428 ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON. 



extinguished, altliough sometimes clouded, and the progress in 

 which he believed was of the true kind. Let us listen to a few 

 lines from " In Memoriam " : 



" Who loves not Knowledge ? Who shall rail 

 Against her beauty ? May she mix 

 With men and prosper ! Who shall fix 

 Her pillars ? Let her work prevail. 



" A higher hand must make her mild, 

 If all be not in vain ; and guide 

 Her footsteps, moving side by side 

 With wisdom, like the younger child : 



" For she is earthly of the mind, 

 But wisdom heavenly of the soul. 

 O friend, who earnest to thy goal 

 So early, leaving me behind, 



" I would the great world grew like thee, 

 Who grewest not alone in power 

 And knowledge, but by year and hour 

 In reverence and in charity." 



It is the soundness and sweetness of the poet's nature which 

 make the greatness of "In Memoriam," — a dirge of inordinate 

 length, written in a stanza which is at first a little repellent to 

 the ear. In spite of these drawbacks, it is well to read the whole 

 poem at a sitting, and to mark passages for future reference. 

 For the poem has a unity of design, and carries the reader with 

 the poet through the depths of self-contained and dignified sorrow 

 to the clear heights of consolation which is not forgetfulness. 



And as Tennyson is hopeful in matters of religious faith, so 

 is he in things social and political. He rails at the crowd, 

 sometimes a little unreasonably, but he trusts to the future of 

 the race. 



" He seems to hear a Heavenly Friend, 

 And through thick veils to apprehend 

 A labour working to an end." 



'o 



And this faith never left our poet long. It is good to know 

 that after the confusion of *' Locksley Hall Sixty Years after " 

 came the serenity of "Akbar's Dream," the consciousness that 

 the light of our century is "dawn, not day." 



It is not necessary to linger over "The Princess," although 

 there are many charming lines in the poem, beside those of the 



