Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892 -- Friends and associates
To those who knew him as Professor at Glasgow the secret of Lushington's
influence was not far to seek. He came there into surroundings singularly
unlike those of his earlier days, and with little to compensate in their
grimy aspect for the beauty of his home and the hallowed associations of
Trinity. It was not long before he had attuned himself to the scene of his
new work, and gathered about him a circle of cherished friends, and had
won the respect and regard of the great body of these Scottish students
drawn from every class. For those who were touched by his enthusiastic
love of the Greek language and its literature, his influence was something
far deeper. He made no stirring appeals, and followed no startling
methods. His perfect courtesy, combined with a firmness which needed no
emphasis of manner to assert itself, sufficed to maintain absolute order
amongst those large classes whose traditions made them not always amenable
to discipline. But for those to whom his teaching was something of an
inspiration, there was much more in his personality than this. Consummate
dignity, combined with absolute simplicity of manner, a voice rich and
melodious in tone, a diction graceful and harmonious but never studied or
artificial--these, with a massive head and features of almost ideal
beauty, made him a figure in the life of the College, deepened the
impression of his calm and reverent enthusiasm for all that was noblest in
thought and language, and gave to his influence an abiding force
throughout the lifetime of his pupils. He offered no ready intimacy, and
sought to form no following. But his words, few and well chosen, made
themselves felt as pure gold, and a sentence of praise or of sympathy sank
into the heart, and brought to life and work something that stirred
reverence and enthusiasm. His work planted its root deeply, and sought for
no outward recognition. It was only after his long career at Glasgow ended
by his retirement in 1875 that what he had achieved in reviving an ideal
of Greek scholarship was felt; and it was abiding enough to make him the
choice of the students for an honour, rarely accorded to a former
Professor--that of election as Lord Rector of the University in 1884. He
pursued the even tenor of his way with no thought of self-aggrandizement;
only slowly did that absolute modesty, linked with unassailable dignity,
make itself felt as a power, radiating into the hearts of others his own
illuminating enthusiasm for the ideals of noblest literature.
No poet could have had, bound to him by ties of closest affection, a
critic more sympathetic, more reverent, and withal, more faithful in his
appreciation. In the genius of Tennyson, he found the central joy and
pride of his life; but his judgment was the more valuable, in that it was
at all times absolutely sincere:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account