Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

London Truth.

equally inaccessible TO neighbors. The
fact is, like other mortal men be pre-
fers tC choose his own company, though
letter Of introduction will always in
sure the most courteous of receptions.
But Mr.. TennysOn can be much more
than courteous with a sympathetic per
son; he can be the most charming of
companions. Lounging in a comforta
bic armchair and smoking his pipe
he is q great smoker-the Laureate will
talk on any and every subject, and
equally we'll on all.
Generally speaking Mr.. Tennysons
views are those of q cultivated Liberal
of the school of Brooks, rather than of
Birmingham. Indeed, he IS by birth
and training something Of an arstocrat,
with pedigree such as few members
of the House of Lords could rival The
Tennysons are, perhaps, the oldest fam
lily i'll Lincolnshire, which is saying a
good deal. Besides being Liberal
Mr.. TennysOn has good deal In COM
mon with the lingo, Or rather, he under
stands and sympathizes with the best
features of imperialism. He was one
of the promoters of the Crimean war,
and readers Of "Maud' will remember
the passionate outburst of exultatlon
with which he welcomed the COM
mencem ent Of hOstilities. Again, when
the Times was cooly proposing, apropos
of nothing In particular, that we should
cut off Canada from the empire, it was
the Laureate who uttered the most elo-
quent protest against SO fatal a policy.
In religion he may be described as a
Broad Churchman-very broad-but
with the keenest sense of the beauty OF
what our German cousins would call the
Christian Mythus. Among the dearest
of his personal friends was Frederick
Maurice who stood godfather to one ofhis
boys. Apropos of friends, remember to
have heard an uncomfortable person
declare that Arthur Hallam was but
very slightly known to young Tenny-
son. The allegation is really too mon
strous to believe. for though it is easy
to overrate Gin Memoriam," the poem
certainly contains some of the finest
passages In the language, and one
would be keenly disappointed to learn
that it was founded on unsubstantial
fiction. In literature Mr.. Tennyson's
tastes are far more correct than those
of many famous poets. He sincerely
loves the great masters, Shakespeare,
Milton, Scott. Among Greek poets, one
gathers that Homer is his favorlte;
among Roman, Lucretius. For his po-
EN- on the latter in Macmillan he re-
celved, believe, a guinea line, or
some three hundred in all--not bit
too much. Albeit, Dryden was paid
but $3.50 for 10000 lines. Of course he
has his literary aversions. Perhaps of
living writers the less said the better; but
it was certainly unfortunate that Bulwer
Lytton should have talked Of Mr.. Ten
nyson's being pensioned, and that Mr..
Tennyson should have retorted by call
ing the author of "PeInam" a handbook.
In those days men We're foolish enough
to say what they m cant. The Laureate's
irritabilty, however, is generally Of the
right kinda noble rage, because the
right thing is not being done or said.
He is no respocter of persons. \ lady
of very high rank indeed (almost the
highest) was once reading ''LOcAsley
HALF aloud in the presence Of the
author, who suddenly jumped up i'm
patiently and snatchea the book out Of
her hand, saying: "That's not the way
to read it, He then acclaimed the
verses himself. II call that shouting
it," was the lady's comment In other
ways the Laureate asserts his indie
pendence of social restraints, and no
one dares gainsay him.
The curious may be interested to
learn that the Laureate is something of
bon vioant, as indeed bard should be.
Perhaps it would be more correct to say
that ne (like Macaulay) is an excellent
caterer for others, though now COM
paratively Indifferent to these things
himself. The reader who shall taste
the Laureate's wine will be fortunate
indeed. am not referring to the offlc-
ial "sack" so much as to some marvel
lous Amontillado, the price of which |
am really afraid to state to an unbe-
lieving generation. Probably no such
gift was ever made since Lord Nelson
received, in 1900 a dozen bottles of the
vintage of 1925.
Mr.. Tennyson is of course a power in
society, not the less SO because the man
las distinguished from the poet) is 50
little heard Of. Having nothing to ask
for, and having declined all favors that
| the Crown could bestoW, he can, with
good grace, ask something for others or
| plead a favorite cause. His one inter-
vention, however, in the political history
of his time, was. unsuccessful. It is I'M
derstood that both Mr.. Tennyson and Mr..
Carlyle spoke most earnestly to the late
chief of the opposition and urged him
to pause before definitely committing
the English nation to the democratic
platform. But, as was finally observed,
| poetry and philosophy pleaded in vain
| at the feet of ambition. Alfred Jenny
son is so great a name in English litera-
ture that one may be permitted to OBJ
serve in all good humor that the poet
is not necessarily always a prophet.
For one thing, "Mrs. Locksley" is alive
at the present day and is mated with
no "ciown," but with most honest,
honorable and cultured country gentle
man. Mrs. Locksley does not weep
during the small hours of the night
( as far as one can judge from fresh and