The Newtown bee., 1892-06-03

friend, declared he could never earn his own living and urged that something should be done for him. Yet Carlyle lived to see him drawing far larger in come from his writings than he himself ever drew getting more for single shor poem, in fact, than Carlyle got for some of his most laborious works. For more than 10 years, however, the struggle against prejudice jealousy and misappre hension was very severe one. It was not until 1S44 that he really began te reap the fruits of his labors. By that time his fame had reached America, anG great demand for his poems had sprung up there. It is curious circumstance that Carlyle and Tennyson met with ear Her appreciation in America than in theil own country. Emerson was intensely in. terested in the new poet and wrote tC Carlyle for description of him. Here is the sketch, drawn by the rough hand of the philosopher of Chelsea, which will stand for all time as vivid piece of portraiture: "One of the finest looking men in the world. A great shock of rough, dusty dark hair; bright, laugh ing, hazel eyes; massive, aquiline face, most massive, yet most delicate; of sal low brown complexion, almost Indian looking; clothes cynically loose, free and easy; smokes infinite tobacco. His voice is musical metallic-fit for loud laughter and piercing vail, and all that may be between; speech and speculation free and plenteous; 1 do not meet, in these late decades, ,such company over pipe" To this Emerson replied: ''The sketch you drew of Tennyson was right well come, for he is an old favorite of mine 1 owned his book before 1 saw your face |; though 1 love him with allowance. Oh, cherish him with love and praise, and draw from him whole books full of new verses yet
 Carlyle was not much given to cherish ing anybody with love and praise; but he made an exception in favor of Tennyson, who never met with anything but kind ness and encouragement from the gruff old man.
 In 1S45, the poet found himself lion of London society, an honored guest at Holland house, and coveted companion of the most eminent men of his time, in- cluding MT Gladstone, then, as Macauley called him, ''the rising hope of the To- ries." Gladstone has changed his politics many times since then, but he has never wavered in his hearty friendship for Ten nyson. The veteran statesman and the veteran poet were born within three months of one another, Gladstone the younger of the two; and for nearly 50 years they have been as David and Jon- athan.
 Tennyson's merits were now so fully recognized that Sir Robert Peel granted him a civil list pension of f200 a year, and thenceforward fortune smiled upon him with ever increasing brightness. In 1S47,h made an exceedingly happy mar riage with Emily Sellwood, niece of Sir John Franklin, the great Arctic vOyager, and in the same year the publication of s'In Memoriam" raised him at one bound to the highest poetic fame. The death of Wordsworth having left the post of Poet Laureate vacant, the queen on the recommendation of Lord John Russell conferred it on Tennyson. It is rather curious now to note who the other can- didates were: Leigh Hunt, Charles Mackay, Barry Cornwall, Samuel Rog- CTS, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Bar rett, afterwards Mrs Browning. All of these are dead, and not one of them ever approached Tennyson-only Browning either in popularity or in the estimation of the highest judges of poetry.
 After living two years at Twickenham, where their eldest son, Hallam, was born, the Tennysons settled in the romantic property of Farringford, near Freshwa- ter, in the Isle of Wight, which is still an occasional residence of theirs. Ever since then, the poet laureate's life has been an even round of congenial labor and of growing wealth and honor. For the. exclusive right of publishing his works in Great Britain, he secured an in- come of $l0,000 year, while his share of the profits of the sales amounted to a very large sum. Of the first series of the "Idyls of the King" 10000 copies were sold in few weeks, and the de- mand became so great that of the second series 10000 copies were ordered in ad- vance. Tennyson hates publicity more than anything, and very little has ever been allowed to come to light about his private affairs. But it is known that some of his works brought him in im- mense returns, while even fugitive and least important writings have always been eagerly sought for at what, to most poets, would seem fabulous price. He must have long since amassed consid- erable fortune, though, to his credit be it said, he has never in 8 single instance departed from the highest idea of poetry in order to fiatter the popular taste.
 The cordial relations between Tenny- son and America have already been re- ferred to; and these were strengthened by strong attachment between him and Longfellow, and by welcome visits paid him by many distinguished citizens oi the great republic. Yet unfortunately a time came when he conceived very bit ter dislike of Americans. This began by an American speculator purloining a copy of small volume of his poems which had been printed privately by Sir Ivor Guest, now Lord Wimbourne, and were never intended for the public eye These poems were offered for f250 to Messrs Fields, Osgood < Co.,, the emi- nent publishers of Boston. That firm most honorably refused the offer and in dignantly denounced the disreputable
 nnar in vfich the poems had been ob.