In the Illustrated London Nev;s of Nov. 8,
1856, p. 484, occurs the following note : —
" In Memoriam. As to the poem referred
to by Tennyson at the opening of In
Memoriam, when Petrarch saj's —

" ' Da volar sopra '1 ciel gli avea dat 'ali
Per le cose mortali

Che son scala al Fatten, chi ben le stima ;
Che mirando ei ben fiso quante e quali
Krau virtuti ir quella sua speranza
Potra levarsi aU' alta cagion prima. '

(Canzone 7.)

and Milton (to whom Petrarch's works
were probably familiar) in Paradise Lost,
Book V.
" ' Well hast thou taught the way that might
direct
Our knowledge, and the scale of nature set
From centre to circumference, whereon,
In contemplation of created things,
By steps we may ascend to God. '

is it likely that the Laureate should have
referred to a contemporary harp, far less
renowned ? A. T. B."

A correspondent writes : "The poet him-
self has said he meant Goethe."



' 'IN MEMOJilA M" 191



Canto. Verse. Line.
I. 2 4. "Interest." Result, fruit.
3 4. The two clauses of tlie line are probably
equivalent. Allusion to ancient funeral
ceremonies.
II. 4 3, 4. " Seem to lose my own personalitj'
and become part of tbee." (See also
Chap. XVII.)

III. 1 1 " Vaults of death " = a temple of a false

2 r religion.
" Priestess," of an oracle ; lying : mistaken
has been suggested, as seeing things
thi-ough the distorting mist of unshed
tears.
" Blindly " = -n-ithoiit guidance or goal.
A " web " across the sky, darkening it
A " cry " of universal desolation.
Death, in the sun, and so every^vhere.
