Kubla Khan。 But in Tennyson the effects were deliberately sought and
secured。
One might conjecture； though Lord Tennyson says nothing on the
subject； that among the suggestions for The Princess was the opening
of Love's Labour's Lost。 Here the King of Navarre devises the
College of Recluses； which is broken up by the arrival of the
Princess of France； Rosaline； and the other ladies：…
King。 Our Court shall be a little Academe；
Still and contemplative in living art。
You three； Biron； Domain； and Longaville；
Have sworn for three years' term to live with me；
My fellow…scholars； and to keep those statutes。
* * *
Biron。 That is； to live and study here three years。
But there are other strict observances；
As； not to see a woman in that term。
* * *
＇Reads＇ 'That no woman shalt come within a mile of my Court：' Hath
this been proclaimed？
Long。 Four days ago。
Biron。 Let's see the penalty。 ＇Reads＇ 'On pain of losing her
tongue。'
The Princess then arrives with her ladies； as the Prince does with
Cyril and Florian； as Charles did； with Buckingham； in Spain。 The
conclusion of Shakespeare is Tennyson's conclusion …
〃We cannot cross the cause why we are born。〃
The later poet reverses the attitude of the sexes in Love's Labour's
Lost： it is the women who make and break the vow； and the women in
The Princess insist on the 〃grand； epic； homicidal〃 scenes； while the
men are debarred； more or less； from a sportive treatment of the
subject。 The tavern catch of Cyril； the laughable pursuit of the
Prince by the feminine Proctors； the draggled appearance of the
adventurers in female garb； are concessions to the humour of the
situation。 Shakespeare would certainly have given us the song of
Cyril at the picnic； and comic enough the effect would have been on
the stage。 It may be a gross employment； but The Princess； with the
pretty chorus of girl undergraduates；
〃In colours gayer than the morning mist；〃
went reasonably well in opera。 Merely considered as a romantic
fiction； The Princess presents higher proofs of original narrative
genius than any other such attempt by its author。
The poem is far from being deficient in that human interest which
Shelley said that it was as vain to ask from HIM； as to seek to buy a
leg of mutton at a gin…shop。 The characters； the protagonists； with
Cyril； Melissa； Lady Blanche； the child Aglaia； King Gama； the other
king； Arac； and the hero's motherbeautifully studied from the
mother of the poetare all sufficiently human。 But they seem to
waver in the magic air； 〃as all the golden autumn woodland reels
athwart the fires of autumn leaves。 For these reasons； and because
of the designed fantasy of the whole composition； The Princess is
essentially a poem for the true lovers of poetry； of Spenser and of
Coleridge。 The serious motive； the question of Woman； her wrongs；
her rights； her education； her capabilities； was not 〃in the air〃 in
1847。 To be sure it had often been 〃in the air。〃 The Alexandrian
Platonists； the Renaissance； even the age of Anne； had their
emancipated and learned ladies。 Early Greece had Sappho； Corinna；
and Erinna； the first the chief of lyric poets； even in her
fragments； the two others applauded by all Hellas。 The French
Revolution had begotten Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and her
Vindication of the Rights of Women； and in France George Sand was
prominent and emancipated enough while the poet wrote。 But； the
question of love apart； George Sand was 〃very； very woman；〃 shining
as a domestic character and fond of needlework。 England was not
excited about the question which has since produced so many
disputants； inevitably shrill； and has not been greatly meddled with
by women of genius； George Eliot or Mrs Oliphant。 The poem； in the
public indifference as to feminine education； came rather
prematurely。 We have now ladies' colleges； not in haunts remote from
man； but by the sedged banks of Cam and Cherwell。 There have been no
revolutionary results： no boys have spied these chaste nests； with
echoing romantic consequences。 The beauty and splendour of the
Princess's university have not arisen in light and colour； and it is
only at St Andrews that girls wear the academic and becoming costume
of the scarlet gown。 The real is far below the ideal； but the real
in 1847 seemed eminently remote； or even impossible。
The learned Princess herself was not on our level as to knowledge and
the past of womankind。 She knew not of their masterly position in
the law of ancient Egypt。 Gynaeocracy and matriarchy； the woman the
