Tennyson's "In Memoriam :" its Purpose and Structure. A Study.
By John F. Genung. (Macmillan and Co.)—Mr. Genung begins by briefly sketching the literary life of the poet up to the publication of the work with which he proposes to deal. He then speaks of its purpose, which he conceives of thus :—" It is, while giving grief its natural expression, to cherish with it the same love which death has invaded, but not impaired ; and so, following as it were, love's history by faith into the unseen world on the one band, and into the world of nobler future on the other, to gather all the fruits it may yield, for the individual and the race." Its " Structure " is then discussed. The connection of the poem is drawn with much clearness. In fact, till we have a regularly annotated edition, this volume may well be accepted as a most useful interpreter.
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