APRIL AND TENNYSON.
It has been said that April is Chaucer's month and May Shakespeare's. To go further down the scale than these giants, it occurs to me that no one has ever approached Tennyson in " quotability " on the theme of English scenery. It may not be a sign of high poetic gifts—probably it is rather the reverse—but what a number of birds and plants he has labelled in phrases that have compelled quotation and still compel it. " Now burgeons every maze of quick" ; "When rosy plumelets tuft the larch " ; " More black than ash buds in the front of March " ; with a score beside. He has touched MI the speedwell, the pigeon, the linnet, the rook, the king- fisher, the dragon-fly ; but his favourite sitters if one may say so, or models, were trees. Besides those mentioned above, lie has painted the chestnut, the maple, the laburnum. the lime, the cedar,, the alder ; and all are speaking likenesses. Doubtless the list could be very greatly extended, for I write birrente calamo without reference to the book. Perhaps the ply poet who excels him, as botanist, is Lord de Tabley,
Whose rich verse has been too soon forgotten. * * * *
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