Three Aspects of the Late Alfred Lord Tennyson

By John N. Moore

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1901. Excerpt: ... III. Tennyson As A Poet Of Humanity. (First delivered, December 12th, 1898.) More than two thousand years ago a Latin dramatist put into the mouth of one of his leading characters this memorable line: Homo sum-, humani nihil a me alienum futo--I am a Man, and nought can ever be Of human life outside my sympathy. Terence, the African slave-poet, whose genius gained him not only personal freedom but also classic renown, has given in these noble words the motto for succeeding Poets of Humanity. Every man or woman who appreciates poetry (and there are many who do not, just as there are many unmusical people) has his or her favourite authors. And I think the preference is given by most readers to the Poet who exhibits the greatest sympathy with Humanity. Now this quality, which assures popularity, must be based upon a knowledge of actual life, a natural gift of insight into character, a graphic power of description, and an eager desire to help man onward and upward in his career, by "thoughts that breathe and words that burn." I should call this talent of poets "The Sympathetic Instinct of Humanity,"--a term which is broader than either philanthropy or humanitarianism, in that it is inclusive of both the Welt-Schmerz and the Zeit-Geist of German authors. Of course, Shakspere, our supreme national poet, is full of this Instinct of Humanity. Both Realism and Idealism meet on the stage and mingle harmoniously in the Plays of the author of that immortal sentiment--One touch of Nature makes the whole world kin. It is this humanitarian element in the poems of Crabbe, Scott, Wordsworth, Bums, Longfellow, the Brownings, Mrs. Hemans, Adelaide Proctor, Tom Hood, and in our own day Rudyard Kipling and George R. Sims, with others, that gives them a special charm. Though i...

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0838313876
• ISBN13: 9780838313879
• Release Date: March 1972
• Publisher: Haskell House Pub Ltd
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.