272 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



He had a note from Sir Lewis Morris introducing 

 him to the poet. At about half-past two we arrived at 

 his beautiful house, the situation of which is so well 

 known. My wife and daughter preferred to remain in 

 the carriage. I was averse to intruding on Tennyson 

 myself, but after much persuasion I consented to go. 



On sending in our cards and the note, Mr. Hallam 

 Tennyson came forward to meet us, saying that his 

 father was just finishing his lunch, and if we did not 

 mind coming into the dining-room, Lord Tennyson 

 would be glad to see us. And so Mr. Summers and I 

 went in. Tennyson at once asked me to sit by him, 

 whilst Mr. Summers was held in conversation at the 

 other side of the room by Lady Tennyson. The old 

 man began with the words, " Your name has been 

 before me at every meal," at which I expressed great 

 astonishment, not thinking that he had ever heard 

 of me, and thereupon he produced a small phial con- 

 taining saccharine, on the outside of which was an 

 advertisement containing a few lines of some appre- 

 ciatory remarks respecting saccharine which I had 

 made in a lecture at the Royal Institution. This 

 notice I had never seen, and on my return home I 

 wrote to the proprietors requesting them to stop 

 issuing such notices, as I could not have my name 

 used for advertising purposes, and this they did. 



In a few minutes, without further conversation, 

 Tennyson rose and said : " Well, I must bid you good- 

 bye, for I must now lie down. I am going to smoke 

 a cigar and go to sleep." Upon which he walked out 

 of the room, giving a distant nod to my disconsolate 

 friend Will Summers, who had come on purpose to 

 interview the poet, but with whom he had not exchanged 

 a single word. The party then broke up ; Hallam 

 Tennyson almost carried his mother, who appeared to 



