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Coleridge and Scott were silent： indeed Sir Walter was near his
death； Wordsworth had shot his bolt； though an arrow or two were left
in the quiver。 Keats； Shelley； and Byron were dead； Milman's brief
vogue was departing。 It seemed as if novels alone could appeal to
readers； so great a change in taste had been wrought by the sixteen
years of Waverley romances。 The slim volume of Tennyson was
naturally neglected； though Leigh Hunt reviewed it in the Tatler。
Hallam's comments in the Englishman's Magazine； though enthusiastic
（as was right and natural）； were judicious。 〃The author imitates no
one。〃 Coleridge did not read all the book； but noted 〃things of a
good deal of beauty。 The misfortune is that he has begun to write
verses without very well understanding what metre is。〃 As Tennyson
said in 1890； 〃So I； an old man； who get a poem or poems every day；
might cast a casual glance at a book； and seeing something which I
could not scan or understand； might possibly decide against the book
without further consideration。〃 As a rule； the said books are
worthless。 The number of versifiers makes it hard； indeed； for the
poet to win recognition。 One little new book of rhyme is so like
another； and almost all are of so little interest！
The rare book that differs from the rest has a bizarrerie with its
originality； and in the poems of 1830 there was； assuredly； more than
enough of the bizarre。 There were no hyphens in the double epithets；
and words like 〃tendriltwine〃 seemed provokingly affected。 A kind of
lusciousness； like that of Keats when under the influence of Leigh
Hunt； may here and there be observed。 Such faults as these catch the
indifferent eye when a new book is first opened； and the volume of
1830 was probably condemned by almost every reader of the previous
generation who deigned to afford it a glance。 Out of fifty…six
pieces only twenty…three were reprinted in the two volumes of 1842；
which won for Tennyson the general recognition of the world of
letters。 Five or six of the pieces then left out were added as
Juvenilia in the collected works of 1871； 1872。 The whole mass
deserves the attention of students of the poet's development。
This early volume may be said to contain； in the germ； all the great
original qualities of Tennyson； except the humour of his rural
studies and the elaboration of his Idylls。 For example； in Mariana
we first note what may be called his perfection and accomplishment。
The very few alterations made later are verbal。 The moated grange of
Mariana in Measure for Measure； and her mood of desertion and
despair； are elaborated by a precision of truth and with a perfection
of harmony worthy of Shakespeare himself； and minutely studied from
the natural scenes in which the poet was born。 If these verses alone
survived out of the wreck of Victorian literature； they would
demonstrate the greatness of the author as clearly as do the
fragments of Sappho。 Isabel （a study of the poet's mother） is almost
as remarkable in its stately dignity； while Recollections of the
Arabian Nights attest the power of refined luxury in romantic
description； and herald the unmatched beauty of The Lotos…Eaters。
The Poet； again； is a picture of that which Tennyson himself was to
fulfil； and Oriana is a revival of romance； and of the ballad； not
limited to the ballad form as in its prototype； Helen of Kirkconnell。
Curious and exquisite experiment in metre is indicated in the Leonine
Elegiacs； in Claribel； and several other poems。 Qualities which were
not for long to find public expression； speculative powers brooding；
in various moods； on ultimate and insoluble questions； were attested
by The Mystic； and Supposed Confessions of a Second…rate Sensitive
Mind not in Unity with Itself； an unlucky title of a remarkable
performance。 〃In this； the most agitated of all his poems； we find
the soul urging onward
'Thro' utter dark a full…sail'd skiff；
Unpiloted i' the echoing dance
Of reboant whirlwinds；'
and to the question； 'Why not believe； then？' we have as answer a
simile of the sea； which cannot slumber like a mountain tarn； or
'Draw down into his vexed pools
All that blue heaven which hues and paves'
the tranquil inland mere。〃 ｛3｝
The poet longs for the faith of his infant days and of his mother …
〃Thy mild deep eyes upraised； that knew
The beauty and repose of faith；
And the clear spirit shining thro'。〃
That faith is already shaken； and the long struggle for belief has
already begun。
Tennyson； according to Matthew Arnold； was not un esprit puissant。
Other and younger critics； who have attained to a cock…certain mood
of negation； are apt to blame him because； in fact； he did not
finally agree with their opinions。 If a man is necessarily a
weakling or a hypocrite because； after trying all things； he is not
an atheist or a materialist； then the reproach of insincerity or of
feebleness of mind must rest upon Tennyson。 But it is manifest that；
almost in boyhood； he had already faced the ideas which； to one of
his character； almost meant despair： he had not kept his eyes
closed。 To his extremely self…satisfied accusers we might answer； in
lines from this earliest volume （The Mystic）：…
〃Ye scorn him with an undiscerning scorn；
Ye cannot read the marvel in his eye；
The still serene abstraction。〃
He would behold
〃One shadow in the midst of a great light；
One reflex from eternity on time；
One mighty countenance of perfect calm；
Awful with most invariable eyes。〃
His mystic of these boyish years …
〃Often lying broad awake； and yet
Remaining from the body； and apart
In intellect and power and will； hath heard
Time flowing in the middle of the night；
And all things creeping to a day of doom。〃
In this poem； never republished by the author； is an attempt to
express an experience which in later years he more than once
endeavoured to set forth in articulate speech； an experience which
was destined to colour his finial speculations on ultimate problems
of God and of the soul。 We shall later have to discuss the opinion
of an eminent critic； Mr Frederic Harrison； that Tennyson's ideas；
theological； evolutionary； and generally speculative； 〃followed；
rather than created； the current ideas of his time。〃 〃The train of
thought〃 （in In Memoriam）； writes Mr Harrison； 〃is essentially that
with which ordinary English readers had been made familiar by F。 D。
Maurice； Professor Jowett； Dr Martineau； Ecce Homo； Hypatia。〃 Of
these influences only Maurice； and Maurice only orally； could have
reached the author of The Mystic and the Supposed Confessions。 Ecce
Homo； Hypatia； Mr Jowett； were all in the bosom of the future when In
Memoriam was written。 Now； The Mystic and the Supposed Confessions
are prior to In Memoriam； earlier than 1830。 Yet they already
contain the chief speculative tendencies of In Memoriam； the growing
doubts caused by evolutionary ideas （then familiar to Tennyson；
though not to 〃ordinary English readers〃）； the longing for a return
to childlike faith； and the mystical experiences which helped
Tennyson to recover a faith that abode with him。 In these t