Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-04

Some OF the PecuIiaritIes OF the Late Poet
Laureate.

some OF the feculfArtties OF the Late Poet
Laureate.
ENGLISH Letter to the Boston Herald
Though Farringford. in Freshwater. was Ten
nyson's home, Adworth. in Haslemere. became
by force of circumstances his summer resi-
observation-disclosures meaning in this case tour
lists and Saturday-to-Mo Monday cheap trippers.
Tennyson used to say tina. he was literally driven
from the Isle of Wig Itby the summer visitors.
Not content with .,adii. the demesne Of
Farringford these enthusiastic but not consd-
crate sightseers would dog the steps Of the OBJ
1ect OF their admiration whene er he took his
walks abroad. Twenty years ago he purchased
Aldworth and made II his summer retreat. Tho
house was designed by James Knowles. who, be-
sides acquiring celebrity as the editor OF the
Nineteenth Century Review, is a professional
architect.
Every year. in May. since 1872 Tennyson has
gone to Aldworth. returning to Ere. water in
october. when the trippers cease from troubling
and the AIRY is at rest. Tennysou had ac-
CURED an aversion TO summer holiday mortnls
that was almost morbid in its intensity Per-
haps this grew by what il fed on, perhaps a
part OF it. u small part of it. was affectation,
for Tennyson was a hero worshiper, and as
Tar as himself was concerned, was not indiffer-
ent to the world applause.
he did not object to homage. ANY form Of
1t that was sincere gave him a real pleasure. but
he decidedly objected to being stared at He
e'" Ho Ieaeon why strangers should wish 10
come or should be permitted to come trooping
over his grounds peering into his study win
dows or intercepting him in his daily walks.
But II they chose to take off their hats as they
passed him on the road that was another mat
ter. Sir Edwin Arnold says that Tennyson
had vanity. a noble vanity. a proud pleasure
in the very notorioty which brought strangers
peeping and stealing about his gates to get
sight OF him, albeit you Private Road
painted on the first rod Of his domain and
Private Grounds inscribed upon the first
boundary fence. He did not like the country
people to pass him on the road without recog-
nizlDS him, and now and then, when n visitor
from afar came with genuine alteration. he
conld and would be immensely gracious and
generous"
Once every year the park at Farringford was
thrown open to all corners. The Freshwater
| flower show was held there in August, but
Iennyson did not appear on these occasions; he
left the management of the affair and the
duties of host to his con Hallam who for
years has acted as his fathers secretary and
confidant.
There Is great deal to be said in support of
the resentment Tennyson showed to intruders.
Countless stories have been told of the audacity
of strangers in Freshwater, and the Americans,
of course. have come in for their share Of the
anecdotes. On one occasion southern general
came to visit him. Tennyson abhorred inter-
viewing and interviewers and stipulated. there
fore with this visitor that there should be moth
ing of the kind. 'Interviewing,' reioined the
southerner, with an expression of great disgust;
I'm this house we are gentlemen. We leave in
tervicwiDg to those darned Yankees"
Tennyson was extremely eager to go to Amer
lea, and touching this point, story is related
to the effect that Earnum offered him an
enormous sum of money to go there, though
probably not as one of the attractions in the
greatest show on earth" "All you have to
do. said Barnum lis to stand on platform
and have your hands well shaken The poet,
however, declined the tempting offer.
Tennyson had a great love for America and
the Americans; nothing pleased him more than
the fact that the Americans appreciate him and
read him largely. 1t was only his great age
that prevented him carrying out the wish he
had SO often expressed Of seeing with his own
eyes the land that he loved so well and for
which he often testified his affection in inter-
course with friends He was always glad to
meet with distinguished American men and
women of letters, and he loved to recall his
conversations with Longfeiiow and Lowell and
Oliver Wendell Holmes. 1t was only few days
ago that he welcomed Mrs. James r. Fields and
Miss Sarah Orne Jewett to Aldworth.