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half…Celt； with a Roman education； and the 〃blend〃 is rather too
remote for successful representation。 The traditional villain； from
Iago downwards； is not apt to utter such poetry as this：…
〃O Thou； that dost inspire the germ with life；
The child； a thread within the house of birth；
And give him limbs； then air； and send him forth
The glory of his fatherThou whose breath
Is balmy wind to robe our bills with grass；
And kindle all our vales with myrtle…blossom；
And roll the golden oceans of our grain；
And sway the long grape…bunches of our vines；
And fill all hearts with fatness and the lust
Of plentymake me happy in my marriage！〃
The year 1881 brought the death of another of the old Cambridge
friends； James Spedding； the biographer of Bacon； and Carlyle also
died； a true friend； if rather intermittent in his appreciation of
poetry。 The real Carlyle did appreciate it； but the Carlyle of
attitude was too much of the iron Covenanter to express what he felt。
The poem Despair irritated the earnest and serious readers of 〃know…
nothing books。〃 The poem expressed； dramatically； a mood like
another； a human mood not so very uncommon。 A man ruined in this
world's happiness curses the faith of his youth； and the unfaith of
his reading and reflection； and tries to drown himself。 This is one
conclusion of the practical syllogism； and it is a free country。
However； there were freethinkers who did not think that Tennyson's
kind of thinking ought to be free。 Other earnest persons objected to
〃First drink a health；〃 in the re…fashioned song of Hands all Round。
They might have remembered a royal health drunk in water an hour
before the drinkers swept Mackay down the Pass of Killiecrankie。 The
poet did not specify the fluid in which the toast was to be carried；
and the cup might be that which 〃cheers but not inebriates。〃 〃The
common cup；〃 as the remonstrants had to be informed； 〃has in all ages
been the sacred symbol of unity。〃
The Promise of May was produced in November 1882； and the poet was
once more so unfortunate as to vex the susceptibilities of advanced
thinkers。 The play is not a masterpiece； and yet neither the gallery
gods nor the Marquis of Queensberry need have felt their withers
wrung。 The hero； or villain； Edgar； is a perfectly impossible
person； and represents no kind of political； social； or economical
thinker。 A man would give all other bliss and all his worldly wealth
for this； to waste his whole strength in one kick upon this perfect
prig。 He employs the arguments of evolution and so forth to justify
the seduction of a little girl of fifteen； and later； by way of
making amends； proposes to commit incest by marrying her sister。
There have been evolutionists； to be sure； who believed in
promiscuity； like Mr Edgar； as preferable to monogamy。 But this only
proves that an evolutionist may fail to understand evolution。 There
be also such folk as Stevenson calls 〃squirradicals〃squires who say
that 〃the land is the people's。〃 Probably no advocate of
promiscuity； and no squirradical； was present at the performances of
The Promise of May。 But people of advanced minds had got it into
their heads that their doctrines were to be attacked； so they went
and made a hubbub in the sacred cause of freedom of thought and
speech。 The truth is； that controversial topics； political topics；
ought not to be brought into plays； much less into sermons。 Tennyson
meant Edgar for 〃nothing thorough； nothing sincere。〃 He is that
venomous thing； the prig…scoundrel： he does not suit the stage； and
his place； if anywhere； is in the novel。 Advocates of marriage with
a deceased wife's sister might have applauded Edgar for wishing to
marry the sister of a mistress assumed to be deceased； but no other
party in the State wanted anything except the punching of Edgar's
head by Farmer Dobson。
In 1883 died Edward FitzGerald； the most kind； loyal； and； as he
said； crotchety of old and dear Cambridge friends。 He did not live
to see the delightful poem which Tennyson had written for him。 In
almost his latest letter he had remarked； superfluously； that when he
called the task of translating The Agamemnon 〃work for a poet；〃 he
〃was not thinking of Mr Browning。〃
In the autumn of 1883 Tennyson was taken； with Mr Gladstone； by Sir
Donald Currie； for a cruise round the west coast of Scotland； to the
Orkneys； and to Copenhagen。 The people of Kirkwall conferred on the
poet and the statesman the freedom of the burgh； and Mr Gladstone； in
an interesting speech； compared the relative chances of posthumous
fame of the poet and the politician。 Pericles is not less remembered
than Sophocles； though Shakespeare is more in men's minds than Cecil。
Much depends； as far as the statesmen are considered； on contemporary
historians。 It is Thucydides who immortalises Pericles。 But it is
improbable that the things which Mr Gladstone did； and attempted；
will be forgotten more rapidly than the conduct and characters of；
say； Burleigh or Lethington。
In 1884； after this voyage； with its royal functions and celebrations
at Copenhagen； a peerage was offered to the poet。 He 〃did not want
to alter his plain Mr；〃 and he must have known that； whether he
accepted or refused； the chorus of blame would be louder than that of
applause。 Scott had desired 〃such grinning honour as Sir Walter
hath〃； the title went well with the old name； and pleased his love of
old times。 Tennyson had been blamed 〃by literary men〃 for thrice
evading a baronetcy； and he did not think that a peerage would make
smooth the lives of his descendants。 But he concluded； 〃Why should I
be selfish and not suffer an honour （as Gladstone says） to be done to
literature in my name？〃 Politically； he thought that the Upper
House； while it lasts； partly supplied the place of the American
〃referendum。〃 He voted in July 1884 for the extension of the
franchise； and in November stated his views to Mr Gladstone in verse。
In prose he wrote to Mr Gladstone； 〃I have a strong conviction that
the more simple the dealings of men with men； as well as of man with
man； arethe better；〃 a sentiment which； perhaps； did not always
prevail with his friend。 The poet's reflections on the horror of
Gordon's death are not recorded。 He introduced the idea of the
Gordon Home for Boys； and later supported it by a letter； 〃Have we
forgotten Gordon？〃 to the Daily Telegraph。 They who cannot forget
Gordon must always be grateful to Tennyson for providing this
opportunity of honouring the greatest of an illustrious clan； and of
helping； in their degree； a scheme which was dear to the heroic
leader。
The poet； very naturally； was most averse to personal appearance in
public matters。 Mankind is so fashioned that the advice of a poet is
always regarded as unpractical； and is even apt to injure the cause
which he advocates。 Happily there cannot be two opinions about the
right way of honouring Gordon。 Tennyson's poem； The Fleet； was also
in harmony with the general sentiment。
In the last month of 1884 Becket was published。 The theme of Fair
Rosamund had appealed to the poet in youth； and he had written part
of a lyric