Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-08-07
FROsTBURG, MD, SATURDAY, AUGUST Z, 1909.


He was nothing OF the dilcttante. but a
very robust man, breezy. given to
much walking, some humOr, vast
amount of smoking and other things
that go to make up n whole man His
was n composite nature, containing
good, strong veins both OF optimism
and pessimism.
He was free soul. but respected
the conventions; he faced to the fu-
ture, but revered the past; he was con
structive, too broad for party or sect.
too tall Of soul to bc frcttcd by petit
ness In others; best of all, he was
never ignoblc, his songs ever rin"in":
true to the highest IN eur natures.
Withal he was n kingly soul who
would have been marked in any age
or cline. He was n combination OF
the genius and good man, Il thing that
the world regards as rare only be
cause it does not understand genius.
TcnnySon was much of Il prophet. aS
are all poets who are worthy Of that
high name. In a large way he fore
told the nirship, The Hague peace con
greSs and even the new woman.
Vaguely he forecast the theosophic
movement. his poems containing more
than one hint of n belief in reincarna-
ton. He was charged with being an
artist, but a mere artist would never
have seen so deeply nor SO far. Art
with him was only an accompaniment.
He had the form, but also the sub
stance He was n master Of words,
but his words said something. His
vessels OF speech were highly polished,
but were we'll filled. His lines jingle
and sing, but man cannot read him
without doing some robust thinking.
TennySons verse is not SO jerky as
Browning's, not so matcrialiStic and
immoral as Omar's-Or are they FitZ-
gerald'S?-and not so didaCtic rs Long
fellows. lie wanted the coSmic spirit
and democratic outlook of Whitman.
had little sympathy with republican in
stitutions and became somewhat Of
reactionary in his old age. Yet his
very lacks were an essential part of
his character and rang true to his
philosophy. We forgive them for that
reason. He was not obscure. What
he said was uttered with Clc1rnesS
and force, with melody and light He
did not fail to point a neral because
he refraincd from obtruding it on thu
view. He was an ariStO"rnt, but his
was the ariStocracy of noble minds.
What | love most about TcnnySon is
his Dantc-csque spirituality. He saw
the other side OF things, saw it as no
other poet has seen it. | cannot re-
frain here from quoting Edgar Allan
Poe's estimate Of him. Some one has
remarked II takes a poet to read
poet Poe was not only n poet, but
the kecnest critic perhaps that has ap-
peared in America. OF Tennyson he
said:
In perfect sincerity regard him as the
noblest poet that ever lived. I call him
and think him the noblest of poets not
because the impressions he produces ar"
at all times the most profound, not be-
cause the poetical excitement which he
induces is at all times the most intense,
but because 1t is at all times the most
ethereal-in other words, the most elevat-
ing and the most pure. NO poet Is SO
little Of the earth earthly.
In this connection let me quote one
of TennySon's poems that seems little
known. To me it makes a powerful
appeal because 1t reveals 50 deep an
insight into things little known i'll the
western world. 1t shows the far ad-
vancement of his soul as do few other
gems from his pen. 1t is entitled 'The
Mystic" | give but few lines from
the beginning and the end:
Angels have talked with him and showed
him thrones.
Ye knew him not; he was not one OF ye.
Ye scorned him with an undiscerning
sCorn.
The still serene abstraction. He hath felt
The vanities of after and before.
Albeit, his spirit and his secret heart
The stern experiences of converse lives,
The linked woes OF many fiery change
Had purified and chastened and made
free.
How could ye know him? Ye were yet
The narrower circle. He had well nigh
reached
The last, which with region OF white
flame,
Pure without heat into larger air
Upburning and ether Of black blue
Investeth and engirds all other lives.
This element in the English laureate
has puzzled his critics, but for the
most part they have evaded it by call
ing it poetic fancy How could they
know him? They We're yet within the
pirpln