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dialect to which Tennyson had of late years inclined。 Vastness
merely expresses； in terms of poetry； Tennyson's conviction that；
without immortality； life is a series of worthless contrasts。 An
opposite opinion may be entertained； but a man has a right to express
his own； which； coming from so great a mind； is not undeserving of
attention； or； at least； is hardly deserving of reproof。 The poet's
idea is also stated thus in The Ring； in terms which perhaps do not
fall below the poetical； or； at least； do not drop into 〃the utterly
unpoetical〃：…
〃The Ghost in Man； the Ghost that once was Man；
But cannot wholly free itself from Man；
Are calling to each other thro' a dawn
Stranger than earth has ever seen； the veil
Is rending； and the Voices of the day
Are heard across the Voices of the dark。
No sudden heaven； nor sudden hell； for man；
But thro' the Will of One who knows and rules …
And utter knowledge is but utter love …
AEonian Evolution； swift or slow；
Thro' all the Spheresan ever opening height；
An ever lessening earth。〃
The Ring is； in fact； a ghost story based on a legend told by Mr
Lowell about a house near where he had once lived； one of those
houses vexed by
〃A footstep； a low throbbing in the walls；
A noise of falling weights that never fell；
Weird whispers； bells that rang without a hand；
Door…handles turn'd when none was at the door；
And bolted doors that open'd of themselves。〃
These phenomena were doubtless caused by rats and water…pipes； but
they do not destroy the pity and the passion of the tale。 The lines
to Mary Boyle are all of the normal world； and worthy of a poet's
youth and of the spring。 Merlin and the Gleam is the spiritual
allegory of the poet's own career：…
〃Arthur had vanish'd
I knew not whither；
The king who loved me；
And cannot die。〃
So at last
〃All but in Heaven
Hovers The Gleam；〃
whither the wayfarer was soon to follow。 There is a marvellous hope
and pathos in the melancholy of these all but the latest songs；
reminiscent of youth and love； and even of the dim haunting memories
and dreams of infancy。 No other English poet has thus rounded all
his life with music。 Tennyson was in his eighty…first year； when
there 〃came in a moment〃 the crown of his work； the immortal lyric；
Crossing the Bar。 It is hardly less majestic and musical in the
perfect Greek rendering by his brother…in…law； Mr Lushington。 For
once at least a poem has been 〃poured from the golden to the silver
cup〃 without the spilling of a drop。 The new book's appearance was
coincident with the death of Mr Browning； 〃so loving and
appreciative；〃 as Lady Tennyson wrote； a friend； not a rival； however
the partisans of either poet might strive to stir emulation between
two men of such lofty and such various genius。
CHAPTER X。1890。
In the year 1889 the poet's health had permitted him to take long
walks on the sea…shore and along the cliffs； one of which； by reason
of its whiteness； he had named 〃Taliessin；〃 〃the splendid brow。〃 His
mind ran on a poem founded on an Egyptian legend （of which the source
is not mentioned）； telling how 〃despair and death came upon him who
was mad enough to try to probe the secret of the universe。〃 He also
thought of a drama on Tristram； who； in the Idylls； is treated with
brevity； and not with the sympathy of the old writer who cries； 〃God
bless Tristram the knight： he fought for England！〃 But early in
1890 Tennyson suffered from a severe attack of influenza。 In May Mr
Watts painted his portrait； and
〃Divinely through all hindrance found the man。〃
Tennyson was a great admirer of Miss Austen's novels： 〃The realism
and life…likeness of Miss Austen's Dramatis Personae come nearest to
those of Shakespeare。 Shakespeare； however； is a sun to which Jane
Austen； though a bright and true little world； is but an asteroid。〃
He was therefore pleased to find apple…blossoms co…existing with ripe
strawberries on June 28； as Miss Austen has been blamed； by minute
philosophers； for introducing this combination in the garden party in
Emma。 The poet； like most of the good and great； read novels
eagerly； and excited himself over the confirmation of an adult male
in a story by Miss Yonge。 Of Scott； 〃the most chivalrous literary
figure of the century； and the author with the widest range since
Shakespeare；〃 he preferred Old Mortality； and it is a good choice。
He hated 〃morbid and introspective tales； with their oceans of sham
philosophy。〃 At this time； with catholic taste； he read Mr Stevenson
and Mr Meredith； Miss Braddon and Mr Henry James； Ouida and Mr Thomas
Hardy； Mr Hall Caine and Mr Anstey； Mrs Oliphant and Miss Edna Lyall。
Not everybody can peruse all of these very diverse authors with
pleasure。 He began his poem on the Roman gladiatorial combats；
indeed his years； fourscore and one； left his intellectual eagerness
as unimpaired as that of Goethe。 〃A crooked share；〃 he said to the
Princess Louise； 〃may make a straight furrow。〃 〃One afternoon he had
a long waltz with M… in the ballroom。〃 Speaking of
〃All the charm of all the Muses
Often flowering in a lonely word〃
in Virgil； he adduced； rather strangely； the cunctantem ramum； said
of the Golden Bough； in the Sixth AEneid。 The choice is odd； because
the Sibyl has just told AEneas that； if he be destined to pluck the
branch of gold； ipse volens facilisque sequetur； 〃it will come off of
its own accord；〃 like the sacred ti branches of the Fijians； which
bend down to be plucked for the Fire rite。 Yet； when the predestined
AEneas tries to pluck the bough of gold； it yields reluctantly
（cunctantem）； contrary to what the Sibyl has foretold。 Mr Conington；
therefore； thought the phrase a slip on the part of Virgil。 〃People
accused Virgil of plagiarising；〃 he said； 〃but if a man made it his
own there was no harm in that （look at the great poets； Shakespeare
included）。〃 Tennyson； like Virgil； made much that was ancient his
own； his verses are often； and purposefully； a mosaic of classical
reminiscences。 But he was vexed by the hunters after remote and
unconscious resemblances； and far…fetched analogies between his lines
and those of others。 He complained that； if he said that the sun
went down； a parallel was at once cited from Homer； or anybody else；
and he used a very powerful phrase to condemn critics who detected
such repetitions。 〃The moanings of the homeless sea；〃〃moanings〃
from Horace； 〃homeless〃 from Shelley。 〃As if no one else had ever
heard the sea moan except Horace！〃 Tennyson's mixture of memory and
forgetfulness was not so strange as that of Scott； and when he
adapted from the Greek； Latin； or Italian； it was of set purpose；
just as it was with Virgil。 The beautiful lines comparing a girl's
eyes to bottom agates that seem to
〃Wave and float
In crystal currents of clear running seas；〃
he invented while bathing in Wales。 It was his habit； to note down
in verse such similes from nature； and to use them when he found
occasion。 But the higher criticism； analysing the simile； detected
elements from Shakespeare and from Beaumont and Fletcher。
In June 1891 t