The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-23
A TENNYSON DISCOVERY.
Two Early Poems by the Laureate Now
First Identified.
Identification
,n,eruaI Evidence Of AuthorshiD-Other
nysOnM


Copyrl
,Saur York. Feb. 22.-There we're certain
Of Tennvson's poems. in the minds OF
MANY people by no means his worst
which for various personal reasons ne
chose TO suppress in his lifetime Notably
among these were his war poems. when
were so popular that public sentiment
compelIed him eventually to acknowledge
and include two of them. Hands All
Around and "Rifiemen Form in his col
lected works. These two. and large
number of others, made their appearance
4, America. some years ago in collective
edition of his poems, and in England they
had been included in a small privately
nrinted volume afterward vigorously sup
messed. THE Lovers Tale and Other
poems" which now commands a price OF
about $50 among collectors.
But two poems, perhaps more interest
ing than any of these, were not reprinted
in that suppressed volume from which
the American reprint was made ten years
1ster) This volume contained the 1855
draught of "The Lovers Tale then
us7O wholly unknown to the public. Inc
issuer of this book was the late Richard
Herne Shepherd, one Of the best known
photographers in England. and editor OF
the well-known volume 'Tennysoniana
one Of the two poems / refer to was dis
covered by Mr.. Shepherd himself, and 1t
is from a manuscript biography of Tenny-
son found among Mr.. Shepherds post
humous effects that the writer came to
know of it. The other, a most stirring
war poem, "Arm. Arm, ARM was given
10 Francis Palgrave, editor Of the Col
den Treasury" by Mr.. Hallam. now LoIu
Tennyson and is to-day preserved IN the
British museum with NUMBER OF OtneI
D. Tennyson relics handed 10 MI. faletaNS
al the same time. The volume IN Whlch
these scraps are preserved contains nOte
in Palgrave's handwriting indicating tneI
source. But l have been unaple 10 nlS
any Indication of the newspaper in when
the poem, Arm, Arm, ArmI was orig
inally printed on the margin Is a rant
nencilinR "Jan % That Is all. IL was
Signed tx scorner Of the Pennywise,' and
the text is as follows:
ARM, ARM, ARM!
Oh. where is he, the simple fool,
Who SAYS that wars are overF
What bloody portent flashes there
Across the straits of DoverE
-Four hundred thousand slaves IN arms
May seek to bring us under;
Are we ready, Britons al, 80
To answer them with thunder
Arm, arm, arm!
You sleepy Lords of Admiralty.
See that your work be workmanlike
Or else go out and leave US.
Oh, shame on selfish patronage!
It is the country's ruin;
Gene, put the right man in his place,
And up now and be doing!
Arm, arm, arml
And YOU. We brawIers, pennywise.
Through you the land is cheated,
Till by barbarians better armed.
Our greatness is defeated
.,.Ha.a aeff hfnna "A
The best things are the cheapest.
But awake. arise; oh noble blood
OF England, how thou creepest!
ARM arm, ARM
oh, gather, gallant volunteers,
In every British village;
or has the tiger of Algiers
Your license here TO pillage?
Oh, babbling Peace Societies
CWhere many a dreamer trihes),
Is this a time to cry for peace,
When we should shout for rifles?
Arm, arm, arm!
oh, big-limbed yeomen leave awhile
The fattening of your cattle;
And If, indeed, We long for peace,
Make ready to do battle
To fight the battle of the world,
OF progress and humanity
Spite of his eight million lies,
And bastard Christianity!
Arm, arm, arm!
"A Scorner of the Pennywise.
The tyrant referred TO is Napoleon III.
The other poem has strange and per-
sonal interest that can attach to no other
work of the poet How Mr.. Shepherd
came to know that Tennyson was really
the author has not been ascertained. But
that he had some definite knowledge
other than internal evidence is perfectly
clear from his photographed note, in
which he says that when he compiled the
volume The Lovers Tale and other
POEMS" he was not aware of Tennyson's
authorship of this one.
1t was originally published in the Elk
aminer," Feb. IA, 1852 prefaced by let
ter to the editor. John Fosten then filled
this position. He was at that time on in
innate terms with various literary men,
notably Dickens and in 1852 Tennyson
seems to have held friendly relations with
him for a short time for Hands All
Around and ''Britons, Guard Your own
the former signed. Merlin, the latter
anonymous, had appeared in the "EXami-
ner" in the month of January,
Regarding the anonymity the, curious
will note how well raliessln 1lngles
what obstrusive line, Il honor much, L
say, this mans appeal, and in the fol-
lowing ones, evidence OF the erort az as
guise by .thrusting in reference to "Mer-
Inns poem instead of the prose article
really in the poets mind.
The letter and poem appeared in the
EXAMINER precisely as given below:
SUGGESTED BY READING AN ARTI-
Gle IN A NEWSPAPER
Sir-I have read with much interest the
poems of MERLIN. The enclosed is
longer than either of those and certainly
not so good; yetvas 1 flatter myself that
If has a smack of Merlins style in it.
and as | feel that it expresses forcibly
enough some of the feelings of our time,
perhaps you may be induced to admit it.
TALIESSIN.
How much I love this writer's manly
stylei
BY such men led our press has ever been
The public conscience of our noble isle,
Severe and quick TO feel a civic sin,
TO raise the people and chastise the times
With such a heat as lives in great creative
rhymes. -, e.. -.
might spring!
or bless;
fear for YOU as for some youthful king,
Lest you go wrong from power in ex-
cess, -
Take heed of your wide privileges. We,
The thinking men of England, loathe a
A freeman is. / doubt not, freest here
The single voice may speak his mind
aloud;
An horest isolation need not fear
The court, the church, the parliament,
the crowd,
No, nor the Press and look you well to
that