Pond. — On Tennyson arid Browning. 557 



characters are creations of the intellect, instead of the sym- 

 pathy of the artist ; secondly, in that he cannot stand outside 

 his characters — he cannot represent them objectively. Pea- 

 sants and kings, old men and maidens, all are animated by 

 Browning, and all, unhappily, are liable to speak Brown- 

 ingese. With Shakespeare, one may say that Hamlet said 

 this or that, or Othello said that, but not that Shakespeare 

 said either; but with Browning, whether the mask be 

 Paracelsus or Pippa, it is Browning speaking through it. 



There is one further point in which I desire to oppose 

 Tennyson and Browning. I have discussed their art : now as 

 to the materials of their art — their thought. 



It is very evident that this is a question on which a volume 

 of essays might be written. At the same time it is, I think, 

 possible to put the fundamental differences between them into 

 a few words. Tennyson would bring passion in all its forms 

 under the rein of law. Browning would give the rein to 

 passion. The one advocates control, the other free play. Of 

 course, statements like these can be but half-truths only. 

 They need a somewhat longer consideration. 



In that volume of poems which I adduced as the first 

 real representation of Tennyson, in the poem of " ffinone," 

 are the following words, which form the keynote of all Ten- 

 nyson's poetry : — 



Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control, 

 These three alone lead life to sovereign power : 

 Yet not for power — power of herself 

 Would come uncalled-for — but to live by law, 

 Acting the law we live by without fear ; 

 And, because right is right, to follow right 

 Were wisdom in the scorn of consequence. 



That, as I said, seems to me to sum up the whole ethical 

 position of Tennyson — "to live by law." It crops up in various 

 forms throughout the whole of his works. Thus we find it 

 controlling his own art. His poetry is to have some moral 

 restraint, not a merely sensuous passion for beauty — 



such as lurks 



In some wild poet, when he works 

 Without a conscience or an aim. 



" Energy nobly controlled," says Professor Dowden, speak- 

 ing of Tennyson in this aspect, " energy nobly controlled, an 

 ordered activity, delight his imagination. Violence, extrava- 

 gance, immoderate force, the swerving from appointed ends, 

 revolt — these are with Mr. Tennyson the supreme manifesta- 

 tions of evil." 



Thus it is in religion : to him God is the supreme law- 

 giver rather than the supreme friend ; with ecstasy or mysti- 

 cism he has no sympathy. When the Holy Grail descends. 



