The period comprised under the above title is one of three years; from 1830 to 1833.

There is nothing artificial in this arrangement of the early productions of our poet; for, as will be seen, he continued silent for nearly ten years after the death of his friend. It is also indispensable to the right understanding of "In Memoriam" that we should see what ​Tennyson had actually accomplished during the lifetime of Hallam. There can be no doubt that the judgment of his friend on these early productions was more acceptable and valuable to him than that of any less sympathetic reviewer.

Hitherto we have been examining the anonymous productions of a school-boy of eighteen, and the prize poem of a Cambridge undergraduate. On neither of these, notwithstanding the high praise which the "Athenæum" bestowed on the latter, could a poetical reputation be built.

The first volume of poems to which Alfred Tennyson affixed his name—a thin duodecimo of 154 pages—appeared with the following title:

"Poems, chiefly Lyrical. By Alfred Tennyson. London: Effingham Wilson, Royal Exchange, Cornhill. 1830."^[1]

The following is a list of the poems: the titles of those that have been suppressed are printed in italics: ​

These two volumes were reviewed together by Leigh Hunt in the "Tatler,"^[5] where he entered into a somewhat lengthy disquisition on the respective merits of the two brothers, finally awarding the palm to Alfred.^[6]

By a careful comparison of Charles Tennyson's little volume with the "Poems by Two Brothers," the reader who is fortunate enough to possess both will find much additional help in appropriating the pieces ​in the earlier work with some certainty to their respective authors. Charles Tennyson became vicar of Grasby, in Lincolnshire, in 1835, about which time, in consequence of his succeeding, by the death of his grandfather, to property which had come into the family through his grandmother, he assumed the name of Turner, under which he published in 1864 a small volume of sonnets dedicated to the Poet Laureate.

Perhaps the most interesting criticism on the "Poems, chiefly Lyrical," was that contributed by Arthur Hallam, in August, 1831, to a short-lived periodical entitled "The Englishman's Magazine." Under the thin disguise of the editorial "we," it is easy to recognize the warmth and enthusiasm of a dear friend. The article is entitled, "On Some of the Characteristics of Modern Poetry, and on the Lyrical Poems of Alfred Tennyson."^[7] The latter portion of it, devoted to an analysis and criticism of some of the principal pieces, has unfortunately not been reprinted in Hallam's Remains.^[8]

​Hitherto the young poet's critics had been friendly, nay, almost reverential in their tone; but in May, 1832, came a review from Professor Wilson—the Christopher North of "Blackwood's Magazine"—treating the young poet and his worshippers in a very off-hand manner: speaking of the former with mingled praise and blame, and overwhelming the latter with ridicule.^[9] This review contains copious extracts from ​the suppressed poems, and is notable as having called forth the lines, "To Christopher North," printed a few months afterwards in Alfred Tennyson's second volume.

Here is the proper place for mentioning some half-dozen pieces contributed about this time to various miscellanies by Alfred Tennyson, and for some unaccountable reason not reprinted in his second volume, to which I shall come presently. First, there are three poems printed in an annual entitled "The Gem" for 1831.^[10] The first of these is entitled "No More":

in which may, I think, be traced the germ of Violet's "mournful song" in "The Princess," with the refrain:

The second piece is entitled "Anacreontics." It will ​have been noticed by the attentive reader that there are some stanzas with a similar title in the "Poems by Two Brothers."^[11]

The third piece, "A Fragment," in blank verse, and much in the style of "Timbuctoo," has been already referred to in our first chapter.

There is a sonnet by Alfred Tennyson in the same number of "The Englishman's Magazine," which contains Arthur Hallam's review of the "Poems, chiefly Lyrical." The opening lines,

are partly reproduced in the "Choric Song of the Lotos-Eaters":

Another sonnet commencing,

​will be found in "The Yorkshire Literary Annual" for 1832; and a third, commencing,

in "Friendship's Offering" for the same year.

In the winter of 1832 Alfred Tennyson published a second volume of Poems,^[12] of which the contents are as follows (the titles of the suppressed pieces are printed in italics):

(New York, 1849), p. 41. The writer in the "Fortnightly Review" (October, 1865, p. 393) makes a passing allusion to this poem, and says that only a few copies were issued; but he appears never to have seen it, and indeed to be unacquainted with its correct title.

Poetical," by Richard Monckton Milnes (London: Edward Moxon, Dover Street, MDCCCXXXIV.), pp. 167.

