The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-12-13
TENNYSON AND BROWNING.
(Proper Gander.)

family OF twelve. Al1reQ was educat-
ed at the grammar school of South,
and then went to Trinity College,
Cambridge, where he won the chan
cellor's medal for a poem on "Tim-
bustoo." Altho Tennyson was stu
dent of promise, he did not finish his
University course, but lived with his
widowed mother in rural retirement
near London. He died at Aldworth in
October 1892. He was buried in West
minister Abbey by tine side of his
friend and fellow-poet, Robert Brown
ing.
Tennyson was honest, but sensitive
to criticism. He had a mature intellect
and never gave way to his feelings
or to fancy. Tennyson had an aston
ishing skill of musical accompani-
ment and, at last, unable to deal with
men or their emotions che passed his
life beyond the struggles of the world
and above the pressing wants OF its
poverty"
From his father Tennyson received
his first instructions in verse making.
His older brother, Charles, was
thought to possess a more marked
poetic gift than Alfred, winning in
fact, more praise for his share in a
small volume entitled, Poems by
Two Brothers" Between 1882 and
1912 Tennyson published little, but
his spiritual experiences were pro-
found. He wrote many beautiful
poems among which, "The Princess" "
"In Memoriam," "Maude," 'Idylls of
the King" ULYSSES" "Enoch Arden
and "Crossing of the Bar" are the
most prominent. "To those who have
ears to hear there is absolutely no
poet so inexhaustible and original in
harmony as Tennyson. His poetry
discloses Grecian, Gothic, Italian
and French influences. Mellowed in
the light of his understanding to a
chastened splendor." His work lacks
humor; consequently, he lacks COM
pleteness of insight on many of the
finer character sketches.
Robert Browning was born in
Camberwell, supurb of London, in
1912. His father, a man with an ar
tistic sense was a clerk in the Bank
of England. Browning went to no re-
ligious school; and though his read
ing was wide and appreciative, it
lacked throughout his life the touch
of scholarship in the full and liberal
sense which distinguished Tennyson.
The latter part of his life was spent
in Italy. He died in Venice in 1889;
as England claimed his body, he was
buried in Westminster Abbey.
Browning was interested in human
beings about him, but unlike Tenny-
son, he loved society and was ever a
welcome guest at teas and receptions.
Browning was an optimist; he loved
music, was healthy and gentle; and
had a deep religious feeling. He be-
lieved in the high destiny of man, in
the "soul of goodness in things evil
in the noble ends of art and of love
Like Tennyson, he values love as the
greatest thing in the world; unlike
Tennyson, he subordinates law to the
individual will.
Byron was Brownings' inspiration
and model. His first poem was PAU
line," his next, "Paracelsus," ap'
reared in 1885. From 1885 the poets
vocation may be considered as fixed
and though his public was, at first,
smaller than Tennyson's and took far
longer to increase, he always had his
devotees, and never allowed detrac-
ton or neglect to cheek him. Brown
ing studied Ita!.;In history and liter,
ature aid thes. proved a dominant
influence ir his tho n.ht. Among his
best works are: "Pippa Passes" 1.-The
Ring and the Book" ezra Sippt
Lippi," "Rabbi Ben Ezra" and my