The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-12-15
An Evening with Tennyson.

The first lecture in the North Club Course
was delivered in the North Church last Fri
day evening by Rev. Edwin Pond Parker
D. ID. of Hartford, Ct. His subject was
Tennyson, and it was admirably handled.
The lecture was mainly an analysis of the
poet as a man, and of his works, and was
treated from the standpoint of an admirer of
both. Some biographical details were given,
with the chronology of Tennyson's success
sive volumes and brief comments on the
more important poems. 1t was shown that
Tennyson's literary qualities We're his by
inheritance and were shared by other mem
bers of the family; that morally as well as
intellectually he was alike to be honored,
and that under the musical flow and ripple
of his poems ran an earnest purpose. His
reverence for and appreciation of true wo-
manhood was shown by quotations, and no
tably by the following lines from "The Prin-
cess" which doubtless referred to his moth
er:
Not learned save in gracious household ways,
Not perfect, nay, but full of tender wants.
No Angel, but a dearer being. all dlipt
In Angel instincts. breathing Paradise,
interpreter between the GOCS ana men,
Who looked all native to her place, and yet
On tiptoe seemed to touch upon sphere
Too gross to tread and all male minds per-
Swayed to her from their orbits as they
moved
And girded her with music. Happy he
With such mother. faith in womankind
Beats with his blood, and trust in all things
high
Comes easy to him, and though he trip and
tall,
He shall not blind his soul with clay.
In illustrating another phase of the poets
character the lecturer quoted the following
noble lines from Tennysons "Ode on the
Death of the Duke of Welington:'
Gone; but nothing can hereave him
Of the force he made his own
Being here, and we believe him
Something far advanced in State
And that he wears IA truer crown
Than any wreath that man can weave him.
But speak no more of his renOwn,
Lay your earthly fancies down,
And in the vast cathedral leave him.
God accept him, Christ receive him.
The idea entertained by some that Tenny-
son was a poet for the rich and great, and
without sympathy for the common people,
was disproved by many passages from his
poems. For example;
However it be, it seems tp me,
It's only noble to be good.
Kind hearts are more than coronetS,
And simple faith than Norman blood.
The musical qualities of the songs in The
Princess and other poems, and the delicate
word painting, We're emphasized by aolnra-
bic recitat'ons and i'll another Vein ''The
Northern Cobbler,' in the dialect of the
north Of England, was a temperance lecture
in itself. Mr. Parker had an apprecative
audience and all lovers Of Trnnyson'S works
came away strengthened i'll their regard.
In conversation after the lecture the writer
mentioned having the blue and gold edition
of Tennyson, published tv Tirl1nor & Fields
Boston, in 1856, and Mr.. Parker said he had
copy, now much the worse for wear, but
which he priced highly. This suggested a
search among old papers and resulted in
bringing to light a catalogue of the Lewiston
Falls Academy Cat Auburn) for 1861. in
which appeared the name of Edwin Pond
Parker, b. A, as Instructor of the Classical
Department, and the name Of the writer as a
student. No doubt our Tennvson's uere
bought at the bookstore of Willard Small
WHO has since become prominent among
Boston puhlishers-a man whose studiouS
habits While a bookseller i'll Auburn attract
ed attention. and who is now a literary au-
thority. Another thing worthy of note in
connection with this blue and gold edit n
is that it contains an introductory poem by
G. S. H. con Receiving Copy of Tenny-
sons Poems,' which initials stand for Geo
S. Hllard, native of Machias and writer
and journalist of ability.