Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-25
The wives of Literary Geniuses.
Baltimore sun.

The late Lord Tennyson, as we as
cover from the pages of his biography
recently given to the world by his son.
had the good fortune, rare among poets
and men of genius generally, OF being en-
tirely happy in his domestic relations.
He first met his wife, then Miss Emily
Sellwood. in the course of woodland
stroll. She was then about IL years Oh
age. That was in 1890. and IL was not
until June 1850, that they were married.
The poet laureate found in her COM
plete companionship. Il am proud OF her
intellect" he said. She was his conhden-
tiaI critic, and many Of his lines were
changed I'm Difference to her counsels.
Tennyson. the son, says of her; 1T was
she who shielded his sensitive spirit from
the annoyances and trials OF lie, an
swering. for example. the innumerlple
letters addressed TO him from all parts Oh
the world By her quiet sense OF hunor'
by her selfless devotion, by her talth, as
clear as the heights of the June-Dlue
Heaven she helped him also TO the Ut
most In the hours Of his depression and
his sorrow: and to her he wrote two OF
the most beautiful Of his shorter lyrics
Dear Near, and True and the dediea-
The Death of Oenone.
This is in striking and pleasant con-
trast to the experience Of the poet lau-
reate's great contemporary in English
literature. Thomas Carlyle, as revealed
bv his biographer, Froude. Those who
believe I'm the superior strength Of 'hrst
love" will easily account for Tennyson's
and Carlyle's contrasting DOMESTIC lives.
Tennyson's wife was his first and only
choice among women. Carlyle's wife was
his second choice, and Jane Welsh her.
self had given her first love TO another.
Margaret Gordons farewell letter to
CARLYLE was sadly prophetic Of the great
essavist's domestic fate In 1t she wrote:
And now, my dear friend, long, long
adieu. one advice, and as parting one,
consider, value It. Cultivate the mildcr
dispositions of your heart. Subdue the
more extravagant visions of the brain. In
time your abilities must be known.
Genius will render you great. May virtue
render you beloved Remove the awful
distance between yourself and ordinary
men by kind and gentle manners. Deal
gently with their inferiority, and be con-
WINGED that they will respect you as much
and like you more. Why conceal the real
goodness that flows i'm your heart? Again
adleur'
In these words Carlyle's first love, with
intuitive perception, anticipated and de-
clned the misery which she foresaw was
I'm store for his wife. Jane Welsh, who
married him. after long years Of patient
endurance OF his gloomy and imperious
companionship. sorrowfully wrote: 81
married for ambition. Ny husband has
risen beyond my highest hopes-and am
miserable" After she was dead CARLYLE
canonized her with his pen, called her
1.-THE light of his life" and spoke of her
long drudgery I'm his service as beautiful
in the light OF eternity" But while she
lived he never gave her the joy OF know
ing that ne so regarded her.
Tennyson's married life, sweet and har-
monous as his best verses, permits us 10
doubt the common assumption that men
Of high genius usually make a failure OF
marriage. 1t is easy to compile n lengthy
list Of great men who have either made
poor husbands or else married poor wives,
and draw the hasty conclusion that
greatness has a natural tendency 10
wed unwisely John Wesley's laundering
courtship Of Sophia Cumston and his
more Wretched later marriage with the
oOman Of whom he sat down and wrote,
when she finally left him: II did not
ltdNt lilb Nouldi, Il Nlu ilOl. Hclih iiNA
away, / shall not send for her back;
John Millions even more melancholy
fiasco: Lord Byron's still gloomier mari
tai record; Dlckens's domestic discord,
and A. score Of other famous instances
readily suggest themselves as companion
pictures TO that Of Carlyles failure as
husband. But there are great many
pictures OF the contrary type. We may
put Martin Luther over against John
Wesley; Richard Baxter over against
John Milton-the great Puritan divine
against the great Puritan poet; leave the
happiness of Wordsworth TO offset the
misery Of Byron. cite Disraelps alto
gether happy conjugal relations by way
Of contrast to Dlckenss, and over against
Carlyle we may, with pardonable pride,
place the tender and gracious memory
Of our own poet, LongfelOw, as well as
that Of Tennyson. The assumption that
genius Is not. as q rule, capable OF do
nestle happiness is altogether arbitrary
and unproven. In this matter of marry
ing the evidence rather goes to show that
great men and small men, men OF genius,
and commonplace men, are on an equal
footing and share, and share alike in the
blanks and prizes Of wedlock.
The married happiness of Tennyson
seems TO suggest that with poets, as with
less gifted men, the bond of union IS
greatly strengthened where there Is
solid basis of mutual sympathies ana
tastes His wife shared fully in his in
;ellectual life. with her." says his son,
che always discussed what he was work
ing at; she transcribed his poems; to her,
and to no one else, he referred for a
final criticism before. publishing. she,
with her tender, spiritual nature and
instructive nobility of thought, was always
by his side, a ready. courageous, wise,
and sympathetic counsellor"
Lady Tennsson seems indeed 10 have
realized Oliver Wendell Holiness por-
trait of a thoroughly helpful wife. "Of-
tentimes," says our Autocrat, II nave
seen a tall ship glide by against the tide
as If drawn by an invisible tow-iine With
a hundred strong arms pulling it. Her
sails unfurled, her streamers dropping,
she had neither side-wheel nor stern
wheel; still she moved on stately in Sc
rene triumph. as with her own life. But
| knew that on the other side OF the
ship. hidden beneath the great bulk that
swan so majestically, there was a I..tle
toilsome steam tug, with heart of fire
and arms of iron, that was Juggling IL
hraveIy on; and / knew that II the little
steam tug .untwined her arms and lett
tho shin il would wallow and roll away
and drift hither and thither and go off
with the effiuent tide, no man knows
where. And so have known more than
one genius. high-decked. full-freighted.
wide-salled. gay-pennoned. who bur for
the bare. toiling arm and brave. warm
beating heart OF the faithful little wife
that nestled close TO him, so that no
wind nor wave could part them. would