head of the savage or prehistoric group； were things hidden from her。
She 〃glanced at the Lycian custom；〃 but not at the Pictish； a custom
which would have suited George Sand to a marvel。 She maligned the
Hottentots。
〃The highest is the measure of the man；
And not the Kaffir； Hottentot； Malay。〃
The Hottentots had long ago anticipated the Princess and her shrill
modern sisterhood。 If we take the Greeks； or even ourselves； we may
say； with Dampier （1689）； 〃The Hodmadods； though a nasty people； yet
are gentlemen to these〃 as regards the position of women。 Let us
hear Mr Hartland： 〃In every Hottentot's house the wife is supreme。
Her husband； poor fellow； though he may wield wide power and
influence out of doors； at home dare not even take a mouthful of
sour…milk out of the household vat without her permission 。 。 。 The
highest oath a man can take is to swear by his eldest sister； and if
he abuses this name he forfeits to her his finest goods and sheep。〃
However； in 1847 England had not yet thought of imitating the
Hodmadods。 Consequently； and by reason of the purely literary and
elaborately fantastical character of The Princess； it was not of a
nature to increase the poet's fame and success。 〃My book is out； and
I hate it； and so no doubt will you；〃 Tennyson wrote to FitzGerald；
who hated it and said so。 〃Like Carlyle； I gave up all hopes of him
after The Princess；〃 indeed it was not apt to conciliate Carlyle。
〃None of the songs had the old champagne flavour；〃 said Fitz； and
Lord Tennyson adds； 〃Nothing either by Thackeray or by my father met
FitzGerald's approbation unless he had first seen it in manuscript。〃
This prejudice was very human。 Lord Tennyson remarks； as to the
poet's meaning in this work； born too early； that 〃the sooner woman
finds out； before the great educational movement begins； that 'woman
is not undeveloped man； but diverse；' the better it will be for the
progress of the world。〃
But probably the 〃educational movement〃 will not make much difference
to womankind on the whole。 The old Platonic remark that woman 〃does
the same things as man； but not so well；〃 will eternally hold good；
at least in the arts； and in letters； except in rare cases of genius。
A new Jeanne d'Arc； the most signal example of absolute genius in
history； will not come again； and the ages have waited vainly for a
new Sappho or a new Jane Austen。 Literature； poetry； painting； have
always been fields open to woman。 But two names exhaust the roll of
women of the highest rank in lettersSappho and Jane Austen。 And
〃when did woman ever yet invent？〃 In 〃arts of government〃 Elizabeth
had courage； and just saving sense enough to yield to Cecil at the
eleventh hour； and escape the fate of 〃her sister and her foe；〃 the
beautiful unhappy queen who told her ladies that she dared to look on
whatever men dared to do； and herself would do it if her strength so
served her。〃 ｛6｝ 〃The foundress of the Babylonian walls〃 is a myth；
〃the Rhodope that built the Pyramid〃 is not a creditable myth； for
exceptions to Knox's 〃Monstrous Regiment of Women〃 we must fall back
on 〃The Palmyrene that fought Aurelian；〃 and the revered name of the
greatest of English queens； Victoria。 Thus history does not
encourage the hope that a man…like education will raise many women to
the level of the highest of their sex in the past； or even that the
enormous majority of women will take advantage of the opportunity of
a man…like education。 A glance at the numerous periodicals designed
for the reading of women depresses optimism； and the Princess's
prophecy of
〃Two plummets dropped for one to sound the abyss
Of science； and the secrets of the mind；〃
is not near fulfilment。 Fortunately the sex does not 〃love the
Metaphysics；〃 and perhaps has not yet produced even a manual of
Logic。 It must suffice man and woman to
〃Walk this world
Yoked in all exercise of noble end；〃
of a more practical character； while woman is at liberty
〃To live and learn and be
All that not harms distinctive womanhood。〃
This was the conclusion of the poet who had the most chivalrous
reverence for womanhood。 This is the eirenicon of that old strife
between the women and the menthat war in which both armies are
captured。 It may not be acceptable to excited lady combatants； who
think man their foe； when the real enemy is （what Porson damned） the
Nature of Things。
A new poem like The Princess would soon reach the public of our day；
so greatly increased are the uses of advertisement。 But The Princess
moved slowly from edition to revised and imp