lyrics to be Tennyson's favourites, but only Gastibelza is mentioned
in that character. At this time Tennyson was vexed by


"Art with poisonous honey stolen from France,"


a phrase which cannot apply to Hugo. Meanwhile Gareth was being
written, and the knight's song for The Coming of Arthur. Gareth and
Lynette, with minor pieces, appeared in 1872. Balin and Balan was
composed later, to lead up to Vivien, to which, perhaps, Balin and
Balan was introduction sufficient had it been the earlier written.
But the Idylls have already been discussed as arranged in sequence.
The completion of the Idylls, with the patriotic epilogue, was
followed by the offer of a baronetcy. Tennyson preferred that he and
his wife "should remain plain Mr and Mrs," though "I hope that I have
too much of the old-world loyalty not to wear my lady's favours
against all comers, should you think that it would be more agreeable
to her Majesty that I should do so."

The Idylls ended, Tennyson in 1874 began to contemplate a drama,
choosing the topic, perhaps neither popular nor in an Aristotelian
sense tragic, of Mary Tudor. This play was published, and put on the
stage by Sir Henry Irving in 1875. Harold followed in 1876, The Cup
in 1881 (at the Lyceum), The Promise of May (at the Globe) in 1882,
Becket in 1884, with The Foresters in 1892. It seems best to
consider all the dramatic period of Tennyson's work, a period reached
so strangely late in his career, in the sequence of the Plays. The
task is one from which I shrink, as conscious of entire ignorance of
the stage and of lack of enthusiasm for the drama. Great dramatic