River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-09-20
TennysOn Charged with Plagiar-
ism


Eugene L. Didier, the well known crit
ic, discussed Tennyson as plsg artist in
the Literary Word, and quotes freely
to prove his assertions:
OF all living poets Alfred Tennyson is
the most renowned for originality. Yet,
perhaps, of all the great poets of this
century he is the most indebted to
the older writers. Since his recent fail
ure as dramatist, the highest literary
journals Of England have whispered, and
pretty loudly, too, that his best descrip-
lions are borrowed, that he is merely
D. embellisher and Publisher Of old sto-
kries. and that he has the taste OF an arti-
Aan who loads his work with too much
Recommendation. 1t has also been SAID
that he does not build, but only
ornaments; that he is not an architect,
but decorator; that he derives a large
income cut of small capital. In short,
that out Of a cottage he attempts TO rear
palaces; and-sball we add?-tails in the
attempt.
Tennvsons earlier verses did not give
promise OF rich and abundant harvest
He sang of Owing Sweets" of "Mer-
maids. f" "Ogls," "Geese," "Lotos Eat
ers.n &c. Christopher North said al
fred is greatest as an owl. All he wants
is to be shot, stuffed and stuck in glass
case to be made immortal in the British
Museum" This criticism was severe,
but it was of immense benefit to the
Young poet. He stopped writing, and
for ten years studied hard. He went
through the splendid field of English
literature, devoting much time toa care
full perusal of the grand old poets of the
'elder days" This course of study so
enriched his imagination and enlarged
his vocabulary that when he wrote again
he produced something worthy of his
talents. The writer of pretty drawing
room y rses astonished the world by
"Loeksley HAIL." "The Princess" ain
Memoriam," Maud" The "Idyls
of theKing," etc. The latter is Ten
devoted much time and study
20 it. The poet has made the mistake OF
introducing the grace and chivalry OF
the medieval civilization of France and
England into the barbarous fifth centu-
nv period of those countries. King Ar
thur and the Knights of the Round
Table form a beautiful ana attractive
group, but they are only an ideal and
! poetical conception. They never exist
| ed as painted by the poet. In delicate
| word-painting, in grace, elegance OF lam
| guage ana in dainty rhythm the "Idyls'
are unsurpassed in the poetry of the
| century. In the full splendor of hi:
| fame and in the maturity of his powers
| Tennyson wrote "Enoch Arden" The
| poem obtained an immediate and wide
| popularity. The story was new, or sup
| posed to be, and the characters were
| taken from common life, thus securing
a large class of readers who had no
been interested in the poets more court
| ly productions. We do not think that Ten
| nvson has ever been accused of plagiar
| ism in "Enoch Arden" but we find tina
] the story. the treatment and the whole
1 scope of the oem were taken from the
| poem by Miss Proctor called Home
| ward Bound" The heroes of both po
ems were sailors, both were ship
| wrecked, both left wives behind, boil
| returned after an exile OF ten years
| both found their wives remarked, boa
| saw their wives seated at the hearth
| with their second husbands, both of tht
| second husbands, were friends of The
! exiles, and both return to their homes
| on chill autumn evening. Tennyson
| however, with finer art, makes Enoct
| Arden only see his vile through tn,
| WlnuoW OF ner COttSSe; ne uOeS not eL lC
| to disturb her domestic happiness by
| claiming her, which is morally wrong fo
once a wife always wife. Miss Proc
| tor on the contrary, makes her hero
| who speaks in the first person, enter The
cottage, meet his wife and her seconC
| husband, and the three mingle then
tears together.
There is not so much similarity in th'
language of the poems, but their plot
are identically the same, with the diff
| erence already mentioned. When W,
J remember that Miss Proctcr's poem wai
published III 1858, and Tennysons 81,
years later, there can be no doubt tina
The first poet of the age did not hesitate
10 borrow the plot of one of his mos
successful points from one who. next t.
| Mrs. Browning, was the most gifteC
| poetess of the last generation.