M---- therefore excludes him from the dining-room and
all those opportunities of higher education which he would have in MY
house." Frequently one finds a description of some event, so vividly
done that the mere reading of it seems like a real experience. An
account of Tennyson's burial in Westminster is a typical bit of
description:--
Bright sunshine streamed through the windows of the nave, while the
choir was in half gloom, and as each shaft of light illuminated the
flower-covered bier as it slowly travelled on, one thought of the bright
succession of his works between the darkness before and the darkness
after. I am glad to say that the Royal Society was represented by four
of its chief officers, and nine of the commonalty, including myself.
Tennyson has a right to that, as the first poet since Lucretius who has
understood the drift of science.
No parts of the Life and Letters are more enjoyable than those
concerning the "Happy Family," as a friend of Huxley's names his
household. His family of seven children found their father a most
engaging friend and companion. He could tell them wonderful sea stories
and animal stories and could draw fascinating pictures. His son writes
of how when he was ill with scarlet fever he used to look forward to his
father's home-coming. "The solitary days--for I was the first victim in
the family--were very long, and I looked forward with intense interest
to one half-hour after dinner, when he would come up and draw scenes
from the history of a remarkable bull-terrier and his family that went
to the seaside in a most human and child-delighting manner.
Pages:
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30