and Jowett's work on some of St Paul's Epistles。 If these books
contain the ideas of In Memoriam； it is by dint of repetition and
borrowing from In Memoriam； or by coincidence。 The originality was
Tennyson's； for we cannot dispute the evidence of dates。
When one speaks of 〃originality〃 one does not mean that Tennyson
discovered the existence of the ultimate problems。 But at Cambridge
（1828…1830） he had voted 〃No〃 in answer to the question discussed by
〃the Apostles；〃 〃Is an intelligible ＇intelligent？＇ First Cause
deducible from the phenomena of the universe？〃 ｛9｝ He had also
propounded the theory that 〃the development of the human body might
possibly be traced from the radiated vermicular molluscous and
vertebrate organisms；〃 thirty years before Darwin published The
Origin of Species。 To be concerned so early with such hypotheses；
and to face； in poetry； the religious or irreligious inferences which
may be drawn from them； decidedly constitutes part of the poetic
originality of Tennyson。 His attitude； as a poet； towards religious
doubt is only so far not original； as it is part of the general
reaction from the freethinking of the eighteenth century。 Men had
then been freethinkers avec delices。 It was a joyous thing to be an
atheist； or something very like one； at all events； it was glorious
to be 〃emancipated。〃 Many still find it glorious； as we read in the
tone of Mr Huxley； when he triumphs and tramples over pious dukes and
bishops。 Shelley said that a certain schoolgirl 〃would make a dear
little atheist。〃 But by 1828…1830 men were less joyous in their
escape from all that had hitherto consoled and fortified humanity。
Long before he dreamed of In Memoriam； in the Poems chiefly Lyrical
of 1830 Tennyson had written …
〃'Yet；' said I； in my morn of youth；
The unsunn'd freshness of my strength；
When I went forth in quest of truth；
'It is man's privilege to doubt。' 。 。 。
Ay me！ I fear
All may not doubt； but everywhere
Some must clasp Idols。 Yet； my God；
Whom call I Idol？ Let Thy dove
Shadow me over； and my sins
Be unremember'd； and Thy love
Enlighten me。 Oh teach me yet
Somewhat before the heavy clod
Weighs on me； and the busy fret
Of that sharp…headed worm begins
In the gross blackness underneath。
Oh weary life！ oh weary death！
Oh spirit and heart made desolate！
Oh damned vacillating state！〃
Now the philosophy of In Memoriam may be； indeed is； regarded by
robust； first…rate； and far from sensitive minds； as a 〃damned
vacillating state。〃 The poet is not so imbued with the spirit of
popular science as to be sure that he knows everything： knows that
there is nothing but atoms and ether； with no room for God or a soul。
He is far from that happy cock…certainty； and consequently is exposed
to the contempt of the cock…certain。 The poem； says Mr Harrison；
〃has made Tennyson the idol of the Anglican clergymanthe world in
which he was born and the world in which his life was ideally passed…
…the idol of all cultured youth and of all aesthetic women。 It is an
honourable post to fill〃that of idol。 〃The argument of In Memoriam
apparently is 。 。 。 that we should faintly trust the larger hope。〃
That； I think； is not the argument； not the conclusion of the poem；
but is a casual expression of one mood among many moods。
The argument and conclusion of In Memoriam are the argument and
conclusion of the life of Tennyson； and of the love of Tennyson； that
immortal passion which was a part of himself； and which； if aught of
us endure； is living yet； and must live eternally。 From the record
of his Life by his son we know that his trust in 〃the larger hope〃
was not 〃faint；〃 but strengthened with the years。 There are said to
have been less hopeful intervals。
His faith is； of course； no argument for others；at least it ought
not to be。 We are all the creatures of our bias； our environment；
our experience； our emotions。 The experience of Tennyson was unlike
the experience of most men。 It yielded him subjective grounds for
belief。 He 〃opened a path unto many；〃 like Yama； the Vedic being who
discovered the way to death。 But Tennyson's path led not to death；
but to life spiritual； and to hope； and he did 〃give a new impulse to
the thought of his age；〃 as other great poets have done。 Of course
it may be an impulse to wrong thought。 As the philosophical
Australian black said； 〃We shall know when we are dead。〃
Mr Harrison argues as if； unlike Tennyson； Byron； Wordsworth；
Shelley； and Burns produced 〃original ideas fresh from their own
