UNPUBLISHED EPIGRAM OF THIS PERIOD Sadness Eternal illimitable darkness is brother to eternal silence Immeasurable sadness! And I know it as a poet, And I greet it, and I meet it, And the voice that apes a nation- Or a fancy or a madness,— But I know it as a poet, And I meet it, and I greet it, The Queen having asked for some lines to be inscribed on the Duchess of Kent's statue in the Mausoleum at Frogmore, these were sent Her children rise up and call her blessed. Long as the heart beats life within her breast, Thy child will bless thee, guardian mother mild, And far away thy memory will be bless'd By children of the children of thy child. CHAPTER II MY MOTHER'S JOURNAL AND MY FATHER'S LETTER-DIARIES [Throughout Chapters II, III, IV and VI, for the greater clearness of the text, I have printed all extracts from my mother's journal in small print; and my father's diary and letters, as well as my own paragraphs, in large print.] 1865-1869 My father's letter-diary. (The death of his mother) Feb. 21st. Rosemount, Hampstead. gone before I came, she went at 10 p.m., age 84. 1865. Mother had I dare not see her. I shall have to stop over the funeral. She did not ask for me especially, which is one comfort. Feb. 25th. up at Arthur's. Hampstead. I am going to put We are all I think We are all I think pretty cheerful. I hope Woolner will make himself quite at home [at Farringford] and have an attic for smoking, for he enjoys his pipe. Monday, Hampstead. We are going to the funeral to-day. The departure of so blessed a being, almost whose last words were, when asked how she felt, " very quiet," seems to have no sting in it and she declared that she had no pain. We all of us hate the pompous funeral we have to join in, black plumes, black coaches and nonsense. We should like all to go in white and gold rather, but convention is against us. [After the funeral.1] All has gone off very quietly. A funeral came before us and a funeral followed. I could have wished for the country churchyard.' My mother's journal.-The Club, "Aylmer's Field," Mesmerism, Winchester, Professor Owen The following Preface was written by A. for the "Selection from his Poems" (sold in threepenny numbers), in which were included six new poems, "The Captain," "On a Mourner," "Home they brought him slain with spears," and "Three sonnets to a coquette": "I have been assured that a selection from my poems would not be unacceptable to the people. It is true that there are some who cry out against selections, and perhaps not unjustly when these are fragments, but I have inserted nothing here which is not whole in itself, and such as I have been led to believe would be most popular. Therefore not without the hope that my choice may 1 A plain cross marks the grave at the entrance to Highgate cemetery. 2 My mother writes: "All was so painless and peaceful, and she was so much like an angel, there is all the comfort that can be in her end, and in her memory.' 1865 "THE CLUB" be sanctioned by their approval I dedicate this volume to the 'Working Men of England.' The Queen sent her thanks for the "Selection from the Poems," expressing her cordial satisfaction on hearing that this "admirable selection from your poems will thus be brought within the reach of the poorest amongst the subjects of Her Majesty." A. wrote the following letters to the Duke of Argyll about his election to The Club [Dr. Johnson's Club], and with reference to the two lines which ended Aylmer's Field" in the first edition : There the thin weasel with faint hunting-cry Follows the mouse, and all is open field. FARRINGFORD, Feb. 17th, 1865. MY DEAR DUKE, Before answering definitely, I should like to know something about expenses. "The Club"? It is either my fault or my misfortune that I have never heard of it. I suppose one has not to pay some 25 guineas entrance and some 7 ditto a year, because then, I would not say that the game is not worth the candle, but that the candle is too dear for me. Does one only pay for one's dinner when eaten, or how is it? cry. Ever yours not ungratefully, I have ascertained that weasels have a hunting Feb. 20th, 1865. FARRINGFORD, MY DEAR DUKE, Propose me: I agree: yours be the shame if I'm blackballed!!! Weasels I have not heard of any weasels crying in the chase after a mouse, nor where it is a solitary hunter of anything. But I am assured by those who have heard them that when they join in the chase after great game, such as a rabbit (even tho' there should be no more than two), they not unfrequently utter their faint hunting-cry. I suppose the size of their victim excites them. I never see The Field. Would it be worth while writing thereto on this matter? Yours ever, A. TENNYSON. From the Duke of Argyll MY DEAR TENNYSON, PRIVY SEAL OFFICE, March 16th, 1865. You were last night unanimously elected a member of "The Club," and you will probably receive by this post the usual formal intimation to that effect from Dean Milman, who was chairman at last night's dinner. The form of intimation was drawn up as a joke by Gibbon and has been adhered to ever since. You will 1 "I have to intimate to you that you have had the honour of being elected a member of The Club.'" |