Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-05
Alfred Tenpyson aud His Family.

[Eondon Correspondence San Francisco Chronicle
 If he had been fonder of and more familiar with drawing rooms, he would have looked trimmer, heater and younger than he does now. But dare say that he is satisfied with Alfred Tennyson just as he is, for elf-satis- faction is one of his conspicuous traits. He is a charming poet, but by no means charm ing man, unless to a very small circle of his intimates and admirers.
 He belongs to tuneful family. His father was George Clayton Tennyson, a Lincoln shire clergyman, more remarkable for size and physical energy than intellectual gifts; but several of his brothers-there were twelve children in aH-were clever verse-makers at very early age, and he seems, therefore, to have come honestly by his singing qualities. He is not, as many bards have been, child of the people. He is of renowned lineage, and brides himself upon it, even if he does strike occasional democratic strains, es in s'Locksley Hall" He claims to be, and is, no doubt, de- scended from the ancient Norman family of DEnycourt his uncle Charles Tennyson, having gone so far as to ask permission to add D'Enycourt to his name, which he ob- tained, and was made snobbishly happy thereby.
 The Tennyson children seem to have had very decided scribbling tendencies. It is as- serted that the whole dozen wrote stories and rhymes in the parsonage at SomersIy, where they were born, so that nothing better could be expected than that one of them should prove to be celebrated poet. The three eld- est sons were graduated at Cambridge. Fred erick won the prize for Greek poem Alfred in his twelfth year, received the Chancellor's medal for s'Timbuctoo"-a poem of some 300 blank k-verse lines, and about the same time the twain published for private circulation g small volume entitled Poems by Two Broth ers." Charles, the other brother, assumed orders; was made Vicar of. Grasby, and on inheriting handsome estate through his pa ternal grandmother, took her family name, Turner. Ample means prevented him from inky continuance but Frederick, when he was past forty, published collection of poems, "Days and Hours.
 Tennyson is in his mode of composition the very reverse of rapid or inspired. He wreaks himself on expression, spending hours sometimes on single line. As an example, he is reported to have written tCome into the Garden, Maud, " in his poem of ''Maud," en- tirely over fifty times, and to have occupied three whole days on six of the lines. No poet has ever worked harder or more faithfully, and he never assumes to have done anything in fine frenzy, which, indeed, he censures and ridicules as pretence of mediocre minds. He holds that genius can accomplish nothing without work that everything famous Tn At- erature is the result of great labor. His tastes are domestic. He is fond of home and fami- ly, though he is likewise fond of nature, talk ing many long solitary rambles on the Isle of Wright, where he has lived ever since his marriage, making studies of earth and sky to be used in his poems.
 He may be pronounced very professional Nobody admires his poetry more than he himself, and he is very much addicted to talk about it. He does not sink the shop when he