A Key to Lord Tennyson's 'In Memoriam' Part 17

"'Tis held that sorrow makes us wise"

is repeated in P. cxiii., 1.

CIX.

Hallam's character and accomplishments are recited. Richness of conversation, much imported from an intellectual home; with critical powers over all poetry. Keen and rapid thought displayed in logical argument. Delighting in what is good, but not ascetic, and pure in life.

Loving freedom, but without

"The blind hysterics of the Celt,"[78]

and uniting manliness with female grace, which made him such a favourite with children.

If the survivor, who had seen and admired all these qualities, had not allowed such wisdom to make him wise, then shame be on him!

CX.

He recalls their former Cambridge discussions; and how Hallam's powers of conversation drew out

"The men of rathe and riper years;"

both the young and older. He gave confidence to the timid, the true-hearted held to him, and the deceitful were exposed,

"While I, thy dearest,[79] sat apart"

watching these triumphs, and enjoying them as my own; and though not possessing the tact, and art, and sweetness, and skill, yet I seemed to share in them, from the love and admiration which they inspired.

"And, born of love, the vague desire That spurs an imitative will,"

rose in me, and made me wish to do likewise.

CXI.

"The churl in spirit" may be found in all ranks of society. Even the king, holding the golden ball of state, may be "at heart a clown."

The "coltish nature" will break out through all the disguises of fas.h.i.+on: but in Hallam

"G.o.d and nature met in light, And thus he bore without abuse The grand old name of gentleman,[80]

Defamed by every charlatan, And soil'd with all ign.o.ble use."

CXII.

"High wisdom," which judges _ex cathedra_, will condemn him for preferring "glorious insufficiencies" to "narrower perfectness."

He esteems high purposes after what is unattained, as exhibited in Hallam's shortened life, more than a complete fulfilment of lesser duties by the "lords of doom," who rule in our social system, and are _those that have free will, but less intellect_.

His friend was "some novel power," which

"Sprang up for ever at a touch, And hope could never hope too much, In watching thee from hour to hour."

CXIII.

He persistently dwells on Hallam's capabilities. Sorrow may teach wisdom; but how much more sleeps with him, who would not only have guided the survivor, but served all public ends.

He thinks his friend might have become a leading statesman of the day--a pilot to weather the storm, when the greatest social agonies prevailed.

CXIV.

"Who loves not Knowledge"? He would have it pursued to its utmost limits; but in the keen searchings of the scientific there is this danger, that conclusions are apt to be accepted before they have been proved.

When "cut from love and faith," Science is no more than "some wild Pallas from the brain of Demons"--like Minerva, who sprang all armed and full-grown from the brain of Jupiter.

Science, too often,

"leaps into the future chance, Submitting all things to desire.

Half-grown as yet, a child, and vain"--

and therefore needing caution and restraint.

If separated from love and faith, she bursts

"All barriers in her onward race For power."

Science is "second, not the first,"

"For she is earthly of the mind, But Wisdom heavenly of the soul."

He would have the world wise and modest,

"like thee, Who grewest not alone in power And knowledge, but by year and hour In reverence and in charity."

It may be remarked that, here and elsewhere, the Poet makes a distinction betwixt mind and soul: the former acquiring knowledge which

"is of things we see;"

the latter by faith,

"Believing where we cannot prove;"

even those things which St. Paul says "are not seen and are eternal."

CXV.