[BNP/E3, 19 – 98]

Tennyson    “In Memoriam” should be taken as the example of Tennyson’s human depth, “Tithonus” and “Oenone,” of his half-sensuous perfection, and the “Idylls of the King” of his general poetic decadence. The verse of this latter work is in many places abominable; Tennyson’s fine music of paragraph is often lost, and at times even his melody of line. Tennyson must not be judged by the “Idylls of the King,” or must then be judged unjustly.

Keats — I cannot think badly of the man who wrote the Ode to a Nightingale, nor of him who, in that to the Grecian Urn, expressed so human an idea as the heart-reading untimeness of beauty. We all have felt that tearful sensation. Mothers, how many of ye, in looking at your bright children and at their heavenly fairness have not wished such small, lovely form could be preserved for ever and unchanged. Lover, when looking upon the form of thy mistress hast thou not felt thy heart oppressed because such beauty should one day be no more, nay, should grow old and, mayhap, unbeautiful. Have we all not wished the immortality of someone that we know, have we all not felt some pain at feeling that none are immortal. The Statue of Roman Venus hath looked, century after century, upon us in its nude beauty, hath charmed generations by its form and liveth now to charm others. But where are thou whom she looked upon? Some faces, fair, perhaps, as her face; some forms, beauteous, perhaps, as her from, where are they now, animated as they were by the fire that she hath not? Apollo Belvidere still stands, but what of the millions of fair youths and maidens that have looked upon him? Their fairness went, […] to old age, sorted in horrible death, and the uninspired image stands beautiful for ever and ever before us. If we had but each of us an Aurora who would not be content to be a Tithonus through thin-rocked, world-bosom and feeble {…}

[98v]

Anon.

Charles Robert Anon.

F. A. N. Pessôa.

H Ginkel

Horaz Guinkel

The cat is fat the dog is tean and the pig is fat like the cat

S J W J J J

H, M, M, D, D, V, F, W, M, B, I, S, are Henriqueta Roza