New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-01
ALFRED rrXyrsoy md ms r4MHK

Iotd.n Corrcspondci,cc san Francisco Clronioe
II hc had been toudcr of and more familiar with
drlwmp-rooms. he would have ioo"e4 uiilh,iI,i,
urat,r and ouHgcr than he does now: b,t care
SAN that lie Is satisfied with Aired Tommy
son just hc Is, Tor aeli-satl7iactioh Is "hS OF rs
co .lnstou- traits. lie Is claiming poet, bui ~
ma mean. a charming man, unless To "a very small
circle If hls miImatcs and admlirIs.
IL belongs 10 tUneiul family. HIS Iathei was
George CLAY ton Jtuuy>Ou, LlucolnshiIe clergy
man. uoIc remarkable for size ard physical enIIIW
than intellectual gifts but several 81 MS DioHeI5
Their. were twelve children in all-vcrc clever
ycIsc-makcTs at very carly age ana ne s'ons,
therefore, to have como honestly by his singing
qualities H. Is not many bards have been. q
child of the people. He is OF renowned lineage, ana
pr.dos himself upon IT, even II he does stilAe 9cSa-
siunal democratic strains, as IN " lOcAhley IlAl.
He claims to be. ana D., 10 doubt. Descended from
the ancient Norman family OF DENY couib ms
uncle Charles Tenuy son; having gone so iar Us "
ask emission 20 add DEnycOurt 10 hi5 uhme,
which he obtained. and was made snobbshly happy
thereby.
The 'Tennysou children seem TO have had very de-
cided scribblng tendencies Ii Is asserted that the
whole dozen wrote stories aud rhymes IN inc par,
sonnge at SoIuersly where they wore born, 80 that
nothing better could be expected than (hGt one OF
them should prove % be IA celebrated poet Lie
three eldest sons were padualed at h'rI
Frederic won the prize for Greek poem; aired,
IN his twentieth year. received the Chancellor
medal for "Timbucto0 IA poem OF some JVO
blauk-ycrs Ines and about the same time the
twain published for private circulation small
volume entitled Poems by Two brothers
Charles, tho other brother assumed orders; was
made vicar OF NIihDl, anu Oh lul'liAihk
some estate through his paternal grandmother
took her family name Turner. Ample means pre-
vented him from inky continuance; but Frederic,
when he was past forty, published collection OF
poems, Days aud Hours"
1cnnyson is In his mode of composition the very
reverse OF rapid or inspired. He wrcaks himself on
expression, spending hours sometimes on single
line As example, he is reported to nave written
" Come into the Garden, Maud" IN his poem oil
Maud" entirely over fifty times, and TO- have 3c-
cuped three whole days on six OF the INES no
poet has ever worked harder or more iaithIuly,
and he never assumes to have done anything III u
fine frenzy which, indeed he ccnsurcs aad ridlcules
AS preteHce of mediocre minds. lie holds tnat
genius can accomplish nothing without WoIh
that everything famous in literature rs nc nc
result Of great labor His tastes are domestic ne
Is fond of homo and family. though he Is hkeWiSe
fond of nature. taking many long SOLITARY tahpcs
on the Isle Of Wight, where he has hVen ever since
lis marriage, making studies OF earth ana SKY 10
be- used IN his poems. .t ~
lie may be pronounced very proie5siohhi NO,
BODY admircs bIs poetry more than he hlus,l, huu
he is very much addicted to talk about IT, ne uoes
uot sink the shop when he has anybody 10 llS''"
TO him whom hc imAuues to be appteciatiNeu -
TennysOn Is a genuine type OF J0hh pun Ilo nnS
virtues ana defects lucNtucably mixed, anu ono Vi
his deiccts is peXcusabe rudeness; announcer Is pto-
dlgious egotism lie rs llustrious poet Dut ne
Is full TO the lips OF vanity and IL eapaoio vi S
proyOcatlOn OF bccO aiiug colossal DOIe'