"MY FAITH IS LARGE IN TIME, AND THAT WHICH SHAPES IT TO SOME PERFECT END."-TENNYSON.

"LIKE MEN, LIKE MANNERS; LIKE BREEDS LIKE, THEY SAY."-TENNYSON.

[ALFRED TENNYSON. This exquisite songlet occurs in "Enoch Arden, and Other Poems," published in 1864.]

"THE MIND DOTH SHAPE ITSELF TO ITS OWN WANTS."-JOANNA BAILLIE.

"OH, TO WHAT USES SHALL WE PUT THE WILD-WEED FLOWER THAT SIMPLY BLOWS !"-TENNYSON.

"KIND NATURE IS THE BEST; THOSE MANNERS NEXT THAT FIT US LIKE A NATURE SECOND-HAND."-TENNYSON.

"" PROSPERITY DOTH BEWITCH MEN, SEEMING CLEAR;

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

293

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.*

|ALF a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,
Into the Valley of Death

Rode the Six Hundred.
"Forward the Light Brigade ;-
Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the Valley of Death

Rode the Six Hundred.

"Forward the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew

Some one had blundered:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do or die!
Into the Valley of Death
Rode the Six Hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered:
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode, and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell,

Rode the Six Hundred.

* Celebrating a gallant feat of arms which occurred during the war with Russia. About six hundred (607) British cavalry, obeying a mistaken order, charged a greatly superior force of Russians, and cut their way through them, with heavy loss. Only a hundred and ninety-eight returned. October 25, 1854.

BUT SEAS DO LAUGH, SHOW WHITE, WHEN ROCKS ARE NEAR."-WEBSTER.

"BEAUTY, GOOD, AND KNOWLEDGE ARE THREE SISTERS THAT DOAT UPON EACH OTHER."-TENNYSON.

"TIS NOT BY ACTION ONLY, not by deed, THOUGH THAT BE JUST AND HOLY, PURE AND WISE,

66 THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH, YIELDING PLACE TO NEW."-TENNYSON.

294

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air,
Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army, while

All the world wondered:

Plunged in the battery smoke
Right through the line they broke ;
Cossack and Russian

Reeled from the sabre-stroke,
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back—but not,
Not the Six Hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them

Volleyed and thundered:
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well,
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of Six Hundred.

When can their glory fade?
Oh, the wild charge they made!

All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,

Noble Six Hundred !

[Alfred TENNYSON. From "Maud, and Other Poems."]

66 MORE THINGS ARE WROUGHT BY PRAYER THAN THIS WORLD DREAMS OF."

THAT MAY TO HIS LAST PERFECTION RISE OF SUFFERING, AS OF DOING, HE HAS NEED."-TRENCH.

"AS ONE WHO FEELS THE IMMEASURABLE WORLD, ATTAIN THE WISE INDIFFERENCE OF THE WISE."-TENNYSON.

HE IS ALL FAULT WHO HATH NO FAULT AT ALL."-TENNYSON.

THE TOURNAMENT.

295

THE TOURNAMENT.

T was the point of noon,

The lists were ready.* Empanoplied and plumed
We entered in, and waited; fifty there
Opposed to fifty; till the trumpet blared
At the barrier like a wild horn in a land
Of echoes, and a moment, and once more
The trumpet, and again: at which the storm
Of galloping hoofs bare on the ridge of spears
And riders front to front, until they closed
In conflict with the crash of shivering points,
And thunder.

On his haunches rose the steed,

Down

And into fiery splinters leapt the lance,
And out of stricken helmets sprang the fire.
Part sat like rocks: part reeled, but kept their seats:
Part rolled on the earth, and rose again, and drew:
Part stumbled, mixt with floundering horses.
From those two bulks at Arac's side, and down
From Arac's arm, as from a giant's flail,
The large blows rained, as here and everywhere
He rode the mellay, lord of the ringing lists,

And all the plain-brand, mace, and shaft, and shield—
* In the chivalric spectacle of the Tournament, the place of combat was
called the lists: an extensive area surrounded by ropes or palings in single
or double row. Two opposite entrances were provided, and at these stood
the heralds and pursuivants, in sumptuous attire, filling the air with the
music of their trumpets. Without the lists were raised tier upon tier of seats,
adorned with rich hangings, garlands, and gay streamers, and glittering
with lords and ladies, squires and gentles, all decked out in the brightest
attire. A gallery, more splendidly decorated than any other, was occupied
by the sovereigns and their train; and a conspicuous place was reserved
for the lady whom the victor in the mêlée might select as Queen of Love
and Beauty.

"" OBEDIENCE IS THE COURTESY DUE TO KINGS."-TENNYSON.

"THE SIN THAT NEITHER GOD NOR MAN CAN WELL FORGIVE-HYPOCRISY."-ALFRED TENNYSON.

"HIDDEN AS THE MUSIC OF THE MOON SLEEPS IN THE PALE EGGS OF THE NIGHTINGALE."-ALFRED TENNYSON.

66

296

"IF YOU FEAR, CAST ALL YOUR CARES ON GOD."-TENNYSON.

"STAR TO STAR VIBRATES LIGHT: MAY SOUL TO SOUL STRIKE THROUGH A FINER ELEMENT OF HER OWN."-IBID.