The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-01-08

TENNNsON's Is MEMoRIAM-P Poetry
has been lately defined to be, the commuu.
ION OF man with himself There is no bet
ter definition. The book before us realizes
the idea. In reading it we feel that lis sem
umenis come from the well spring Of soul.
We drink 5 living waters, crystal clear
drops, which, distilled from heaven original
~, have lost. IN tiiering through the dust Of
the earth, 10 purity, no ruth aud have
gained no foreign or artificial qualities of
hue or substance. The poet. filed with an
unceasing regret for the loss OF his much
Lived friend, has woven about his memory
ana his personal image, the most beautiful
and desirable system of religion and spirit
ual phHosophv,-a religion OF love and rev.
elehce anu hope. philosophy that from the
nrsa'islied desires Of earth infrrs the souls
capacities and desuny,-a religious philoso.
! ply lhaI, by the strength Of its c1niemp,a-
tons, overcomes the testimonies OF sense.
Yet not every one will appreciate this
book; not every one who appreciates it. will
agree or sympathise with its sentiments The
religious dogmalist. who. from tn. mul,;nled
religious differences Of honest and d.yout
and wise men, infers no uncertainty in the
conclusions Of his own reason the man who
would teach the doctrines and sentiments of
re gion. as he would teach politics or chem
! lstry or carpentry; he who ia transferring
the punitive doctrines Of earth 10 the courts
OF Heaven, leaves out their Justice and keeps
Only their severity they who are more sell
ii,hly cgotesiical and i>olned in their relin-
lous holc than in their daily dealings; they
who claim that their religion comedies with
reason, while thew torbl us to reason about
II; they whose faith groweth from without
and not from within all these. and their
kindred, will find in TENNYsoN no comfort
for Them, and no religious wisdom. In fact
most of these will not, or cannot, cndearos-
to understand the book at all it vii! be TO
them, mostly, words, fair words And
when, perchance it touches as it must sone-
times touch. string in their deepest nature,
lis tones, though felt as beautiful by the heart,
will be strange to the understanding, and
will quickly die away and he forgotten
But he who - hopclh all thing" and loves
better to bless than to curse he, who will
not make his reason blind" nor pronounce
upon the blindness OF others he WHO can
love God, only as he believes that God is
Love he who would fain see in all the things
dnd thoughts of earth, testimonies of Gods
character, having that inspiration, of ncces-
,liy he who, driven BY reason upon the alb
horrrd rocks Of sccpdcism. desires to escape
thence wilholt leaving his common sense
behind; he, who. from the darkness and the
doubts which ensh oud the conclusions Of
reason whrr exercised on the exalted sub
.irrls OF Religion,-a darkness and uncer-
tainty that can derive no illumination and
no ceTiainty from crceds or sermons or books
he who. from them repealed, would be
willing TO embrace a sustaining confidence
IN the hopes, and the fiii' b. ana the lonninps
of the hcar-'t~ew will find. in IN Nemori-
da'. an impulse and support, and conso.
la'lon Of great llc>sedness. Fixing aud pu-
riying the affections, drawing forth and en-
'ivenlng oar highest aspirations and MODEST
sympathies, it makes them the soul an ali
ment Of a spiritual philosophy that charms
the mind and awakcns The warmth of love
in cold reason itself | may seem to speak
with enthusiasm but speak only that 'ch
| have felt.
| choose TO leave the book without making
any extract 10 illustrate my criticism, for
though it is fill of passages that have an
isolated beauiy.iis great merit, that Of which
have spoken, runs through the whole, as an
aggregate vitality incapable ofdiyision or sep
lration leave it without further comment,
more than TO say, that there arc many who,
rom different east of mind. doubles better
han mine,) will feel no need of its counses
md consultations, and would find more pleas.
ire in reading political speech, or a relig-
Gus tract and, that those who would find
md appreciate its wisdom, if it cont ain wis
lom, must read il more than once.
Middlebury, Jan. LIST, 1851.