The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-05
TENNYSON'S NEW POEM.
THE LAST AND MOST CHARMING OF
THE ARTHURIAN IDYLLS.
Gareth and Lynette.

L n
Gareth and Lynette.
The growth of Tennyson's greatest work, in
the field of narrative rather than emotiona!
poetry, has been one OF many years. The enc
of the last decade saw the first OF the "Idylls
OF the King" and to-day the last of this series
of Arthurian romances completes the cycle.
"Garelh and Lynette" does not follow In
order. "Guinevere" has already ended the
series, and 1.-THE Last Tournament" has been
inter}ected. This Idyll follows "The Coming
of Arthur" where it finds an appropriate
place as an episode of the palmy days of the
Round Table, when honor and purity existed
unsulled In Camelot, and when
- out of bower and easement shyly. glanced
Ewes Of pure women, wholesome stars OF love;
And all about healthful people slept
AS In the presence OF gracious King.
The poem not only shows no sign Of faS-
glng interest or waning power In the nara.
tor, but is as fresh In incident, as rich Ia
fancy and more free from all trace Of over
strained sentiment than most of the others.
1t also is written in brighter and livelier
mood. The severe laureate seldom designs to
make his readers smile; but his picture of the
fair and hooking Lynette Is as mlrthfnl as II
is charming, and Kay, the grumbling old
seneschal, ia an excellent comedy character.
The story is not weighted with any of those
moral problems that Tennyson sometimes
broods over 10 his verse. 1t wells no metapky-
scs and opens up no vlstas of speculatlon; but
tells directly, though with much beautiful
ILLUSTRATION, the tale OF bright and good boy
whose sole thought and desire is to become a
knight of Arthur's court. Gareth was the son
of Belllcent, widow. He was Of noble
lineage and full of courage and ambition.
Having long entreated his mother In vain ior
permission to leave their quiet castle and to
seek service with the king, she at last con-
senta, provided Gareth will submit to one con-
dillon which she ls to impose. and that is that
he shall 60 disguised to Arthur's hall and hire
himself to serve as kitchen scullion for a
year and a day. Nor is he to tell bis true
name to any one during that time. The poor
mother hopes that her boys pride will revolt
from such a condition, but he accepts 1t and
goes to Camelot. There, ascending to the
great audience chamber, he finds the king
surrounded by his knights and sitting In judg-
ment. The scene is strlklugly portrayed, and
we extract portion of 1t:
Then Into hall Gareth ascending heard
| A Voice, the voice OF Arthur, and oeheld
Far over heads In that long g.vaulted hall
| The splendor OF the presence OF the King
Throned, and delivering dCom-and look'd no
more
Bot felt his young heart hRmmerlng in his ears,
And thought, "For this half shadow OF lie
The truthful King will doom me when speak"
Then came widow crying to the King,
"a boon, sir Kingl Thy father, Uther, reft
From nv dead lord q del with vi lence;
For howsoe'er at fret he pronered gold,
Yet, for the field was pleas ant In our eyes,
We Welded not; aud then he reit us oft
Perforce, and left Us neither gold nor neld."
Said Arthur, "Whether would yer gold or field 9'
TO whom the woman weeping, Nay. my lord,
The field was pleasant In my husbands eye."
and Arthur, "Have thy pleasant field again,
And thrice tue gold for 1ther's use tnereof. -
According 10 the years. No boon Ia here,
But Justice, 80 thy say be proven true.
Accursed, who from ths wrongs his father did
Would shape himself right"
And while she past,
Came yet another widow crying to him.
",
with thine own hand thuu slewest my dear lord,
knight OF Uther In the Barono' War,
When Lot aud many another rose and fought
Agsiust thee. saying thou vert basey born.
I held with these, aud l0aihe TO ask thee aught.
Yet 10 nv husbands brother had my son
Thrsed 10 bis CASTLE and hath starved him dead; {;
And standeth seized OF that inheritance
which thou that slewest the sire haaT lefe the son,
so tho'I scarce can ask It thee for hate
Grant me some knight to do the battle for me,
Kin The foul thlef, and wreaE me for my son."
Then strobe good knight forward, crying to
"A boon, Sir King am her kinsman. I.
Give me to right her wrong, and slay the man."
Then came Sir Kay. the seneschal, and cried,
"a boon, Sir King eV'n that thou grant ner
This railer, that hath m ck'd thee In full hall.
None; or the Wholesome boon or gyve and gag"
But Arthur, 1--WE sit, King, to help the wrongd
Thro, all our realm. The woman loves her lord.
Peace to thee. woman, With thy loves and nstes
The kings OF old had doomed thee TO the names.
Aurelius Emrys would have scourged thee dead.
And uther slit thy tongue. but get thee hence
| Lest that rough humor OF the kings OF Old
Return upoa me Thou that art her kin,
Go likewise; lay hum low and slay him not, ,,,,
| According 10 the justice OF the King;
Then, be ne guilty, by that dealhless King
VINO lived and died for me1l, the man shall dle."
And many another supplIant crying came
| With noise OF rayage wrought by beast and man,
And evermore knight would ride away.
Last Gareth leaning both hands heavily
Down on the shoulders OF the twain, his men,
Approaoh'd between them toward the King, and
ask'd,
"a boon, Sir King (his voice was all sshamed,)
| For see We not how weak and hungerworn
| I seem-leaning on these ? grant me tn serve
For meat and drlak among thy kitchen kaayes
| twelVemonth and day, nor seek my name,
Hereafter will fight"
| To him the King,
| "a goodly youth. and worth goodller boon
i But an thou wilt no goodlier, tnen must Kay,
| The master OF the meats and drinks, be thine"
Gareth's life among the kitchen louts was by
no means an agreeable one; and Kay, out oi
sheer perverslty, made 1t all the harder. But
the youthful spirit was not disheartened, and
every menial duty was thoroughly performed.
Meantime his mother repents OF the hardship
she has put upon her son, aud sends him arms
and frees him from his promise. Thereupon
Gsreth goes straightway to the king and CON-
fesses the slight deceit that he has practiced,
but begs the kings forgiveness and permission
to 90 upon the next knightly quest that shall
offer; but he begs the king to still regard him
as a menial until such time as he shall have