spirit； and not derived from contemporary thinkers。〃 I do not know
what original ideas these great poets discovered and promulgated；
their ideas seem to have been 〃in the air。〃 These poets 〃made them
current coin。〃 Shelley thought that he owed many of his ideas to
Godwin； a contemporary thinker。 Wordsworth has a debt to Plato； a
thinker not contemporary。 Burns's democratic independence was 〃in
the air；〃 and had been； in Scotland； since Elder remarked on it in a
letter to Ingles in 1515。 It is not the ideas； it is the expression
of the ideas； that marks the poet。 Tennyson's ideas are relatively
novel； though as old as Plotinus； for they are applied to a novel； or
at least an unfamiliar； mental situation。 Doubt was abroad； as it
always is； but； for perhaps the first time since Porphyry wrote his
letter to Abammon； the doubters desired to believe； and said； 〃Lord；
help Thou my unbelief。〃 To robust； not sensitive minds； very much in
unity with themselves； the attitude seems contemptible； or at best
decently futile。 Yet I cannot think it below the dignity of mankind；
conscious that it is not omniscient。 The poet does fail in logic （In
Memoriam； cxx。） when he says …
〃Let him； the wiser man who springs
Hereafter； up from childhood shape
His action like the greater ape；
But I was BORN to other things。〃
I am not well acquainted with the habits of the greater ape； but it
would probably be unwise； and perhaps indecent； to imitate him； even
if 〃we also are his offspring。〃 We might as well revert to polyandry
and paint； because our Celtic or Pictish ancestors； if we had any；
practised the one and wore the other。 However； petulances like the
verse on the greater ape are rare in In Memoriam。 To declare that 〃I
would not stay〃 in life if science proves us to be 〃cunning casts in
clay；〃 is beneath the courage of the Stoical philosophy。
Theologically； the poem represents the struggle with doubts and hopes
and fears； which had been with Tennyson from his boyhood； as is
proved by the volume of 1830。 But the doubts had exerted； probably；
but little influence on his happiness till the sudden stroke of loss
made life for a time seem almost unbearable unless the doubts were
solved。 They WERE solved； or stoically set aside； in the Ulysses；
written in the freshness of grief； with the conclusion that we must
be
〃Strong in will
To strive； to seek； to find； and not to yield。〃
But the gnawing of grief till it becomes a physical pain； the fever
fits of sorrow； the aching desiderium； bring back in many guises the
old questions。 These require new attempts at answers； and are
answered； 〃the sad mechanic exercise〃 of verse allaying the pain。
This is the genesis of In Memoriam； not originally written for
publication but produced at last as a monument to friendship； and as
a book of consolation。
No books of consolation can console except by sympathy； and in In
Memoriam sympathy and relief have been found； and will be found； by
many。 Another； we feel； has trodden our dark and stony path； has
been shadowed by the shapes of dread which haunt our valley of
tribulation： a mind almost infinitely greater than ours has been our
fellow…sufferer。 He has emerged from the darkness of the shadow of
death into the light； whither； as it seems to us； we can scarcely
hope to come。 It is the sympathy and the example； I think； not the
speculations； mystical or scientific； which make In Memoriam； in more
than name； a book of consolation： even in hours of the sharpest
distress； when its technical beauties and wonderful pictures seem
shadowy and unreal； like the yellow sunshine and the woods of that
autumn day when a man learned that his friend was dead。 No； it was
not the speculations and arguments that consoled or encouraged us。
We did not listen to Tennyson as to Mr Frederic Harrison's glorified
Anglican clergyman。 We could not murmur； like the Queen of the May …
〃That good man； the Laureate； has told tis words of peace。〃
What we valued was the poet's companionship。 There was a young
reader to whom All along the Valley came as a new poem in a time of
recent sorrow。
〃The two…and…thirty years were a mist that rolls away；〃
said the singer of In Memoriam； and in that hour it seemed as if none
could endure for two…and…thirty years the companionship of loss。 But
the years have gone by； and have left
〃Ever young the face that dwells
With reason cloister'd in the brain。〃 ｛10｝
In this way to many In Memoriam is almost a life…long companion： we
walk with Great…heart for our guide through the valley Perilous。
In this respect