Tennyson’sgeniuswasearlytrainedbytheskepticalphilosophyoftheage。Allhispoetryshowsthis。The`InMemoriam’mayalmostbesaidtobethepoemofnineteenthcenturyscepticism。
Tothisscepticismhehasappliedan”all-subtilizingintellect”，andhastranslateditintothepoetical”concrete”，witharareartisticskill，andmorethanthis，hassubjectedittothespiritualinstinctsandapperceptionsofthefemininesideofhisnatureandmadeitvassaltoalargerfaith。Butitis，afterall，notthevitalfaithwhichBrowning’spoetryexhibits，afaithPROCEEDINGDIRECTLYFROMTHESPIRITUALMAN。ItisratherthefaithexpressedbyBrowning’sBishopBlougram：——”WithmefaithmeansperpetualunbeliefKeptquietlikethesnake’neathMichael’sfoot，Whostandsfirmjustbecausehefeelsitwrithe。”
AndTennyson，inpicturingtousintheIdylls，thepassageofthesoul”fromthegreatdeeptothegreatdeep”，appearstohavefeltitnecessarytothecompletionofthatpictureorwhydidhedoit?，thatheshouldbringoutthatdoubtatthelastmoment。
ThedyingArthurismadetosay：——”IamgoingalongwayWiththesethouseest——ifindeedIgoForallmymindiscloudedwithadoubt——
Totheisland-valleyofAvilion”；etc。