The sun., 1916-01-23

John Wilson was concerned. Tenny-
son repented. and when John Lake
published Criticism and Taste.
Satire" defending Tennyson, the poet
actually wrote letter to Wilson dep
recating the spirit and matter OF the
composition. and, furthermore. apolo-
gizing for his own "silly squib.' But
he had to pay the penalty for his rash-
ness. Critics who had before been
favorably inclined now rallied about
the injured member OF their crait
and Alfred was well belaoored.
Jordan Of the Literary Gazette, having
an axe to grind in his grudge against
Southey. took Occa sion to retaliate upon
the poet laureate by attacking a new
book from southcys publisher. Moxon;
and this happened to be the Poems"
Of the laureate that was to he. Southey
was a friend Of Lambs; to link up
his chain OF vengeful logic. Jerdan
created a School to which Lamb and
Tennyson belonged. the "Baa Lamp
School," He wrote: "Mr. Alfred
Tennyson may he considered pupil
Of a pcetical school. To offer a fair
and candid opinion OF the merits and
dement's of any one of whom. from
the Dux Of the highest to the Ounce
Of the lowest form, IL sure to bring
the whole about your ears. buzzing,
hallooing, yelping. ACCUSING and pe't-
ing with all the fury Of an incensed
urchinry."
For all its blum and buster. black
roods was. in addition to being one
OF the best managed literary periodi-
Gals Of the second quarter OF the nine
teenth century. one OF the fairest.
Criticism may he rough and yet he
competent. but il cannot be funda-
mentally unjust and thrive. The
appeal Of unfair criticism Is re-
stricted when ii is interested II is
interesting only TO those who share
that special interest. Wilson had
staggered a little in his criticism OF
the Tennyson volume OF 1880. but to
impartial judges his remarks must
have seemed eminently just, and in
deed creative Of a favorable impress
sion. The poets petulant and foolish
verses ranked in "crusty. rusty,
musty. fusty" Chrstophers mind:
| and although he did not Immediately
retort, the years OF postpOnement OF
punishment do but add to the repre-
hensibility of its exaggerated sever
ity. Prof. Lounsbury says OF Wilson's
later attacks: Though no notice
| has ever been taken of these utter
ances. though all knowledge OF them
| seems to have died from the memory
/ OF men. they present a curious pic
| ture Of the Importance which the ed
itors OF the leading critical periodicals
then attributed to their own opinions
and the sanctity they assumed for
themselves" Wilson never forgot or
forgave. and the attacks mot justi-
| fable with plea OF momentary irrita-
tom were continued as long as he
| dared to oppose his own view of the
poet to that of the public" In this
respect OF objectivity jeffrey was
greatly superior to Wilson. His liter
AIRY judgment was not swayed by his
personal resentments.
In 1886 Christopher North. in re-
viewing the Miscellaneous Plays" OF
Joanna Baillie. went out of his way tc
roast" Tennyson. or rather to re-
buke the Tennysonians:
Let him lay 20 heart the kind counsei
| Of Christopher North. who alone has don,
! Justice TO his nne faculties. and the laure
| crown will ere long be placed on his head
He has yet written but some beautiful
4 vcrses-a few very charming compost
| tions. that are in truth little poems-no
| great ones-his feeling Is exquisite. anc
| 81 Is his fancy---but oh. how feeble toe
| often his Thought Feeble because ~
lis wilfui fribble-hattery has made HIN
so-but would he but scorn his syco
| VII afr he.
and nature would be glad 10 see hin
what she designed him 10 be. a true poet
4 To some readers this will not seen
80 'grudging' a recognition as the au
thor deems IL. HIS belief that Tenny
son would never attain the highes
pinnacles OF poetic greatness ma.
have been utterly sincere, in wh.cl
case his criticism could hardly ~
called with fairness 'perfunctory.
At any rate Wilson clearly enougl
put Tennyson into the same pen wit
with his "young poets" who nigh
be true" poets but could not eXpec
to become great" poets: the bard
lings."
Again. showing how heavily Ten
nyson lay on his mind. Christophe
North wrote:
out of cambridE. and Cockn"yd on
how many scores of Christian cr-s;ure
hav. e,er seen either Of Alfred Tenny
sons Volumes Not fourscor.
A Young lyrical poet OF the present da
cannot. do what he wIll, be satisfied vi;
the applause % coieri. OF undergrad
yates. though sraced with the coun,s
! nance OF the Wooden Spoon Of the Yea
shining in the glass OF novelty aimo'
like a horn. He longs for "wak.n
empire wide as dreams and he finds
In the most benencent Of p.tennia
whose smile Is fame and whose prais
Is Immortality
What says I'rof Iounsbury to this
-, He notes an ineXactness Of statemen
, which some persons might be dispose
, to characterize as deliberate mlsreI
resentation:
, | Th. clientele Of Tannyson was sssnredl
|, a; that time small but II was altoEsth<
larger and wider than the critic gave ~
Impression of It's being. II was made "
= too OF mon. who besides being OF superlo
ability. were coming to have that super
l jor!ty widely recognized Such person
were not in tho habit of going to an
Pc triodical whatever to have their opinloI
, formed or formulated. Their very ind
pendence contributed to the growth
their influence.
Moreover. there was marked pars
= mony in dispensing truth. somethin
!. like a dispensing with truth, in Wi
! sons assertion that Christopher Mort
), had introduced to his readers the he.