tune with his muse, Tennyson was brusque. 

 But it is easy to forgive a genius, espe- 

 cially if he is beset with all sorts and con- 

 ditions of men, as Tennyson was. It is 

 said that Tennyson was often offensive to 

 Americans. We cannot blame the English 

 poet for refusing to receive a certain type 

 of American who is persona non grata 

 even in his own country. At any rate, 

 Tennyson was not insensible to American 

 beauty, for he treated Miss Mary Ander- 

 son nicely, and even allowed her to fill his 

 pipe for him. 



Bismarck was one of the greatest smok- 

 ers that ever lived, and him I have never 

 met. He would require a chapter, but it 

 is impossible in the space allotted to me 

 to speak of all the smokers whom I have 

 yet to meet; still, Charles Lamb must be 

 mentioned. At the " smokers " in his house 

 I have often been, in spirit; particularly 

 on one great night, when, over their pipes, 



60 



