New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-09

The English Poet l. auren and His Love OF
Netirement.

The excerpt following is part of an article
on Mr.. Tennyson, printed in the London
Standard of December q: Nature runs
the article in question, ''reiOices in contrasts.
and criticism initiates her example,; and
better foil TO the Man of Letters, whose
genius and disposition were last the subject
OF our consideration, could scarcely be found
than in the living poet whose name heads
this paper. Mr.. Disraeli has been only in
part man of letters. NJ. Tennyson has
been nothing else; and his case, if in consc-
quence OF less personal and dramatic interest,
Is wlthai more rare, and therefore at least
equally worthy of our contemplation. 1t
would scarcely be possible adequately and
rightly to describe Mr.. TennysOn's DISPOSE
ton and practice than by saying that he has
positively SHRINK from active lifi. and from
the public ken. The many-headcd beast
must know he observes scornruIy, III IN
Memoriam.' but the many-headed beast
knows very little about him. and he has
taken good care that very little shall be
known. The world generally knows him by
his poems and his portrait, and that Is about
all. His lofty lament for the male friend OF
his youth. though much bought and some
what read, must necessarily be cariare even
to his own multitude, and is not associated
with that kind of romantic sentiment which
is best understood by the crowd. We are
not aWdTc tUdl any
cared to inquire, Who was Amy" though
truly there are in poetical literature fewer
pieces of seemingly personal confession more
exquisite, or better calculated to excite vul-
ar curiosity than Jockey Hail. But Mr.
,nyson has dwelt sedUlOusly remote from
General eve, and 'out of sight, out OF
is always true in respect of the gaping
Mr.. Tennyson has been singularly
in succeeding i'll this desire to es-
ervation, and his success has lent to
r, in our opinion, dignity and an
eprivacy, which, in an age OF peo-
ting for nOtoriety, and making a
, have much distinguished him. Mr..
on has never fetched and carried
)ng up and down. or made clubs, CO.
>, or drawing-rooms subservient to low
for popularity There exists in this me-
polls a number of singing gentlemen who
ass their lives in praising each other in or
der to push themselves; and one ambitious
bard who, while he lived abroad, could OBJ
tain little or no recognition in England, has,
by coming to London, and industriously
working the social and critical wires which
jerk man during lie into prominence,
reached, we must suppose, the summit OF his
desires. To all such unworthy work Mr..
Tennyson has been a stranger. He says,
very beautifully and very justly, that Words
worth uttered nothing base. He himself
has done nothing base. Whether or no the
lame he at present en- Joys be greater than
time will ultimately alot him, such as it is
he has honestly won il. He waited for 1t
with noble patience; and if, when it came,
II came In an exaggerated form-as is so
often the case in this couutry-he has had
no.l.;,,,. to do with Tho axaosrerot;on
Though necessarily it cannot be said OF
him, as Laureate, that he has always
been singing songs uubldden," he has
,.,.l., To I,
The world, however, does not like what
1t regards as its very proper privilege to be
denied It, preferring, where famous man is |
concerned, as Dickens has amusingly de-
scritcd OF himself, to come up stairs and
seS, and bring its brothers : and gossip, ac-
sordngly, has circulated some il-natured
stories at the expense of what is called Mr.. |
Tennyson's excessive reserve. They will
find no currency here. The only anecdotc
which we may repeat, since il is not ILL., |
natured, Is the following: \ well known
Prince Of the House of Brunswick. naturally
familiar with Mr.. Tcnnyson's shrinking
habits, yet anxious To pay his respects TO
the poct, in the neighborhood of whose home
In the Isle OF Wight he found himself, made |
a call unaccompanied and strictly incognito. |
n PAGE came to the door. Whom shall |
ssy:' The Prince of Wales was the re-
ply. "Lereupon the page, performing a
scribed by Tennyson as performed by Ly-
nette, in other words. putting his dexter
thumb to a nose 'tip-tilted like the petal OF
Hover, llayiully observed. Tia, yes
Prince OF Wales. We know a trick worth
swo OF that, and slammed the poets door in
ms Royal highnesA' face We believe he is |
the only hfins Englishman Of notorety |
whose talent for privacy no American has
ever bafiied. We may possibly have seemed
TO dwell somewhat over long upon this one
particular trait Of the poets character: but
i we have done so, j; is because we believe
shat II u closely allied with genius, and az
cies Ia his writings. 1t is perfectly iniellipi. |
lie that true poet should entertain-we
'ust be pardoned for saying something
Vie loathing for the profane crowd.
J." Court wording as Horace
-~v moments. But
subject is !
from