Butbecause，fairdamsel，thatyelovemeasyesayyedo，Iwill，foryourgoodwillandkindness，showyousomegoodness，……andalwayswhileIlivetobeyourtrueknight。\"Hereare\"amiablewordsandcourtesy。\"IcannotagreewithMrHarrisonthatMalory\'sbookismerely\"afiercelustyepic。\"Thatwasnottheopinionofitsprinterandpublisher，Caxton。Heproduceditasanexampleof\"thegentleandvirtuousdeedsthatsomeknightsusedinthesedays，……
nobleandrenownedactsofhumanity，gentleness，andchivalry。Forhereinmaybeseennoblechivalry，courtesy，humanity，friendliness，love，cowardice，murder，hate，virtue，andsin。Doafterthegoodandleavetheevil。\"
Inreactionagainstthebold-facedheroinesandsensualamoursofsomeoftheoldFrenchromances，anidealofexaggeratedasceticism，ofstainlesschastity，notoriouslypervadestheportionofMalory\'sworkwhichdealswiththeHolyGrail。Lancelotisdistraughtwhenhefindsthat，bydintofenchantment，hehasbeenmadefalsetoGuinevere(BookXI。chap。viii。)AfterhisdreamingvisionoftheHolyGrail，withthereproachfulVoice，SirLancelotsaid，\"Mysinandmywickednesshavebroughtmegreatdishonour，……andnowI
seeandunderstandthatmyoldsinhinderethandshamethme。\"Hewashuman，theLancelotofMalory，and\"felltohisoldloveagain，\"withaheavyheart，andwithlongpenanceattheend。Howsuchgoodknightscanbedeemedconsciencelessandvoidofcourtesyoneknowsnot，exceptbyasurvivalofthePuritanismofAscham。ButTennysonfoundinthebookwhatisinthebook——honour，conscience，courtesy，andthehero-
\"Whosehonourrootedindishonourstood，Andfaithunfaithfulkepthimfalselytrue。\"
Malory\'sbook，whichwasTennyson\'schiefsource，endsbybeingthetragedyoftheconscienceofLancelot。Arthurisdead，or\"InAvalonhegrowethold。\"TheQueenandLancelotmightsing，asLennoxreportsthatQueenMarydidafterDarnley\'smurder-
\"WeelismeForIamfree。\"
\"Whytooktheynottheirpastime？\"Becauseconscienceforbade，andGuineveresendsherloverfarfromher，andbothdieinreligion。
ThusMalory\'s\"fiercelustyepic\"isneithersolustynorsofiercebutthatitgivesTennysonhiskeynote:thesinthatbreaksthefaircompanionship，andisbitterlyrepented。
\"Theknightsarealmosttoopolitetokilleachother，\"thecriticurges。InMalorytheyaresometimesquitetoopolitetokilleachother。SirDarrashasablood-feudagainstSirTristram，andSirTristramisinhisdungeon。SirDarrassaid，\"WityewellthatSirDarrasshallneverdestroysuchanobleknightasthouartinprison，howbeitthatthouhastslainthreeofmysons，wherebyIwasgreatlyaggrieved。Butnowshaltthougoandthyfellows……Allthatyedid，\"saidSirDarras，\"wasbyforceofknighthood，andthatwasthecauseIwouldnotputyoutodeath\"(BookIX。chap。xl。)
Tennysonisaccusedof\"emasculatingthefiercelustyepicintoamorallesson，asifitweretobeperformedinadrawing-roombyanacademyofyoungladies\"——presidedover，Idaresay，by\"Anglicanclergymen。\"IknownothowanyonewhohasreadtheMorted\'ArthurcanblameTennysoninthematter。LetMaloryandhissourcesbeblamed，iftobemoralistobeculpable。Afewpassagesapart，thereisnocoarsenessinMalory；thatthereareconscience，courtesy，\"sweetlives，\"\"keepingdownthebaseinman，\"\"amiablewords，\"andallthatTennysongives，and，inMrHarrison\'stheory，giveswithoutauthorityintheromance，myquotationsfromMalorydemonstrate。Theyarechosenatacasualopeningofhisbook。Thatthere\"hadnotarisenintheworld\"\"theideaofreverencingconscience\"beforethecloseofthefifteenthcenturyA。D。isanextraordinarystatementforacriticofhistorytooffer。
