Illustrations of Tennyson (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1891. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Wind, clouded with the grateful incense-fume Of those who mix all odour to the gods On one far height in one far-shining fire: (coi roi piv "irnrois yv/ivacriois re, . Tot 8e (poppiyyaro-t TipTroiTai, irapu be (Tfpiiriv (vavBqs anas TtBakev oA/3or. u8pa b' iparity Kara )(i>pov KiBvarai uici, 6va piyvvvrav nvpl Trte(pavfi navroia 8ta>v eVi (3mpois (pindar, Frag. x. 1) (Rome do delight themselves with horses and gymnastics, and others with the lyre, and with them all prosperity in full bloom hath ever flourished, and fragrance is spread over the pleasant place since they are ever mingling incense of all sorts in a far-shining flame on the altars of the gods). The Ancie?it Sac/e.--In this poem are simply embodied, though with consummate skill in expression, the' commonplaces of Eastern, Neoplatonic, and, I suppose, Chinese metaphysics. If it be necessary to identify Tennyson's sage, he may, in spite of the 'thousand summers ere the time of Christ, ' be identified perhaps with Lau-tze, the old philosopher, the founder and head of the Tau-ist sect, who was contemporary with Confucius. The poet seems to have laid under contribution the Tau Teh King, easily accessible in Chambers's version.1 Three key quotations may be given: -- The tau reason] which can be tatv-ei is not the eternal tau. The name which can be named is not the eternal name (Tau-TehKingi.); 1 The Speculations on Metaphysics, Polity, and Morality of the old Philosopher Lau-Tsze, Translated from the Chinese by John Chambers, The spirit, like the perennial spring of the valley, never dies. The spirit I call the abyss-mother; the passage of the abyssmother I call the root of heaven and earth (id. vi.); What you cannot see by looking at it is called plainness. What you cannot hear by listen...