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soil and heather…scented air〃 allured them； and the result was the
purchase of land； and the building of Aldworth； Mr Knowles being the
architect。 In autumn Tennyson visited Lyme Regis； and； like all
other travellers thither； made a pilgrimage to the Cobb； sacred to
Louisa Musgrove。 The poet now began the study of Hebrew； having a
mind to translate the Book of Job； a vision unfulfilled。 In 1868 he
thought of publishing his boyish piece； The Lover's Tale； but
delayed。 An anonymously edited piracy of this and other poems was
perpetrated in 1875； limited； at least nominally； to fifty copies。
In July Longfellow visited Tennyson。 〃The Longfellows and he talked
much of spiritualism； for he was greatly interested in that subject；
but he suspended his judgment； and thought that； if in such
manifestations there is anything； 'Pucks； not the spirits of dead
men； reveal themselves。'〃 This was Southey's suggestion； as regards
the celebrated disturbances in the house of the Wesleys。 〃Wit might
have much to say； wisdom； little；〃 said Sam Wesley。 Probably the
talk about David Dunglas Home； the 〃medium〃 then in vogue； led to the
discussion of 〃spiritualism。〃 We do not hear that Tennyson ever had
the curiosity to see Home； whom Mr Browning so firmly detested。
In September The Holy Grail was begun： it was finished 〃in about a
week。 It came like a breath of inspiration。〃 The subject had for
many years been turned about in the poet's mind； which； of course；
was busy in these years of apparent inactivity。 At this time （August
1868） Tennyson left his old publishers； the Moxons； for Mr Strahan；
who endured till 1872。 Then he was succeeded by Messrs H。 S。 King &
Co。； who gave place （1879） to Messrs Kegan Paul & Co。； while in 1884
Messrs Macmillan became； and continue to be； the publishers。 A few
pieces； except Lucretius （Macmillan's Magazine； May 1868）
unimportant； appeared in serials。
Very early in 1869 The Coming of Arthur was composed； while Tennyson
was reading Browning's The Ring and the Book。 He and his great
contemporary were on terms of affectionate friendship； though
Tennyson； perhaps； appreciated less of Browning than Browning of
Tennyson。 Meanwhile 〃Old Fitz〃 kept up a fire of unsympathetic
growls at Browning and all his works。 〃I have been trying in vain to
read it〃 （The Ring and the Book）； 〃and yet the Athenaeum tells me it
is wonderfully fine。〃 FitzGerald's ply had been taken long ago； he
wanted verbal music in poetry （no exorbitant desire）； while； in
Browning； carmina desunt。 Perhaps； too； a personal feeling； as if
Browning was Tennyson's rival； affected the judgment of the author of
Omar Khayyam。 We may almost call him 〃the author。〃
The Holy Grail； with the smaller poems； such as Lucretius； was
published at the end of 1869。 FitzGerald appears to have preferred
The Northern Farmer； 〃the substantial rough…spun nature I knew；〃 to
all the visionary knights in the airy Quest。 To compare 〃〃
（obviously Browning） with Tennyson； was 〃to compare an old Jew's
curiosity shop with the Phidian Marbles。〃 Tennyson's poems 〃being
clear to the bottom as well as beautiful； do not seem to cockney eyes
so deep as muddy waters。〃
In November 1870 The Last Tournament was begun； it was finished in
May 1871。 Conceivably the vulgar scandals of the last days of the
French Imperial regime may have influenced Tennyson's picture of the
corruption of Arthur's Court； but the Empire did not begin； like the
Round Table； with aspirations after the Ideal。 In the autumn of the
year Tennyson entertained； and was entertained by； Mr Huxley。 In
their ideas about ultimate things two men could not vary more widely；
but each delighted in the other's society。 In the spring of 1872
Tennyson visited Paris and the ruins of the Louvre。 He read Victor
Hugo； and Alfred de Musset； whose comedies he admired。 The little
that we hear of his opinion of the other great poet runs to this
effect； 〃Victor Hugo is an unequal genius； sometimes sublime； he
reminds one that there is but one step between the sublime and the
ridiculous；〃 but the example by which Tennyson illustrated this was
derived from one of the poet's novels。 In these we meet not only the
sublime and the ridiculous； but passages which leave us in some
perplexity as to their true category。 One would have expected Hugo's
lyrics to be Tennyson's favourites； but only Gastibelza is mentioned
in that character。 At this time Tennyson was vexed by
〃Art with poisonous honey stolen from France；〃
a phrase which cannot apply to Hugo。 Meanwhile Gareth was being
written； and the knight's song for The Coming of Arthur。 Gareth and
Lynette； with minor pieces； appeared in 1872。 Balin and Balan was
composed later； to lead up to Vivien； to which； perhaps； Balin and
Balan was introduction sufficient had it been the earlier written。
But the Idylls have already been discussed as arranged in sequence。
The completion of the Idylls； with the patriotic epilogue； was
followed by the offer of a baronetcy。 Tennyson preferred that he and
his wife 〃should remain plain Mr and Mrs；〃 though 〃I hope that I have
too much of the old…world loyalty not to wear my lady's favours
against all comers； should you think that it would be more agreeable
to her Majesty that I should do so。〃
The Idylls ended； Tennyson in 1874 began to contemplate a drama；
choosing the topic； perhaps neither popular nor in an Aristotelian
sense tragic； of Mary Tudor。 This play was published； and put on the
stage by Sir Henry Irving in 1875。 Harold followed in 1876； The Cup
in 1881 （at the Lyceum）； The Promise of May （at the Globe） in 1882；
Becket in 1884； with The Foresters in 1892。 It seems best to
consider all the dramatic period of Tennyson's work； a period reached
so strangely late in his career； in the sequence of the Plays。 The
task is one from which I shrink； as conscious of entire ignorance of
the stage and of lack of enthusiasm for the drama。 Great dramatic
authors have； almost invariably； had long practical knowledge of the
scenes and of what is behind them。 Shakespeare and his
contemporaries； Moliere and his contemporaries； had lived their lives
on the boards and in the foyer； actors themselves； or in daily touch
with actors and actresses。 In the present day successful playwrights
appear to live much in the world of the players。 They have practical
knowledge of the conventions and conditions which the stage imposes。
Neither Browning nor Mr Swinburne （to take great names） has had； it
seems； much of this practical and daily experience； their dramas have
been acted but rarely； if at all； and many examples prove that
neither poetical genius nor the genius for prose fiction can enable
men to produce plays which hold their own on the boards。 This may be
the fault of public taste； or partly of public taste； partly of
defect in practical knowledge on the side of the authors。 Of the
stage； by way of practice； Tennyson had known next to nothing； yet
his dramas were written to be acted； and acted some of them were。
〃For himself； he was aware；〃 says his biographer； 〃that he wanted
intimate knowledge of the mechanical details neces