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wine。
Once more： In Mme。 Recamier's salon； I have read； at the time when
conversation was yet a fine art in Paris； guests famous for esprit
would sit in the twilight round the stove； whilst each in turn let
fly some sparkling anecdote or bon…mot； which rose and shone and died
out into silence； till the next of the elect pyrotechnists was ready。
Good things of this kind； as I have said； were plentiful in
Tennyson's repertory。 But what； to pass from the materials to the
method of his conversation； eminently marked it was the continuity of
the electric current。 He spoke； and was silent； and spoke again：
but the circuit was unbroken； there was no effort in taking up the
thread； no sense of disjunction。 Often I thought； had he never
written a line of the poems so dear to us； his conversation alone
would have made him the most interesting companion known to me。 From
this great and gracious student of humanity； what less； indeed； could
be expected？ And if； as a converser； I were to compare him with
Socrates； as figured for us in the dialogues of his great disciple； I
think that I should have the assent of that eminently valued friend
of Tennyson's； whose long labour of love has conferred English
citizenship upon Plato。
We have called him shy and sensitive in daily intercourse with
strangers； and as to criticism； he freely confessed that a midge of
dispraise could sting； while applause gave him little pleasure。 Yet
no poet altered his verses so much in obedience to censure unjustly
or irritatingly stated； yet in essence just。 He readily rejected
some of his 〃Juvenilia〃 on Mr Palgrave's suggestion。 The same friend
tells how well he took a rather fierce attack on an unpublished
piece； when Mr Palgrave 〃owned that he could not find one good line
in it。〃 Very few poets； or even versifiers （fiercer they than poets
are）； would have continued to show their virgin numbers to a friend
so candid； as Tennyson did。 Perhaps most of the genus irritabile
will grant that spoken criticism； if unfavourable； somehow annoys and
stirs opposition in an author； probably because it confirms his own
suspicions about his work。 Such criticism is almost invariably just。
But Campbell； when Rogers offered a correction； 〃bounced out of the
room； with a 'Hang it！ I should like to see the man who would dare
to correct me。'〃
Mr Jowett justly recognised in the life of Tennyson two circumstances
which made him other than； but for these； he would have been。 He had
intended to do with the Arthurian subject what he never did； 〃in some
way or other to have represented in it the great religions of the
world。 。 。 。 It is a proof of Tennyson's genius that he should have
thus early grasped the great historical aspect of religion。〃 His
intention was foiled； his early dream was broken； by the death of
Arthur Hallam； and by the coldness and contempt with which； at the
same period； his early poems were received。
Mr Jowett （who had a firm belief in the 〃great work〃） regretted the
change of plan as to the Arthurian topic； regretted it the more from
his own interest in the History of Religion。 But we need not share
the regrets。 The early plan for the Arthur （which Mr Jowett never
saw） has been published； and certainly the scheme could not have been
executed on these lines。 ｛18｝ Moreover； as the Master observed； the
work would have been premature in Tennyson's youth； and； indeed； it
would still be premature。 The comparative science of religious
evolution is even now very tentative； and does not yield materials of
sufficient stability for an epic； even if such an epic could be
forced into the mould of the Arthur legends； a feat perhaps
impossible； and certainly undesirable。 A truly fantastic allegory
must have been the result； and it is fortunate that the poet
abandoned the idea in favour of more human themes。 Moreover； he
recognised very early that his was not a Muse de longue haleine； that
he must be 〃short。〃 We may therefore feel certain that his early
sorrow and discouragement were salutary to him as a poet； and as a
man。 He became more sympathetic； more tender； and was obliged to put
forth that stoical self…control； and strenuous courage and endurance；
through which alone his poetic career was rendered possible。 〃He had
the susceptibility of a child or a woman；〃 says his friend； 〃he had
also〃 （it was a strange combination） 〃the strength of a giant or of a
god。〃 Without these qualities he must have broken down between 1833
and 1842 into a hypochondriac； or a morose； if majestic； failure。
Poor； obscure； and unhappy； he overcame the world； and passed from
darkness into light。 The 〃poetic temperament〃 in another not gifted
with his endurance and persistent strength would have achieved ruin。
Most of us remember Taine's parallel between Tennyson and Alfred de
Musset。 The French critic has no high approval of Tennyson's
〃respectability〃 and long peaceful life； as compared with the wrecked
life and genius of Musset； l'enfant perdu of love； wine； and song。
This is a theory like another； and is perhaps attractive to the
young。 The poet must have strong passions； or how can he sing of
them： he must be tossed and whirled in the stress of things； like
Shelley's autumn leaves； …
〃Ghosts from an enchanter fleeing。〃
Looking at Burns； Byron； Musset； or even at Shelley's earlier years；
youth sees in them the true poets； 〃sacred things；〃 but also 〃light；〃
as Plato says； inspired to break their wings against the nature of
existence； and the flammantia maenia mundi。 But this is almost a
boyish idea； this idea that the true poet is the slave of the
passions； and that the poet who dominates them has none； and is but a
staid domestic animal； an ass browsing the common； as somebody has
written about Wordsworth。 Certainly Tennyson's was no 〃passionless
perfection。〃 He； like others； was tempted to beat with ineffectual
wings against the inscrutable nature of life。 He； too； had his dark
hour； and was as subject to temptation as they who yielded to the
stress and died； or became unhappy waifs； 〃young men with a splendid
past。〃 He must have known； no less than Musset； the attractions of
many a paradis artificiel； with its bright visions； its houris； its
offers of oblivion of pain。 〃He had the look of one who had suffered
greatly；〃 Mr Palgrave writes in his record of their first meeting in
1842。 But he； like Goethe； Scott； and Victor Hugo； had strength as
well as passion and emotion； he came unscorched through the fire that
has burned away the wings of so many other great poets。 This was no
less fortunate for the world than for himself。 Of his prolonged dark
hour we know little in detail； but we have seen that from the first
he resisted the Tempter； Ulysses is his Retro Sathanas！
About 〃the mechanism of genius〃 in Tennyson Mr Palgrave has told us a
little； more appears incidentally in his biography。 〃It was his way
that when we had entered on some scene of special beauty or grandeur；
after enjoying it together； he should always withdraw wholly from
sight； and study the view； as it were； in a little artificial
solitude。〃
Tennyson's poems； Mr Palgr