Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-02
Miseella,,u.
A VISIT TO TENNYsOy.

went to the door of FaringfOrd with a
letter from Robert Browning, and was re-
ceived with cordially After dinner he
took me up to his study, where he sat
smoking and talking in the frankest man
ner. Among other things, he told me of
the people who waylaid him, the incidents
/ being sometimes very amusing. Two men
for example, having got into his garden
separately, one climbed tree at the APP
proach of the other. The other, seeing
him, called out, softly, Il twig!" and
Immediately climbed another tree. And
yet he declared that no man was more
accessible than he to any one who had any
good reason for wishing to see him, or had
any introduction to him. So |, for one,
certainly found it, the hospitalities of
Farm giord having been offered to me be-
vond my willingness to accept them. 1t
had been a stormy evening, and the night
was of pitchy darkness when started out
against kind invitations TO remain, to go
to the "Albion" inn near by Tennyson
insisted on showing me he arer way, but
amidst the darkness got off his bearings.
Bidding me walk close behind him, we
went forward through the mud, when
suddenly found myself precipitated some
eight or ten feet downward. Sitting in
the mud, | called on the poet to pause;
but it was too late; he was speedily seated
beside me. This was seeing the Laureate
of England in new light. or, rather,
hearing him under a new darkness. Cow
cred with mud, cropping about in the dark
ness, he improved the odd occasion with
such an incessant run Of witticisms and
anecdotes that had TO conclude that we
had reached a condition which had dis
covered treasures of fun and humor in him
before unsllspected His deep bass voice
came through the congenial darkness like
a mlrthful thunder, not without flashes of
light; and the shades OF all who ever
stumbled in the night seemed around him,
and to remind him of whole literature of
such emergencies. Nexation was at least
not among the shadows that encoinpassed
us, though for time we were wandering
in muddy field, with no object, not even
the sky visible. That this should have
! happened after dinnerr' he exclaimed.
/ .'Do not mention this to the temperance
folk Tennyson's love of tt,n, his wealth
! of witty stories. were from the first sur
prise to me. But, indeed, he is personally
very different in every way from the man
| expected to see. Tall. of dark complex
ion with q deep and blunt voice and man
ner, almost Quakcr-like in its plainness,
/ fired of the homeliest Saxon words, he
seemed to be the last person one would
have picked out rs the delicate and super
artistic idylist. In conversation he never
rose into any thing ike the heroic strain,
except when speaking OF England. His
/ pride in his country amounts to a passion.
He had also keen interest in all scientific
! subjects, concerning which he had evil
IDENTITY read great deal He spoke much
of the philosophical questions OF the day,
also, his interest in which has led to the
formation OF the meetings for discussion
between Huxley, Tyndall, DR.. Manning.
James Martineau, himself, and others.
Next morning it was found that Mrs. Ten
nyson had directed the gardener TO make
some Improvements at that point which
had not been completed. y walk was in
existence there, however, at the close of
the next day, to which was given name
/ commemorative of the catastrophe, which
was happily without any unpleasant
results.
The next morning Was brilliant, and the
! poet took me on n walk around the manor
of which he is lord, the advantages of the
position being that he can have his sheep
Craze on the common, which otherwise
belongs as much to the public as to himself.
! The house is modest and cheerful, sur
rounded by beautiful trees, with, on one
side, a thcket of wild bushes and pines,
very favorable to the pursuers already
mentioned. The window of his study
opens on Il magnificent sea view. The
quiet home where Tennyson dwells, sur
rounded by charming household, is well
/ portrayed in his invitation TO the Rev. +.
ID. Maurice:
Where far from smoke and noise of town,
Iwateh the flight falling brown
All round n careless ordered garden
Close 10 the ridge of Il noble down.
"Younl have no scandal while You dine
But honest talk and wholes oIne wine,
And only hear the magpie gossip
Gairulous Under Il roof OF pine,
'sFor groves of pine on either hand
To break the blast of winter, stand;
And further the hoary channel
Tumbles u breaker on chalk and sand"
The poet has sometimes received as well
as sent out poetical invitations. Here is
one from Walter Savage Landor:
81 entreat you, Alfred Tennyson,
Come and share my haunCh of yenson
! have, too, bin Of claret,
Good, but better when you share it.
Though It's only Il small bin,
There's a stock of it within,
And, as Pm rllymer,
/ Hall butt of Rudesheimer
Come; among the sons of men is ono
Welcomer than Alfred rennyson ~
| When | have seen the Laureate in Lon
don he has always seemed, in dress, man
ner, and expression, to be cut of place.
as a wild wood-bira might be alighting for
moment in Hyde Park, but dreaming of
the forest whose glooms its wing was
meant to light up. He is the natural COM
panion of the clouds the downs, and the
breaking waves. with the iar-oif vistas
from which they bear him well-understood
messages. And as parted from him on
the clitf, to wend my way to London again,
turned to look upon him rs he was gazing
out upon the sea. and the cliff seemed his
appropriate pedestal. He stands in my