MrHarrisonmakeshisprotestbecause\"intheconspiracyofsilenceintowhichTennyson\'sjustfamehashypnotisedthecritics，itisbarehonestytoadmitdefects。\"IthinkIamnothypnotised，andI
donotregardtheIdyllsasthecrownofTennyson\'swork。Butitisnothis\"defect\"tohaveintroducedgenerosity，gentleness，conscience，andchastitywherenosuchthingsoccurinhissources。
TakeSirDarras:hispositionisthatofPriamwhenhemeetsAchilles，whoslewhissons，exceptthatPriamcomesasasuppliant；
SirDarrashasTristraminhishands，andmayslayhim。Heis\"toopolite，\"asMrHarrisonsays:heistoogoodaChristian，ortoogoodagentleman。OnewouldnothavegivenatripodforthelifeofAchilleshadhefallenintothehandsofPriam。Butbetween1200
B。C。(orso)andthedateofMalory，newideasabout\"livingsweetlives\"hadarisen。Whereandwhendotheynotarise？ABritishpatrolfiredoncertainSwazisintimeoftruce。Theirlieutenant，whohadbeenabsentwhenthisoccurred，rodealonetothestrongholdoftheSwaziking，Sekukoeni，andgavehimselfup，expectingdeathbytorture。\"Go，sir，\"saidtheking；\"wetooaregentlemen。\"Theideaofa\"sweetlife\"ofhonourhaddawnedevenonSekukoeni:itlightsupMalory\'sromance，andisreflectedinTennyson\'sIdylls，doubtlesswithsomemodernismofexpression。
ThattheIdyllsrepresentnorealworldiscertain。ThatTennysonmodernisesandmoralisestoomuch，Iwillinglyadmit；whatIdenyisthatheintroducesgentleness，courtesy，andconsciencewherehissourceshavenone。Indeedthisisnotamatterofcriticalopinion，butofverifiablefact。AnyonecanreadMaloryandjudgeforhimself。ButtheworldinwhichtheIdyllsmovecouldnotbereal。
Formorethanathousandyearsdifferentraces，differentages，hadtakenholdoftheancientCelticlegendsandspiritualisedthemaftertheirownmanner，andmouldedthemtotheirownideals。TheremayhavebeenahistoricalArthur，ComesBritanniae，aftertheRomanwithdrawal。YeAmherawdyrArthur，\"theEmperorArthur，\"mayhavelivedandfought，andledtheBrythonstobattle。ButtheremayalsohavebeenaBrythonicdeity，orculturehero，ofthesame，orofasimilarname，andmythsabouthimmayhavebeenassignedtoarealArthur。Again，theArthuroftheoldWelshlegendswasbynomeanstheblamelessking——evenincomparativelylateFrenchromancesheisnotblameless。Buttheprocessofidealisinghimwenton:stillincompleteinMalory\'scompilation，whereheisoftenratherotioseandfarfromroyal。Tennyson，forhispurpose，completedtheidealisation。
AstoGuinevere，shewasnotidealisedintheoldWelshrhyme-
\"Guinevere，GiantOgurvan\'sdaughter，Naughtyyoung，morenaughtylater。\"
OfLancelot，andherpassionforhim，theoldWelshhasnothingtosay。ProbablyChretiendeTroyes，byahappyblunderormisconception，gaveLancelothisloveandhispre-eminentpart。
LancelotwasconfusedwithPeredur，andGuineverewiththeladyofwhomPeredurwasinquest。TheElainewhobecomesbyLancelotthemotherofGalahad\"wasLancelot\'srightfulconsort，asonerecognisesinhernamethatofElen，theEmpress，whomthestoryofPeredur\"
