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the friend of the narrator。 Like the hero of Maud； the speaker has a
period of madness and illusion； while the third part； 〃The Golden
Supper〃suggested by a story of Boccaccio； and written in maturity
is put in the mouth of another narrator； and is in a different style。
The discarded lover； visiting the vault which contains the body of
his lady； finds her alive； and restores her to her husband。 The
whole finished legend is necessarily not among the author's
masterpieces。 But perhaps not even Keats in his earliest work
displayed more of promise； and gave more assurance of genius。 Here
and there come turns and phrases； 〃all the charm of all the Muses；〃
which remind a reader of things later well known in pieces more
mature。 Such lines are …
〃Strange to me and sweet；
Sweet through strange years；〃
and …
〃Like to a low…hung and a fiery sky
Hung round with RAGGED RIMS and burning folds。〃
And …
〃Like sounds without the twilight realm of dreams；
Which wander round the bases of the hills。〃
We also note close observation of nature in the curious phrase …
〃Cries of the partridge like a rusty key
Turned in a lock。〃
Of this kind was Tennyson's adolescent vein； when he left
〃The poplars four
That stood beside his father's door；〃
the Somersby brook； and the mills and granges； the seas of the
Lincolnshire coast； and the hills and dales among the wolds； for
Cambridge。 He was well read in old and contemporary English
literature； and in the classics。 Already he was acquainted with the
singular trance…like condition to which his poems occasionally
allude； a subject for comment later。 He matriculated at Trinity；
with his brother Charles； on February 20； 1828； and had an interview
of a not quite friendly sort with a proctor before he wore the gown。
That Tennyson should go to Cambridge； not to Oxford； was part of the
nature of things； by which Cambridge educates the majority of English
poets； whereas Oxford has only 〃turned out〃 a fewlike Shelley。 At
that time； as in Macaulay's day； the path of university honours at
Cambridge lay through Mathematics； and； except for his prize poem in
1829； Tennyson took no honours at all。 His classical reading was
pursued as literature； not as a course of grammar and philology。 No
English poet； at least since Milton； had been better read in the
classics； but Tennyson's studies did not aim at the gaining of
academic distinction。 His aspect was such that Thompson； later
Master of Trinity； on first seeing him come into hall； said； 〃That
man must be a poet。〃 Like Byron； Shelley； and probably Coleridge；
Tennyson looked the poet that he was： 〃Six feet high； broad…chested；
strong…limbed； his face Shakespearian and with deep eyelids； his
forehead ample； crowned with dark wavy hair； his head finely poised。〃
Not much is recorded of Tennyson as an undergraduate。 In our days
efforts would have been made to enlist so promising a recruit in one
of the college boats； but rowing was in its infancy。 It is a
peculiarity of the universities that little flocks of men of unusual
ability come up at intervals together； breaking the monotony of
idlers； prize scholars； and honours men。 Such a group appeared at
Balliol in Matthew Arnold's time； and rather later； at various
colleges； in the dawn of Pre…Raphaelitism。 The TennysonsAlfred；
Frederick； and Charleswere members of such a set。 There was Arthur
Hallam； son of the historian； from Eton； there was Spedding； the
editor and biographer of Bacon； Milnes （Lord Houghton）； Blakesley
（Dean of Lincoln）； Thompson； Merivale； Trench （a poet； and later；
Archbishop of Dublin）； Brookfield； Buller； and； after Tennyson the
greatest； Thackeray； a contemporary if not an 〃Apostle。〃 Charles
Buller's； like Hallam's； was to be an 〃unfulfilled renown。〃 Of
Hallam； whose name is for ever linked with his own； Tennyson said
that he would have been a great man； but not a great poet； 〃he was as
near perfection as mortal man could be。〃 His scanty remains are
chiefly notable for his divination of Tennyson as a great poet； for
the rest； we can only trust the author of In Memoriam and the verdict
of tradition。
The studies of the poet at this time included original composition in
Greek and Latin verse； history； and a theme that he alone has made
poetical； natural science。 All poetry has its roots in the age
before natural science was more than a series of nature…myths。 The
poets have usually； like Keats； regretted the days when
〃There was an awful rainbow once in heaven；〃
when the hills and streams were not yet 〃dispeopled of their dreams。〃
Tennyson； on the other hand； was already finding material for poetry
in the world as seen through microscope and telescope； and as
developed through 〃aeonian〃 processes of evolution。 In a notebook；
mixed with Greek； is a poem on the Moonnot the moon of Selene； 〃the
orbed Maiden；〃 but of astronomical science。 In Memoriam recalls the
conversations on labour and politics； discussions of the age of the
Reform Bill； of rick…burning （expected to 〃make taters cheaper〃）； and
of Catholic emancipation； also the emancipation of such negroes as
had not yet tasted the blessings of freedom。 In politics Tennyson
was what he remained； a patriot； a friend of freedom； a foe of
disorder。 His politics； he said； were those 〃of Shakespeare； Bacon；
and every sane man。〃 He was one of the Society of Apostles； and
characteristically contributed an essay on Ghosts。 Only the preface
survives： it is not written in a scientific style； but bids us 〃not
assume that any vision IS baseless。〃 Perhaps the author went on to
discuss 〃veridical hallucinations；〃 but his ideas about these things
must be considered later。
It was by his father's wish that Tennyson competed for the English
prize poem。 The theme； Timbuctoo； was not inspiring。 Thackeray
wrote a good parody of the ordinary prize poem in Pope's metre：…
〃I see her sons the hill of glory mount；
And sell their sugars on their own account；
Prone to her feet the prostrate nations come；
Sue for her rice and barter for her rum。〃
Tennyson's work was not much more serious： he merely patched up an
old piece； in blank verse； on the battle of Armageddon。 The poem is
not destitute of Tennysonian cadence； and ends； not inappropriately；
with 〃All was night。〃 Indeed； all WAS night。
An ingenious myth accounts for Tennyson's success： At Oxford； says
Charles Wordsworth； the author was more likely to have been
rusticated than rewarded。 But already （1829） Arthur Hallam told Mr
Gladstone that Tennyson 〃promised fair to be the greatest poet of our
generation； perhaps of our century。〃
In 1830 Tennyson published the first volume of which he was sole
author。 Browning's Pauline was of the year 1833。 It was the very
dead hours of the Muses。 The great Mr Murray had ceased； as one
despairing of song； to publish poetry。 Bulwer Lytton； in the preface
to Paul Clifford （1830）； announced that poetry； with every other form
of literature except the Novel； was unremunerative and unread。
Coleridge and Scott were silent： indeed Sir Walter was near his
death； Wordsworth had shot