The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-06

without which his greatness as q poet would
have been impossible-are as plainly traceable
to his mother. DR.. Tennyson's handsome
children had beyond most children
that wondrous toy at their command
which some people call imagination"
They were given to games testifying the ex-
ploits of legendary kings. with their retinues of
Knights, and beguiled their happy childhood
with tales and romances of their own making,
fashioned after medieval models. As to Ten
nyson's education, the central fact is chat he
had been pre-eminentlv self-taught. Not that
he has lacked regulation teachers and
tutors, but that he early began to
supplement their instruction, by self instigated
reading, observation and reflection; and that
he had shown from boyhood a growing indie.
pendence of mind aud character. Early In life
he as good as recorded of himself that knowl-
edge to him was beautiful, and that he loved
it 'for Its beauty" To any one
with the slightest appreciation of Tennyson's
love for the beautiful, this is sufficient to show
to account for the powerful affinity his mind
had ever shown for knowledge. Such soul,
after its irst start msy safely be left to ITSELF
This start In Tennyson's case WAS obtained
largely at home under the tuition of his father,
though he attended for time Cod.
ney's village school and for q brief
young lads poetic bent was greatly stimulated
by the similar bent of his elder brothers, Fred
erick and Charles, both of whom have written
meritorious verse. As boys they were all
great readers Of poetry, ancient and
modern. Alfred being partial in those
years to Scott and Byron; and they
were all copious writers of metrical compost
tons, Alfreds boyish efforts being numerous.
In 1927 Charles and Alfred published selections
from their accumulated productions. under the
title, "Poems BY Two Brothers," This little
book, for which the young authors received
from their publishers El0, contaiaed 22S pages
The preface explained that the poems We're
composed not jointly but individually. and that
they were written between the ages OF Is and Is
The body OF the work is remarkable for the
numerous foot notes and quotations from
ancient and modern poets. About 1928 Alfred
Tennyson removed to Trinity college, where he
soon became q leader among a circle
of young collegians remarkable for
high character and brilliancy. Among
them were Hallam. Lord Houghton, Richard
Chevenix French, Merivaie, kiuglake and
Thackeray. Tennyson in his university career
was much more given to wooing the muses. than
to pursuing any prescribed routine course Of
study. In 1929 Tenuyson was awarded the
Chancellors medal for his poem ''Timbuctoo'
In 1880 Tennyson published his "Poems,
Chiefly Lyrical" This volume soon
drew the fire OF the critics, some of
whom, however, We're very kind. About
to the Pyrenees in the interest of the Spanish
patriots driven into revolt by the tyranny of
Ferdinand. They were the bearers of money
and Of dispatches in invisible ink to the con.
spirators. who were then hiding in the noun.
tains. In the winter OF 1882 q second volume
appeared. In 1888 Arthur Haliam died,
and this sad event called forth ain Me-
moriam." The ten years following 1882 was
period of silence, though by no means of in
activity. The poets life during these ten years
was one of the greatest seclusion. At length
the plodding poetic world SO far caught up
with her great apostle as to demand q new
edition of his poems This was met in 1872 by
the publication of a selection from the contents
OF his two previous books carefully revised W tn
several new poerna Three further editions were
called for within four years, and his popularity
became very great In 1910 "the princess sp-
peared.'' On June Is, lSi7, Tennyson was mar.
ried to Miss Emily Seliwood. whose mother was
a sister OF Sir John franklin. The bride was
"the near, dear and true of the dedication in
"Enoch Arden" She proved a worthy help
meet In 1850 TennysoD succeeded Wordsworth
as poet laureate, an Office which he has greatly
honored, though not by the amount
Of work done strictly In his official capacity In
ls45 the value of his work and iniiuance re-.
oeived recognition from the state In the award
OF pension. In 1865 he was offered coronetcy.
but declined. aud three years later he declined a
similar offer. In lss4 he was raised
TO the British peerage under the title Baron
Tennyson Of Aldworth and Farringtord For
many OF the years after leaving Cambridge he
had no settled place OF abode Much of that
time he lived in London with poverty and his
golden dreams. His early married life was
spent in Twickenhani. For nearly forty years
ne lived at Farringford, Isle of Wright, and at
his summer residence. Aldnorth, in Surrey.l
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WASHINGTON Cry, Oct. 5.-Mrs. Harri-
son passed comfortable day, though her