1. ↑ It had been originally intended that this volume should be a joint publication, containing the poems of Alfred Tennyson and Arthur Hallam—a memorial of friendship similar to the "Lyrical Ballads" of Wordsworth and Coleridge. This idea was abandoned at the suggestion of Hallam's father.
2. ↑ In the 'Supposed Confessions of a Second-rate Sensitive Mind not in unity with itself" there is an extraordinary combination of deep reflection, metaphysical analysis, picturesque description, dramatic transition, and strong emotion. The author personates a timid sceptic, but who must evidently always remain such, and yet be miserable in his scepticism; whose early associations, and whose sympathies, make religion a necessity to his heart; yet who has not lost his pride in the prowess of his youthful infidelity; who is tossed hither and thither on the conflicting currents of feeling and doubt, without that vigorous intellectual decision which alone could 'ride in the whirlwind and direct the storm,' until at last he disappears with an exclamation which remains on the ear like
   ⁠'The bubbling cry
   Of some strong swimmer in his agony.'
   
   

   "Such topics are more in accordance with the spirit and intellect of the age than those about which poetry has been accustomed to be conversant; their adoption will effectually redeem it from the reproach of being frivolous and enervating; and of their affinity with the best pictorial qualities of poetry we have conclusive evidence in this very composition. The delineations of the trustful infant, the praying mother, the dying lamb, are as good as anything of the kind can be; while those of the supposed author's emotions as he gazes on 'Christians with happy countenances,' or stands by the Christian grave, or realizes again, with a mixture of self-admiration and self-reproach, the 'unsunned freshness of his strength,' when he 'went forth in quest of truth,' are of a higher order, and are more powerfully, though no less gracefully finished."—Westminster Review, January, 1831.
   ⁠"The 'Confessions of a Second-rate Sensitive Mind' are full of deep insight into human nature, and into those particular trials which are sure to beset men who think and feel for themselves at this epoch of social development. The title is perhaps ill chosen; not only has it an appearance of quaintness, which has no sufficient reason, but it seems to us incorrect. The mood pourtrayed in this poem, unless the admirable skill of delineation has deceived us, is rather the clouded season of a strong mind, than the habitual con-

3. ↑ "Sonnets and Fugitive Pieces," by Charles Tennyson, Trin. Coll. Cambridge: published by B. Bridges, Market Hill, 1830, pp. 83.
4. ↑ Sonnet 45. To A. H. H.
5. ↑ "The Tatler," Nos. 149-155,from Thursday, February 23, to Thursday, March 3, 1831.
6. ↑ "There is a tiny volume of sonnets published by his brother Charles between thirty and forty years ago, which shows plainly that, however the poetical gift may have come to its head in Alfred, he is not the only poet of the family. In this volume—it was published, I think, when he was still at college—there are some sonnets of rare and excellent workmanship."—Archbishop Trench, Afternoon Lectures on Literature and Art (London, 1867), p. 163.
7. ↑ "The Englishman's Magazine" (London: Edward Moxon, 64, New Bond Street, 1831), pp. 616-628.
8. ↑ "Remains in Verse and Prose of Arthur Henry Hallam." Printed by W. Nicol, 51, Pall Mall, MDCCCXXXIV., pp. xl. 365. One hundred copies printed. New edition, privately printed, 1853. Third edition (published) with portrait, London, 1863, pp. Ix. 305.
9. ↑ "'The Englishman's Magazine' ought not to have died; "for it threatened to be a very pleasant periodical. An essay 'On the Genius of Alfred Tennyson' sent it to the grave. The superhuman—nay, supernatural—pomposity of that one paper incapacitated the whole work for living one day longer in this unceremonious world. The solemnity with which the critic approached the object of his adoration, and the sanctity with which he laid his offerings on the shrine, were too much for our irreligious age. The 'Essay on the Genius of Alfred Tennyson' awoke a general guffaw, and it expired in convulsions. Yet the essay was exceedingly well written, as well as if it had been 'On the Genius of Sir Isaac Newton.' Therein lay the mistake. Sir Isaac discovered the law of gravitation; Alfred had but written some pretty verses, and mankind were not prepared to set him among the stars. But that he has genius is proved by his being at this moment alive; for had he not, he must have breathed his last under that critique. The spirit of life must indeed be strong within him; for he has outlived a narcotic dose administered to him by a crazy charlatan in the 'Westminster,' and after that he may sleep in safety with a pan of charcoal."—Blackwood's Magazine (May, 1832).
10. ↑ "The Literary Gazette," which reviewed this little book in November, 1830, could find nothing better to say of Mr. Tennyson's contributions than that they were 'silly sooth.'"
11. ↑ "Anacreontic, p.195.
12. ↑ "Poems by Alfred Tennyson" (London: Edward Moxon, 64, New Bond Street, MDCCCXXXIII.), pp. 163.
13. ↑ The first two stanzas only of this poem were reproduced in the volume of Selections in 1865.
14. ↑ "The Living Authors of England," by Thomas Powell
15. ↑ See "The Holy Grail and other Poems" (1869).
16. ↑ This word is illegible.