Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
Alfred, Lord Tennyson was one of the most popular poets in Victorian England. Among his many honors, he was appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1850, a position that he held until his death more than forty years later.
A number of his best-known poems relate to his lifelong interest in the legends of King Arthur: 鈥淭he Lady of Shalott,鈥 鈥淪ir Galahad,鈥 and 鈥淪ir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere,鈥 鈥淢orte d鈥橝rthur,鈥 and 鈥淚dylls of the King.鈥 Other well-known poems include: 鈥淯lysses,鈥 鈥淭he Charge of the Light Brigade,鈥 and 鈥淚n Memoriam A.H.H.鈥
He is also the source of many well-known quotations, including:
- Nature, red in tooth and claw
- Tis' better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all
- Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die
Tennyson鈥檚 long writing career continued until shortly before his death at age 83. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Our Tennyson collection is among our more outstanding author collections,, including first editions, finely illustrated volumes, and collected sets. A particular strength of the collection is the fact that two-thirds of the works were published during Tennyson鈥檚 lifetime. The earliest set of collected works is (London: Strahan, 1870). The earliest American work is from 1842: (Boston: W.D. Ticknor). Illustrated volumes include .
In addition to our Tennyson book collection, the department has the who summered near Tennyson鈥檚 Aldworth in Sussex for two years, 1870-1872. The diary is the subject of the study, , by Prof. Earl A. Knies (91探花 Press, 1984). Further information may be found at .
Picture source: from Project Gutenberg via Wikipedia.