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human； the Lancelot of Malory； and 〃fell to his old love again；〃 with
a heavy heart； and with long penance at the end。 How such good
knights can be deemed conscienceless and void of courtesy one knows
not； except by a survival of the Puritanism of Ascham。 But Tennyson
found in the book what is in the bookhonour； conscience； courtesy；
and the hero …
〃Whose honour rooted in dishonour stood；
And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true。〃
Malory's book； which was Tennyson's chief source； ends by being the
tragedy of the conscience of Lancelot。 Arthur is dead； or 〃In Avalon
he groweth old。〃 The Queen and Lancelot might sing； as Lennox
reports that Queen Mary did after Darnley's murder …
〃Weel is me
For I am free。〃
〃Why took they not their pastime？〃 Because conscience forbade； and
Guinevere sends her lover far from her； and both die in religion。
Thus Malory's 〃fierce lusty epic〃 is neither so lusty nor so fierce
but that it gives Tennyson his keynote： the sin that breaks the fair
companionship； and is bitterly repented。
〃The knights are almost too polite to kill each other；〃 the critic
urges。 In Malory they are sometimes quite too polite to kill each
other。 Sir Darras has a blood…feud against Sir Tristram； and Sir
Tristram is in his dungeon。 Sir Darras said； 〃Wit ye well that Sir
Darras shall never destroy such a noble knight as thou art in prison；
howbeit that thou hast slain three of my sons； whereby I was greatly
aggrieved。 But now shalt thou go and thy fellows。 。 。 。 All that ye
did；〃 said Sir Darras； 〃was by force of knighthood； and that was the
cause I would not put you to death〃 （Book IX。 chap。 xl。）
Tennyson is accused of 〃emasculating the fierce lusty epic into a
moral lesson； as if it were to be performed in a drawing…room by an
academy of young ladies〃presided over； I daresay； by 〃Anglican
clergymen。〃 I know not how any one who has read the Morte d'Arthur
can blame Tennyson in the matter。 Let Malory and his sources be
blamed； if to be moral is to be culpable。 A few passages apart；
there is no coarseness in Malory； that there are conscience；
courtesy； 〃sweet lives；〃 〃keeping down the base in man；〃 〃amiable
words；〃 and all that Tennyson gives； and； in Mr Harrison's theory；
gives without authority in the romance； my quotations from Malory
demonstrate。 They are chosen at a casual opening of his book。 That
there 〃had not arisen in the world〃 〃the idea of reverencing
conscience〃 before the close of the fifteenth century A。D。 is an
extraordinary statement for a critic of history to offer。
Mr Harrison makes his protest because 〃in the conspiracy of silence
into which Tennyson's just fame has hypnotised the critics； it is
bare honesty to admit defects。〃 I think I am not hypnotised； and I
do not regard the Idylls as the crown of Tennyson's work。 But it is
not his 〃defect〃 to have introduced generosity； gentleness；
conscience； and chastity where no such things occur in his sources。
Take Sir Darras： his position is that of Priam when he meets
Achilles； who slew his sons； except that Priam comes as a suppliant；
Sir Darras has Tristram in his hands； and may slay him。 He is 〃too
polite；〃 as Mr Harrison says： he is too good a Christian； or too
good a gentleman。 One would not have given a tripod for the life of
Achilles had he fallen into the hands of Priam。 But between 1200
B。C。 （or so） and the date of Malory； new ideas about 〃living sweet
lives〃 had arisen。 Where and when do they not arise？ A British
patrol fired on certain Swazis in time of truce。 Their lieutenant；
who had been absent when this occurred； rode alone to the stronghold
of the Swazi king； Sekukoeni； and gave himself up； expecting death by
torture。 〃Go； sir；〃 said the king； 〃we too are gentlemen。〃 The idea
of a 〃sweet life〃 of honour had dawned even on Sekukoeni： it lights
up Malory's romance； and is reflected in Tennyson's Idylls； doubtless
with some modernism of expression。
That the Idylls represent no real world is certain。 That Tennyson
modernises and moralises too much； I willingly admit； what I deny is
that he introduces gentleness； courtesy； and conscience where his
sources have none。 Indeed this is not a matter of critical opinion；
but of verifiable fact。 Any one can read Malory and judge for
himself。 But the world in which the Idylls move could not be real。
For more than a thousand years different races； different ages； had
taken hold of the ancient Celtic legends and spiritualised them after
their own manner； and moulded them to their own ideals。 There may
have been a historical Arthur； Comes Britanniae； after the Roman
withdrawal。 Ye Amherawdyr Arthur； 〃the Emperor Arthur；〃 may have
lived and fought； and led the Brythons to battle。 But there may also
have been a Brythonic deity； or culture hero； of the same； or of a
similar name； and myths about him may have been assigned to a real
Arthur。 Again； the Arthur of the old Welsh legends was by no means
the blameless kingeven in comparatively late French romances he is
not blameless。 But the process of idealising him went on： still
incomplete in Malory's compilation； where he is often rather otiose
and far from royal。 Tennyson； for his purpose； completed the
idealisation。
As to Guinevere； she was not idealised in the old Welsh rhyme …
〃Guinevere； Giant Ogurvan's daughter；
Naughty young； more naughty later。〃
Of Lancelot； and her passion for him； the old Welsh has nothing to
say。 Probably Chretien de Troyes； by a happy blunder or
misconception； gave Lancelot his love and his pre…eminent part。
Lancelot was confused with Peredur； and Guinevere with the lady of
whom Peredur was in quest。 The Elaine who becomes by Lancelot the
mother of Galahad 〃was Lancelot's rightful consort； as one recognises
in her name that of Elen； the Empress； whom the story of Peredur〃
（Lancelot； by the confusion） 〃gives that hero to wife。〃 The second
Elaine； the maid of Astolat； is another refraction from the original
Elen。 As to the Grail； it may be a Christianised rendering of one or
another of the magical and mystic caldrons of Welsh or Irish legend。
There is even an apparent Celtic source of the mysterious fisher king
of the Grail romance。 ｛12｝
A sketch of the evolution of the Arthurian legends might run thus：…
Sixth to eighth century； growth of myth about an Arthur； real； or
supposed to be real。
Tenth century； the Duchies of Normandy and Brittany are in close
relations； by the eleventh century Normans know Celtic Arthurian
stories。
After； 1066； Normans in contact with the Celtic peoples of this
island are in touch with the Arthur tales。
1130…1145； works on Arthurian matter by Geoffrey of Monmouth。
1155； Wace's French translation of Geoffrey。
1150…1182； Chretien de Troyes writes poems on Arthurian topics。
French prose romances on Arthur； from； say； 1180 to 1250。 Those
romances reach Wales； and modify； in translations； the original Welsh
legends； or； in part； supplant them。
Amplifications and recastings are numerous。 In 1485 Caxton publishes
Malory's selections from French and English sources； the whole being
Tennyson's main source； Le Mort d'A