The Queen having asked for some lines to be inscribed on the Duchess of Kent's statue in the Mausoleum at Frogmore, these were sent: Her children rise up and call her blessed. Long as the heart beats life within her breast, And far away thy memory will be bless'd CHAPTER II. MY MOTHER'S JOURNAL AND MY FATHER'S LETTER-DIARIES. [Throughout Chapters II, III, IV and VI, for the greater clearness of the text, I have printed all extracts from my mother's journal in small print; and my father's diary and letters, as well as my own paragraphs, in large print.] 1865-1869. My father's letter-diary. (The death of his mother.) 1865. Feb. 21st. Rosemount, Hampstead. Mother had gone before I came, she went at 10 p.m., age 84. I dare not see her. I shall have to stop over the funeral. She did not ask for me especially, which is one comfort. Feb. 25th. Hampstead. I am going to put up at Arthur's. We are all I think pretty cheerful. I hope Woolner will make himself quite at home (at Farringford) and have an attic for smoking, for he enjoys his pipe. Monday, Hampstead. We are going to the funeral to-day. The departure of so blessed a being, almost whose last words were, when asked how she felt, "very quiet," seems to have no sting in it and she declared that she had no pain. We all of us hate the pompous funeral we have to join in, black plumes, black coaches and 1865] SELECTION FROM THE POEMS. 19 nonsense. We should like all to go in white and gold rather, but convention is against us. (After the funeral'.) All has gone off very quietly. A funeral came before us and a funeral followed. have wished for the country churchyard 2. I could My mother's journal. — The Club, "Aylmer's Field," Mesmerism, Winchester, Professor Owen. The following Preface was written by A. for the "Selection from his Poems" (sold in threepenny numbers), in which were included six new poems, "The Captain," "On a Mourner," "Home they brought him slain with spears," and "Three sonnets to a coquette": "I have been assured that a selection from my poems would not be unacceptable to the people. It is true that there are some who cry out against selections, and perhaps not unjustly when these are fragments, but I have inserted nothing here which is not whole in itself, and such as I have been led to believe would be most popular. Therefore not without the hope that my choice choice may be sanctioned by their approval I dedicate this volume to the 'Working Men of England.'" The Queen sent her thanks for the "Selection from the Poems," expressing her cordial satisfaction on hearing that this "admirable selection from your poems will thus be brought within the reach of the poorest amongst the subjects of Her Majesty." A. wrote the following letters to the Duke of Argyll about his election to The Club (Dr Johnson's Club), and with reference to the two lines which ended "Aylmer's Field" in the first edition: There the thin weasel with faint hunting-cry 1 A plain cross marks the grave at the entrance to Highgate cemetery. My mother writes: "All was so painless and peaceful, and she was so much like an angel, there is all the comfort that can be in her end, and in her memory." MY DEAR DUKE, FARRINGFORD, Feb. 17th, 1865. Before answering definitely, I should like to know something about expenses. "The Club"? It is either my fault or my misfortune that I have never heard of it. I suppose one has not to pay some 25 guineas entrance and some 7 ditto a year, because then, I would not say that the game is not worth the candle, but that the candle is too dear for me. Does one only pay for one's dinner when eaten, or how is it? Ever yours not ungratefully, A. TENNYSON. I have ascertained that weasels have a hunting-cry. MY DEAR DUKE, FARRINGFORD, Propose me: I agree: yours be the shame if I'm blackballed!!! Weasels. I have not heard of any weasels crying in the chase after a mouse, nor where it is a solitary hunter of any thing. But I am assured by those who have heard them that when they join in the chase after great game, such as a rabbit (even tho' there should be no more than two), they not unfrequently utter their faint hunting-cry. suppose the size of their victim excites them. I I never see The Field. Would it be worth while writing thereto on this matter? Yours ever, A. TENNYSON. You were last night unanimously elected a member of "The Club," and you will probably receive by this post the usual formal invitation to that effect from Dean Milman, who was chairman at last night's dinner. The form of intimation was drawn up as a joke by Gibbon and has been adhered to ever since1. You will be amused by its terms. The Duc d'Aumale was elected along with you. There were four vacancies and we think we have filled them up to our credit. 1. Poet Laureate. 2. Duc D'Aumale. 3. Froude. 4. Dean Stanley. You will have to send £7 (£5 entrance and £2 for the year's subscription) to the credit of the Club account with, -I forget the banker's name - but I will send it to you. Ever yours, Argyll. During the end of March and beginning of April the Alexander Grants, Annie Thackeray, Mr. G. F. Watts, Mrs and Miss Marsden visited us. About Mrs Marsden A. recalled how through his mesmerism before her marriage she had recovered her health: "We were staying at Malvern. Dr Marsden was attending my wife and said to me, 'Instead of paying me my fee, I wish you would. grant me a favour. Come and mesmerize a young lady who is very ill.' I said, 'I can't mesmerize, I never mesmerized anyone in my life.' But the doctor would take no refusal and said, 'Pooh! look at your powerful frame!' So I mesmerized her according to the doctor's instructions. The first day it took me about an hour to send her to sleep; afterwards only a few seconds. Once she had a pain over her eye, and the doctor said, Breathe upon her eye!' I did so, then begged her pardon, saying that I had forgotten I had been smoking. Dr Marsden said, 'She cannot hear you, that one breath has sent "I have to intimate to you that you have had the honour of being elected a member of The Club.'" |