Morning journal and courier., 1885-02-05
Bayard Taylor's visit to Tennyson.

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We landed at Southampton in heavenly
May weather, and determined to visit Far
ringford before going to London SO 1
wrote at once to Tennyson, proposing visit
of an hour or two. Next morning came q
friendly reply from Mrs. Tennyson, saying
that there was room ready for US, and we
must make longer visit. M. and l crossed
to Cowes and Newport, and took ely" to
Farringford, distant twelve miles, a glorious
drive across the Isle of Wight between ivied
hedges and past gardens of laurel and lau-
ristinus in blossom, green meadows, cow
slips, daisies and hyacinth-think of that for
February 21. found Farringford wonder
fully improved the little park is gem of
gardening art. The magnificent Roman
ile1es in front of the house are finer than
any [ saw in Italy. We arrived about three
O'Clock and were ushered into the drawing
room. The house has been refurnished and
a great many pictures and statues added
since I was there. In a minute in came Ten
nyson, cordial old friend, followed by
his wife. In Tennyson himself [ could see
no particular change. He did not seem older
than when 1 saw him last. We walked
through the park and gardens, then NJ. re-
turned to the house, while he and went up
on the downs and walked for miles along the
chalk cliffs above the sea. He was delight
fully free and confidential, and l wish l could
write to you much of what he said, but it
was SO inwrought with high philosophy and
there would not fairly represent him. He
showed me all his newly acquired territory,
among the rest great stretch of wheat fields
bought for him by "Enoch Arden" We
dined at six in quaint room hung with pic
lures, and then went to the drawing room
for dessert Tennyson and I retired to his
study at the top of the house, lit pipes and
talked of poetry. He asked me if / could
read his ''Boadicea." I thought I could.
''Read it and let me see," said he. ''I would
rather hear you read it, answered. There
upon he did SO, chanting the numbering lines
with great JUNCTION. I spoke of the idyl of
Guinevieve as being perhaps his finest poem,
and said that could not read it aloud with
out my voice breaking down at certain pas
sages. ''Why, 1 can read it and keep my
voice?' he exclaimed triumphantly. This
doubted, and he agreed TO try after went
did was to produce a magnum of wonderful
sherry, thirty years old, which had been sent
him by a poetic wine dealer. Such wine 1
never tasted. cit was meant to he drunk by
Cleopatra or Catharine of Russia" said Ten
nyson. We had two glasses apiece, when he
said, ''To-night you shall help me to drink
one of the few bottles of my Waterloo
1916" The bottle brought, and after
| another glass all round Tennyson took up the
ssIdyls of the King His reading is a strange
| monotonous chant, with unexpected falling
inf1exions, which [ cannot describe, but can
initiate exactly. It is very impressive. In
spite of myself 1 became very much excited
as he went on. Finally, when Arthur for
gives the queen, Tennyson's voice fairly
broke. I found tears on my cheeks and Mr..
and Mrs. Tennyson were crying, one on either
side of me. He made an effort and went on
| to the end, closing grandly. ''How can you
say" 1 asked referring to previous converse
tom, "that you have no surety of perma-
| nent fame? This poem will only die with
| the language in which it is written" Mrs.
| Tennyson started up from her couch. ''It is
| true.'' she exclaimed; 81 have told Alfred
| the same thing" After that we went up to
| the garrett to smoke and talk Tennyson
| read the "Hylas' of Theocritus in Greek,
his own ''Northern Farmer" and Andrew
| Marvell's "Coy Mistress" 4 We
parted at two O'Clock and met again at nine
| in the breakfast room. I had arranged to
| leave at noon, so there were only three hours
| left, but had them with him the lawn
! and in the nook under the roof. =
| Tennyson said at parting, ''The gates are al
| ways open to you." His manner was alto
gether more cordial and intimate than at my
| first visit. He took up the acquaintance
| where it first broke off, and had forgotten no
word (neither had p of our conversation ten
wears ago When l spoke of certain things
| in his poetry which 1 specially valued, he
said more than once, "But the critics blame
me for just that. 1t is only now and then a
man like yourself who sees what I meant to
do" He is very sensitive to criticism, find,
| but perhaps not more than the rest of us;
| only one sees it more clearly in another.
| Our talk was to me delightful; it was as free
| and frank as if you had been in his place \
x I felt when I left Farringford that
had friends right to return again.