Tlie, Ring opens with a dainty lyric, and ■ has a
pretty, though slight, idyllic framework. But the;form
is dramatic and the main matter is preternatural. For
these reasons we shall consider it not now, but here-
after. We will only notice that the combination of
the preternatural with the malignant persistence of
Muriel gives a result in the highest degi'ee painfuL

We come last in this group to The Bandit's Death.
In a prefatory note to it Tennyson says, " I have
adopted Sir Walter Scott's version of the following
stor}^ as given in his last journal (Death of II Bizarre),
but I have taken the liberty of making some slight
alterations." Xow I must say that against this I
plead with all my heart. Either the dreadful and
abnormal story is true or it is not. If it is, it may
be good to tell it ; but then let us have the story, and
not some artistic variation upon it. If it is not, for
pity's sake, why should any one invent such horrors.
The only redeeming touch in the story — and that
rather shames than comforts us — is —

' ' He was loved at least by his dog : it was cliained, but its
horrible yell
' She has killed him, has killed him, has killed him ! ' rang
out all down through the dell."

But perhaps this never happened.
258 A STUDY OF TENNYSON'S II'OA'A'S CHAP, xiv



So in horror end the Idj'lls of Lamentation. This
last is in the last volume, TJie Death of O'Jaom.
