Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-08-07
w HOLE Nrnnru, 1870

one striking feature of this poem Is
that Tennyson does not attempt to be
little the voice Of the sense self or to
give 1t the worst of the argument. The
beauty Of the piece is that 1t rings
true. The lower nature has the evi-
dCnce of the senses on its side The
angel within us must depend on those
finer and more elusive things, the in
timations that come we knew not how,
the faith and trust that spring from
perennial fountains within. BY such
seemingly weak yet truly mighty
forces does the God In maa win the
battle with our sense Illusions and our
unfaith.
1t is almost idle to extend the list
"Enoch Arden" with its picture of
hOmely self sacrifice. the world knows
by heart as it does the many songs of
humble life, Of PATRIOTISM of love and
war Throughout is moral intlu-
enCc, a call to the heroic in mon, IL
glimpse Of the heaven that is SO near
to all our lives, il we would but see
The thought that
Howe'er 1t be- 1t seems to me
'Tis only noble to be good
is ever present Goodness is the per
vading theme of this poet. as it is of
LOnGfcllow, as 1t is of all the truly
great, whether singers, teachers or rul-
ers Of men.
Ring In the Christ that is to be-
sang this pOct-prophet, who saw with
,;,;, 1,
really taught and saw likewise how
far the world is from realizing that
perfect ideal
In conversation with a lady one
day the talk turned upon poet then
dead, and Tennyson objected that the
man lacked common sense. The lady
urged that the same criticism might
have been made of Jesus
Jesus had more common sense than
you or l, madam" quickly rejoined
the laureate. How long will it take
mankind to see that truth?
Despite Tennyson's reputation for
sadness, he was not without an cle-
ment of humor that was playful and
almost boiSterous when the mood was
on him. This appears in Il criticism he
made of one of Robert Brownings
poems. The two We're the best Of
friends so there Is no malice in the
structure. TennySon said that Brown
ing'S poem was SO obscure that he
understood only two lines and they
were both lies. These lines We're the
first and last:
Now shall Cpr1alln'c
Now have you heard Sordelos story told.
The laureate was q good reader and
delighted in reciting his own produc-
tiOnS. He read other poets equally
well. Whenever he struck fine line
either of his own or another, he re-
marked as much. This was not due to
vanity, as he was notably free from
that small vice. 1t was only the art
lists appreciation. Most writer's know
whether they have done a thing we'll
or not, and only n false modesty keeps
them from saying So Any man that
can create stuff like that of Alfred
TennySon Is entitled to praise 1t if he
feels like It. An author who thinks his
work "punky" is generally right Ten
nySon knew his was not, and we all
know the same. Why not say so?
False modcsty Is only an inverted van
ity. That Tennyson was not vain is
shown by the fact that many of tho
songs he wrote-Songs that would have
made the fame of smaller man
never saw the light, at least during his
lifetime. If he knew what of his own
work was good he also knew what
was not up to the mark.
So fine a reader was the English
laureate that his friends said he would
have shone upon the stage Others OBJ
jccted that he had Il Sngsong voice,
bringing out too prominently the rhyme
and rhythm. These should only be SuS-