(Lancelot，bytheconfusion)\"givesthatherotowife。\"ThesecondElaine，themaidofAstolat，isanotherrefractionfromtheoriginalElen。AstotheGrail，itmaybeaChristianisedrenderingofoneoranotherofthemagicalandmysticcaldronsofWelshorIrishlegend。
ThereisevenanapparentCelticsourceofthemysteriousfisherkingoftheGrailromance。{12}
AsketchoftheevolutionoftheArthurianlegendsmightrunthus:-
Sixthtoeighthcentury，growthofmythaboutanArthur，real，orsupposedtobereal。
Tenthcentury，theDuchiesofNormandyandBrittanyareincloserelations；bytheeleventhcenturyNormansknowCelticArthurianstories。
After，1066，NormansincontactwiththeCelticpeoplesofthisislandareintouchwiththeArthurtales。
1130-1145，worksonArthurianmatterbyGeoffreyofMonmouth。
1155，Wace\'sFrenchtranslationofGeoffrey。
1150-1182，ChretiendeTroyeswritespoemsonArthuriantopics。
FrenchproseromancesonArthur，from，say，1180to1250。ThoseromancesreachWales，andmodify，intranslations，theoriginalWelshlegends，or，inpart，supplantthem。
Amplificationsandrecastingsarenumerous。In1485CaxtonpublishesMalory\'sselectionsfromFrenchandEnglishsources，thewholebeingTennyson\'smainsource，LeMortd\'Arthur。{13}
ThustheArthurstories，originallyCeltic，originallyamassofsemi-paganlegend，myth，andmarchen，havebeenretoldandrehandledbyNorman，Englishman，andFrenchman，takingonnewhues，expressingnewideals——religious，chivalrous，andmoral。Anypoetmayworkhiswillonthem，andTennyson\'swillwastoretainthechivalrouscourtesy，generosity，love，andasceticism，whiledimlyorbrightlyveilingorilluminatingthemwithhisownideals。Aftersomanyprocesses，fromfolk-taletomodernidyll，theArthurianworldcouldnotbereal，andrealitisnot。Camelotlies\"outofspace，outoftime，\"thoughthecolouringismainlythatofthelaterchivalry，and\"thegleam\"onthehuesispartlyderivedfromCelticfancyofvariousdates，andispartlyTennysonian。
AstheIdyllswerefinallyarranged，thefirst，TheComingofArthur，isaremarkableproofofTennyson\'singenuityinconstruction。TalesaboutthebirthofArthurvaried。InMalory，UtherPendragon，theBretwalda(inlaterphrase)ofBritain，besiegestheDukeofTintagil，whohasafairwife，Ygerne，inanothercastle。MerlinmagicallyputsonUthertheshapeofYgerne\'shusband，andasherhusbandshereceiveshim。OnthatnightArthurisbegottenbyUther，andtheDukeofTintagil，hismother\'shusband，isslaininasortie。
UtherwedsYgerne；bothrecogniseArthurastheirchild。However，bytheCelticcustomoffosteragetheinfantisintrustedtoSirEctorashisdalt，orfoster-child，andUtherfallsinbattle。Arthurislaterapprovenkingbytheadventureofdrawingfromthestonethemagicswordthatnootherkingcouldmove。ThisadventureanswerstoSigmund\'sdrawingtheswordfromtheBranstock，intheVolsungaSaga，\"Nowmenstandup，andnonewouldfainbethelasttolayhandtothesword，\"apparentlystrickenintothepillarbyWoden。\"Butnonewhocametheretomightavailtopullitout，forinnowisewoulditcomeawayhowsoevertheytuggedatit，butnowupcomesSigmund，KingVolsung\'sson，andsetshandtothesword，andpullsitfromthestock，evenasifitlayloosebeforehim。\"TheincidentintheArthurianasintheVolsungalegendisonaparwiththeGoldenBough，inthesixthbookoftheAEneid。Onlythepredestinedchampion，suchasAEneas，canpluck，orbreak，orcutthebough-
