ourselves, that steady quaintness of the ancient earth and all who are born of her, which first made men smile, and which has enabled us to bear our pain better, and to love one another more, than might appear possible in a world where Nature generally seems to be doing her best to hurt us first, and then to kill us. . . . An' I niver knaw'd whot a meän'd but I thowt a 'ad summut to saäy, An' I thowt a said whot a owt to 'a said, an' I coom'd awaäy. VI There never was a more superbly hewn piece Bessy Marris's barne ! tha knaws she laäid of rough and vital sculpture.' it to meä. Cauteretz is a beautiful valley in the French Pyrenees. The visit of Tennyson and Arthur Hallam to the place, here commemorated, took place in 1830. The date of the second visit has sometimes been given as 1862, but Arthur Hugh Clough's diary, in which he refers to meeting Tennyson there, makes it 1861. Under date of September 1, at Mont Dore-lesBains, he writes: The Tennysons arrived at 6.30 yesterday. Tennyson was here with Arthur Hallam thirty-one years ago, and really finds great pleasure in the place; they stayed here and at Cauteretz. "Enone," he said, was written on the inspiration of the Pyrenees, which stood for Ida.' The poet probably wrote 'two and thirty' in the verses for the sake of euphony. 'I walk'd with one I loved one and thirty years ago' would have offended his sensitive ear. First printed in the 'Enoch Arden' volume, and unaltered. FAIR is her cottage in its place, Where yon broad water sweetly, slowly glides. |