New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-23
TENNYSON.
THE LAUREATE'S EIGHTY-SECOND BIRTH
DAY ANNIVERSARY
'G. W. S.

London August g.
There is TO be public sale of building lotS TO-
day at Freshwatcr A special excursion ualh anu
boat have been arranged for, and large ana NOISY
crowd of SPECTATORS and sightseers Will douDtlesS
he there. with eatherlipped brass band and a
| 1ao4ber lunged nuctioneer The event has been
widely advertised in the papers and by means oil
nosters and n conspicuous feature Of every adver-
| tisement has been the announcement that all me
lots to be sod overlook Farringford PARK. NC
fnement of cruelty could scarcely go further 1or
Farrngford Park is Lord Tennyson's home ana 10
day, the day of the sale, is the elghty-secohd
birthday anniversary of the laureate HAD the
latter fact been mentioned the posters the horror
would have been complete.
DESPITE this untoward circumstance. however, 1t
is day of genuine pleasure to Lord Tennyson ana
his family and friends The venerable poet is In
admirable health for his age The serious illness
of year or two ago has passed by. leaving scarcely
trace upon his superb frame, unless in some tim
ming of his scanty locks and sinking OF his
luminous eyes. Every day he takes one of his
accustomed walks, generally for four or five miles
on Breakdown, or along the rim of the cliffs that
skirt Freshwater Bay. Sometimes he walks alone,
but oftener In company with his son, the Hon.
Hallam Tennyson; and when the two are together
the step of the elder man seems almost as swift
and sure and firm as that of the younger. a
picturesque figure the poet presents on these walks
his long cloak and its cape shaking in the Wlnd
that blows freshly from the Channel. his halr
streaming over his shoulders, and his sombrero-
like hat drawn down so as half to conceal his race.
Seldom do his ncighbors see him, in these days
except on his walks, and then only at distance
He has always loved solitude and with Increasing
age this trait has greatly strengthened His homes,
both at Haslemere and at Fpshwater are the
homes of recluse. The houses are hidden from
view by groves and giant hedgerows, and high
fences and strong gates bar the stranger from ap
preaching near them The Aldworth house Is
visible only from one other that Of Professor
Tyndall who is one Of Lord Tennyson's most In
innate friends But the distance between the two
is so great that telescope is needed to distinguish
the form of one from the other. AS for the house
of Freshwater il is visible from only spot out
side of Farringford Pork itself and that is the
top Of the hl where the lots TO be sold today
No one can blame the poet for this privacy for the
spiked fences and locked gates. Once his grounds
were always open TO whOmsoever wished TO enter
them And the spoilers came. Visitors seemed TO
feel themselves free to do any deed Of vandalism.
Flowers were dug up by the roots and carried
away. Trees were cut to pieces. The park itself
would have been ravaged and ruined. had not the
gates been closed and the stern notice put upon
them, g All persons found trespassing will be
prosecuted"
Not even OF church is the poet visible to the
public, for, with all lis intensity of religious be-
lief he is no church-gocr. Years have passed since
he was seen at the parish church, unless at some
extraordinary occasion. But be is friendly with
the local clergymcn and visits them less seldom
than any other neighbors. One OF Them indeed. is
almost his only intimate companion at Freshwater,
and he, strange 70 say, is Roman Catholic, Father
| Peter IIawthOrnthwait Why such a robust and
uneompromisng Protestant as Lord Tennyson
should closely cultivate the friendship Of an equally
earnest Roman Catholic is not easy to understand
but il is so. Father Peter, is, however, q scholar
as we'll as priest and doubtless the talk between
| the two comrades bears more on literature than
theology Nonconformist village preacher at
IIaslemere, by the way. tells with great satisfac-
ton how he once numbered Lord Tennyson ia his
audience. He was going over Breakdown on q
| preaching visit, and, having started somewhat
early rested on bank 10 reheaTse his discourse
as he thought, TO the summer breeze On nearly
reaching its conclusion he found to his surprise
that he was not alone, for on the other side of
the bank there were Lord Tennyson and the Duke
of Argyll They had evidently been listeners
some time, for finding their presence was noticed
made of as quickly as possible.
In political affairs Lord TcnnysOn takes no part
Once, indeed, he nominated q friend for place in
the County Council Of the Isle of Wight: but be-
yond that he has shown interest in such matters
| He Is Conservative, of course. and member of
toe Primrose League, but never attends any part.
meetings AT social gatherings at Freshwater he
is never seen. And even when once year. his
| Farringford Park is opened for flower show and
Is thronged with hundreds of visitors from near
and far he IS never visible. but leaves 70 his son
the task Of doing the hosts hon0rs A few of
the older generation Of the villagers arc more
| favored than the rest of the world There is one
ancient shOpkeeper, In particular, whom the poet
frequently visits. sometimes IN quest of n book 10
read-current ncton-and sometimes for n few
| apples, which grow in the old mans garden.
There are apple orchards enough in FaTringfoTd
Park but their fruit does not please Lord Tenny-
| sons taste 50 well that which he finds on the
| old shopkeepers trees.
The feDnyson household consists Of Lord and
Lady Tennyson, aud the Hon. Halam Tennyson
| and his wife. Lady TennysOn has for many years
been hopeless invalid, and the retired life OF her
husband has been inspired largely by the desire tO
insure peace and quit~Nfor her, aqd BY thu desire
alsc, TO devote rs much Of his time ard attention
composer OF considerable ability, and some OF her
| works are 10 be performed to-day AT a concert i'm
| the Freshwatcr Assembly Rooms in her husband
| honor The auctiOneer Of those lots missed the
chance of his life In not securing some Of her com
positions for his brass hand and publielv adyer.
| Using the fact.