Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-04-26
Tennyson and Gladstone.
London Times.

In letter published with the recently
printed Autobiography Of Sir Henry Tay-
ior") from Mrs Cameron to Sir Henry Tay:
lor there is the following reference to Lord
Tennyson: alfred talked very pleasantly
that evening tc Annie Thackeray and L.
S.. He sp ke Of Jane Austen, as James
SPEEDING does, as next to Shakespeare
can never imagine what they mean when
they say such things. Alfred has grown,
he says, much fonder Of you since your last
two visits here. He says he feels now be
is beginning to know you and not
to feel afraid Of you, and that he is begin
ming TO get over your extreme insolence to-
him when be was young and you were in
your meridian splendor and glory. So one
reads your simplicity. He was very
violent with the girls on the subject OF the
rage for autographs. He said he believed
every crime and every vice in the world
were connected with the passion for auto
graphs and anecdotes and records; that the
desiring anecdotes and acquaintance with
The lives Of great men was treating them
like pigs to be ripped open for the public;
that be knew he himself should be ripped
open like a pig that be thanked
God Almighty with his whole
heart and soul that he knew
nothing, and that the world knew nothing
OF Shakespeare but his writings, and that he
thanked God Almighty that he knew moth
ing OF Jane Austen, and that there were no
letters preserved either Of Shakespeare or
Of Jane Austen that they had not ripped
open like pigs. Then be said that the pos.
for two day had brought him no letters,
and that he thought there was sort Of syn
core in the world as to him and 10 bis fame.
told him Of the mad worship Of Swinburne
Of, the pre- Rsphaelite, saying that
Swirburpe was greater than Shelley or
Ternyson, or Wordsworth" Many pas
ssges Of interest could be quoted from the
autobiography afordiDg insight into the
character of such men as Aubrey de We're.
Speeding. Stephen, 10 ers, (now Lord
Blachfor, and others From his observs-
lions on one phase OF the character Of the
present Prime Minister we extract the fol.
lowing: Mrs Gladstone, some time dur.
ing her husbands tenure Of Office as Prime
Minister spoke TO me Of the power he pos
sessed of turning from what was arduous
and anxious, and becoming at once intent.
y occupied with what was neither; and she
regarded this as having something Of Q
saving virtue. But she added that,
nevertheless, it was frightiul life | was
reminded Of the unusual combination Of
Intensity with versatility on one OF the few
occasions on which happened to meet Mr..
Gladstone during his tenure Of Office as First
Minister. He esked me what / thought OF
Two or three volumes OF poetry recently pub
lished. ! Lad never heard Of them. and the
names Of the authors were unknown to me.
They were presentation copies sent him by
obscure poets, who, If possessed Of grain
or two Of common sense, could have had
but little expectation that their volumes
would be opened by Mr. Gladstone, even If
they should pass beyond the sitting hands Of
his private secretaries. He seemed, how.
ever, 10 be prepared to discuss their merits,
bad not my entire ignorance stopped the
way"