The London Mercury for January contains the concluding portion of
Mrs. Warre Cornish's admirable " Memories of Tennyson."
" The poet once appeared alone on his return to Aldworth with the query, What do you think they are going to do to me ? ' His friends from his tone hardly knew whether the answer was to be a condolence or not. They are going to make me a lord.' He went on and enumerated his reasons for refusing the honour at first. Is it not like putting a coronet on the head of a skull ? " My sisters say I shall have to pay more for my wine.' The poet was right in the resistance he offered Mr. Gladstone's wish. In those days a Laureate was looked upon as the people's possession. The Radicals did not like his peerage. Tennyson received anonymous letters and said to Mrs. Brotherton, ' I seem to live in an atmosphere of hate."' Miss Minna Steele Smith quotes a number of MS. notes inscribed by Mrs. Piozzi in a copy of Boswell. Prince D. S. Mirski gives a depressing account of " The Literature of Bolshevik Russia," which appears to be, for the most part, foul and blasphemous. The pages of poetry include two pieces by Mr. Blunden and the last lines, " To Edmund Gosse," written by Austin Dobson.
Previous page
