Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-10-11
Fer the Daily Stale Sentinel
Maud, and other Poems --Dy ALFEED

TESSYsoS, 1856.
Some acute critics by way al conveying
the most exquisit. affiliations Of nattery 10
the auricoiar senses Of the accomplished cdi-
tor Of Puinom's Monthly, have of late fallen
into The strain Of comparing the magazine to
Blnclrcood, the North British ihnnderer, and
probably they have gone very f..r in saying
that PatnGm is thc Dlackwooi Of America
Now
''Anseis and ministers OF grace, dafend u.:''
Though our American pride brings rs IN
der the clutches Of the Prince Of Tories. We
Insist on letting it out. Let any nan who
has rot had the innate spirit Of beauty and
poetry ground cu. Of him by the great mill
wheels OF society and wo,ldliness, and whose
lcnsings for the uuattainable, have iTnbued
him with 9. perception Of Z triumphant exc
cuton IN the domains Of tho possible as well
rs the cal,---lot such a man examine the
cold callousncSs of the critic in Blackwood,
whose article On TEySYsoE's last production
breathes Ilroughou. tho Pharisaicol conceis
which he onlv cmhodies in words towards
/ the close. and compare it with the noble tri-
bute of a genuine hcsrt-poet (though we do
/ know that he has ever rhymed two Ines in
the lsst number Of Putnam, ard express, il il
bs only to himself. the feeling of pain and
sorrow which 80 disconsolately must glide
over him. that positien Ike that of the
Scotch csesyist stc~uld he 50 si'ased. The
! following IS the passage to which We have
esrec:al reference:
- more unpleasant task ihan ;ha. which ne
lust performed in reviewing this poem. ard "a
passing so unfayorable Judgment. has not de
volYed upon us for many day. We hoped n
have been able TO aPplaud--Te have been com
peled, against our wish and expectation. 10
condemn. 1t rnay possibly DC said that there
was no occasion for expressing any kind OF
opiuien; and that if. after perusing Maud. w
found that we could not cOnscieniiously praise
il. II was in our option TO Jet il pass unnoticcd
But We cannot so deal with Mr. Tennysou.-
His reputation is high one; and he has @
large poetic following In justice to others Of
less note, upon whose works We have conmen-
ted freely. We cannot maintain silence wher
the Iaureats has taken the field. Same Of thoss
} whom We have previously noticed, may posi-
. bly, think that our judgments have been harsh
fox when did ever youthful poet listen cornpla
Gently to an honest censor?-brt they shall no
have an excuse FOX saying that. while we spok,
our mind feeely with regard to them, VIC hav,
allowed others of more acknowledged credit {.
escape, when their writings demanded con
demnation. Why should We attempt reviewing
at al, If We are not to be impartialin our judg
ments? Ifthe opinion which We have express
: ed should have the effect Of making Mr.. Tenny
son aware Of the fact that he is seriously i'm
perilling his fame by issuing poems SO i'll con
sidered crude. tawdry. and objectionable \
: this, then We believe that our present plainnes
Of speech will lie the cause Of q great gain I
the poetic literature Of me country. If. on ih
L contrary, Mr. Tennyson chooses TO turn den
!. ear TO our remonstrance, we cannot help II; bu
we have performed our duty. We have neve
y heen insensible to his merits, nor have we wi
d fully withheld cur admiration, and 1t is fror
: the very poignancy Of our regret to see man S
gifted descend to platitudes like these, that v
y have expressed ourselves 50 broadly Fai