosophy with the
progressive science of the day。〃 Neither science nor religion stands
still； neither stands now where it then did。 Conceivably they are
travelling on paths which will ultimately coincide； but this opinion；
of course； must seem foolishness to most professors of science。
Bishop Westcott was at Cambridge when the book appeared： he is one
of Mr Harrison's possible sources of Tennyson's ideas。 He recognised
the poet's 〃splendid faith （in the face of every difficulty） in the
growing purpose of the sum of life； and in the noble destiny of the
individual man。〃 Ten years later Professor Henry Sidgwick； a mind
sufficiently sceptical； found in some lines of In Memoriam 〃the
indestructible and inalienable minimum of faith which humanity cannot
give up because it is necessary for life； and which I know that I； at
least so far as the man in me is deeper than the methodical thinker；
cannot give up。〃 But we know that many persons not only do not find
an irreducible minimum of faith 〃necessary for life；〃 but are highly
indignant and contemptuous if any one else ventures to suggest the
logical possibility of any faith at all。
The mass of mankind will probably never be convinced unbelievers
nay； probably the backward or forward swing of the pendulum will
touch more convinced belief。 But there always have been； since the
Rishis of India sang； superior persons who believe in nothing not
materialwhatever the material may be。 Tennyson was； it is said；
〃impatient〃 of these esprits forts； and they are impatient of him。
It is an error to be impatient： we know not whither the logos may
lead us； or later generations； and we ought not to be irritated with
others because it leads them into what we think the wrong path。 It
is unfortunate that a work of art； like In Memoriam； should arouse
theological or anti…theological passions。 The poet only shows us the
paths by which his mind travelled： they may not be the right paths；
nor is it easy to trace them on a philosophical chart。 He escaped
from Doubting Castle。 Others may 〃take that for a hermitage；〃 and be
happy enough in the residence。 We are all determined by our bias：
Tennyson's is unconcealed。 His poem is not a tract： it does not aim
at the conversion of people with the contrary bias； it is irksome； in
writing about a poet； to be obliged to discuss a philosophy which；
certainly； is not stated in the manner of Spinoza； but is merely the
equilibrium of contending forces in a single mind。
The most famous review of In Memoriam is that which declared that
〃these touching lines evidently come from the full heart of the widow
of a military man。〃 This is only equalled； if equalled； by a recent
critique which treated a fresh edition of Jane Eyre as a new novel；
〃not without power； in parts； and showing some knowledge of Yorkshire
local colour。〃
CHAPTER VI。AFTER IN MEMORIAM。
On June 13 Tennyson married； at Shiplake； the object of his old；
long…tried； and constant affection。 The marriage was still
〃imprudent；〃eight years of then uncontested supremacy in English
poetry had not brought a golden harvest。 Mr Moxon appears to have
supplied 300 pounds 〃in advance of royalties。〃 The sum； so
contemptible in the eyes of first…rate modern novelists； was a
competence to Tennyson； added to his little pension and the epaves of
his patrimony。 〃The peace of God came into my life when I married
her；〃 he said in later days。 The poet made a charming copy of verses
to his friend； the Rev。 Mr Rawnsley； who tied the knot； as he and his
bride drove to the beautiful village of Pangbourne。 Thence they went
to the stately Clevedon Court； the seat of Sir Abraham Elton； hard by
the church where Arthur Hallam sleeps。 The place is very ancient and
beautiful； and was a favourite haunt of Thackeray。 They passed on to
Lynton； and to Glastonbury； where a collateral ancestor of Mrs
Tennyson's is buried beside King Arthur's grave； in that green valley
of Avilion； among the apple…blossoms。 They settled for a while at
Tent Lodge on Coniston Water； in a land of hospitable Marshalls。
After their return to London； on the night of November 18； Tennyson
dreamed that Prince Albert came and kissed him； and that he himself
said； 〃Very kind； but very German；〃 which was very like him。 Next
day he received from Windsor the offer of the Laureateship。 He
doubted； and hesitated； but accepted。 Since Wordsworth's death there
had； as usual； been a good deal of banter about the probable new
Laureate： examples of competitive odes exist in Bon Gaultier。 That
by Tennyson is Anacreontic； but he was not really set on kissing the
Maids of Honour； as he is made to sing。 Rogers had declined； on the
plea of extreme old age； but it was worthy of the great and good
Queen not to overlook the Nestor of English poets。 For the rest； the
Queen looked for 〃a name bearing such distinction in the literary
world as to do credit to the appointment。〃 In the previous century
the great poets had rarely been Laureates。 But since Sir Walter
Scott declined the bays in favour of Southey； for whom； again； the
tale of bricks in the way of Odes was lightened； and when Wordsworth
succeeded Southey； the office became honourable。 Tennyson gave it an
increase of renown； while； though in itself of merely nominal value；
it served his poems； to speak profanely； as an advertisement。 New
editions of his books were at once in demand； while few readers had
ever heard of Mr Browning； already his friend； and already author of
Men and Women。
The Laureateship brought the poet acquainted with the Queen； who was
to be his debtor in later days for encouragement and consolation。 To
his Laureateship we owe； among other good things； the stately and
moving Ode on the Death of the