CHAPTER XI. THE VICTORIAN AGE (1850-1900)the strong, manly faith of "Rabbi Ben Ezra," and in the coura-
geous optimism of all his poetry. Stedman’sVictorian Anthol-
ogyis, on the whole, a most inspiring book of poetry. It would
be hard to collect more varied cheer from any age. And the
great essayists, like Macaulay, Carlyle, Ruskin, and the great
novelists, like Dickens, Thackeray, George Eliot, generally
leave us with a larger charity and with a deeper faith in our
humanity.
So also the judgment that this age is too practical for great
ideals may be only a description of the husk that hides a very
full ear of corn. It is well to remember that Spenser and Sid-
ney judged their own age (which we now consider to be the
greatest in our literary history) to be altogether given over to
materialism, and to be incapable of literary greatness. Just as
time has made us smile at their blindness, so the next century
may correct our judgment of this as a material age, and look-
ing upon the enormous growth of charity and brotherhood
among us, and at the literature which expresses our faith in
men, may judge the Victorian Age to be, on the whole, the
noblest and most inspiring in the history of the world.
THE POETS OF THE VICTORIAN AGE
ALFRED TENNYSON (1809-1892)
O young Mariner,
You from the haven
Under the sea-cliff,
You that are watching
The gray Magician
With eyes of wonder,
Iam Merlin,