Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-22
TENXYsON's FIRST MANUSCRIPT.
The "Poems by Two Brothers" In
Possession OF jackson Family.
New York Herald)


(New York Herald)
1t lies In q small box in small ofiice
in the quiet town Of Louth. and there II
has lain since the last OF the Jacksons
died. Tennyson himself never saw 1t after
he and his brother Charles parted with
1t to tho publisher.
Once or twice in the course OF the year
the relic Is drawn forth. Then 1t Is reli-
giously returned to its festing-piace' the
box ia locked and for a further period
the manuscript Of the Poems by Two
Brothers" is concealed from mortal ken.
Little Is known OF the circumstances In
which the first volume OF the Brothers
Tennyson was published, and what little
has been written on the SUBJECT Is err
roneous 1t Is commonly supposed that
they were still pupils at Louth Grammar
School when the book was issued. WINE
the fact Is Alfred had left seven EARS
before, and Charles nearly six. Ineso
dates can be obtained from the schoo'
register.
The story OF how the verses came TO be
submitted to a publisher is rather quaint.
Alfred was seized with q longing to visit
| the Lincolnshire churches, but lacked the
means to crafty his desire. By some
means the old ssrvant in the family
heard OF his disappointment. ana SAID:
"Why. Master Alfred. you are always
writing poetry; why don't sou sell some
OF itg'
The idea pleased the boy. He consulted
Charles. and when next they went 10
Louth their collection of verses was iei'
with j. & J. Jackson, who ultimately
agreed to purchase it for so. The story
may not be true. bat certain II rs tha'
the book made its appearance In March,
1871, and by good luck the mahuscilp'
was not destroyed
1t consists Of III pages, most OF the
sheets being note-paper size. The close
! "screwy" writing, more like Greek IMAM
English, for which the Laureate ana his
brothsr were neted, Is the nrst cnarac-
teristlc that strikes one. Contrary 10 tno
stern edicts OF the printers once
covers both sides OF the paper Ihe
whole is in good condition. The greater
part Of tho poems IRE in the hanc"ritihs
Of the respective authors put iw
are In feminine hand. having proDaoiS
been copied by sister or the mother'
The question Of the individual authorship
viii probably never be settled.
From q printers point OF view, the copy
Is decidedly poor. Not only Is IL backed
hut several pages are disfgured py rude'
.chooI hoy sketches while the corrections
are numerous and not neatly made. on
some pages whole verses have been struck
out by heavy black lines radiatins IN all
directions. There Is considerable over
running" end as many verses as posi-
bic are crushed into each page. EVidentiy
the young Tennysons were no' 100 we"
supplied with paper
Sometimes the lines are written both
downward and crosswlse, and on ono
small folio the ingenious writer has man
aged to crowd no fewer than ninety-one
lines. or the whole OF the poem Re
morse" and a sx-lne verse OF the pre-
ceding poem. The credit OF this remark
able achievement Is supposed to belong
10 Alfred.
II was ORIGINALLY the intention of the
authors to allow their initials. &c. t. ana
"A. T." to appear on the title page and
at the end OF the brief preface. But per-
hans they feared that searching micros-
cope of scrutiny" Of which they speak In
the Introductory stanzas. At all events.
while the printer was preparing the book
for publication, he received note re-
minding him that II was mo part or the
agreement" that their initials should be
used, and they therefore wished to delete
them, "as 1t will not assist the sale or
the book any more than II there were no
Initials at all" Probably Mr.. Jackson
thought so, too. Anyhow. he raised no
objection, ard when the book was issued
II was left to rumor alone TO declare who
the 1.-TWO Brothers" were.
The contract with the printer was that
the authors should receive $50 for the
copyright OF their poems. and this sum
has always been stated to have been the
actual amount paid. In letter OF nc
ceptance the brothers remarked that they
did not Consider the amount offered too
high a price" Nevertheless. they closed
with the terms. Mr.. Jackson Is said to
have afterward increased the sum to $780,
A good COPY Of the book has been known
to fetch 800