\"IpsevolensfacilisquesequeturSitefatavocant。\"
AllthisancientpopularelementintheArthurstoryisdisregardedbyTennyson。HedoesnotmakeUtherapproachYgerneinthesemblanceofherlord，asZeusapproachedAlcmenainthesemblanceofherhusband，Amphitryon。HeneglectstheotherancienttestoftheprovingofArthurbyhissuccessindrawingthesword。Thepoet\'sobjectistoenfoldtheoriginandbirthofArthurinaspiritualmystery。ThisisdeftlyaccomplishedbyaidofthevariousversionsofthetalethatreachKingLeodogranwhenArthurseeksthehandofhisdaughterGuinevere，forArthur\'stitletothecrownisstilldisputed，soLeodogranmakesinquiries。TheanswersfirstleaveitdubiouswhetherArthurissonofGorlois，husbandofYgerne，orofUther，whoslewGorloisandmarriedher:-
\"Enforcedshewastowedhiminhertears。\"
TheCelticcustomoffosterageisoverlooked，andMerlingivesthechildtoAnton，notasthecustomarydalt，buttopreservethebabefromdanger。QueenBellicentthentellsLeodogran，fromtheevidenceofBleys，Merlin\'smasterinnecromancy，thestoryofArthur\'smiraculousadvent。
\"AnddownthewaveandintheflamewasborneAnakedbabe，androdetoMerlin\'sfeet，Whostooptandcaughtthebabe，andcried\'TheKing!
HereisanheirforUther!\'\"
ButMerlin，whenaskedbyBellicenttocorroboratethestatementofBleys，merely\"Answer\'dinriddlingtripletsofoldtime。\"
Finally，Leodogran\'sfaithisconfirmedbyavision。Thusdoubtfully，amidstrumourandportent，cloudandspirituallight，comesArthur:\"fromthegreatdeep\"hecomes，andinasstrangefashion，attheend，\"tothegreatdeephegoes\"——akingtobeacceptedinfaithorrejectedbydoubt。Arthurandhisidealareobjectsofbelief。Allgoeswellwhiletheknightsholdthat\"TheKingwillfollowChrist，andwetheKing，InwhomhighGodhathbreathedasecretthing。\"
InhistorywefindthesamesituationintheFranceof1429-
\"TheKingwillfollowJeanne，andwetheKing。\"
Whilethisfaithheld，allwentwell；whenthekingceasedtofollow，thespellwasbroken，——theMaidwasmartyred。InthissensethepoetconceivesthecomingofArthur，asigntobespokenagainst，atestofhighpurposes，abeliefredeemingandennoblingtillfaithfails，andthelittleriftwithinthelute，theloveofLancelotandGuinevere，makesdiscordofthemusic。Asmatteroflegend，itistobeunderstoodthatGuineveredidnotrecogniseArthurwhenfirstherodebelowherwindow-
\"SinceheneitherworeonhelmorshieldThegoldensymbolofhiskinglihood。\"
ButLancelotwassenttobringthebride-
\"Andreturn\'dAmongtheflowers，inMay，withGuinevere。\"
Thentheirlonglovemayhavebegun，asinthestoryofTristramsenttobringYseulttobethebrideofKingMark。InMalory，however，LancelotdoesnotcomeonthescenetillafterArthur\'sweddingandreturnfromhisconqueringexpeditiontoRome。ThenLancelotwinsrenown，\"whereforeQueenGuineverehadhiminfavouraboveallotherknights；andincertainhelovedtheQueenagainaboveallotherladiesdamoselsofhislife。\"Lancelot，aswehaveseen，ispracticallyaFrenchcreation，adoptedtoillustratethechivalroustheoryoflove，withitsbitterfruit。ThoughnotoftheoriginalCelticstockoflegend，SirLancelotmakestheromancewhatitis，anddrawsdownthetragedythatoriginallyturnedonthesinofArthurhimself，thesinthatgavebirthtothetraitorModred。Butthemediaevalromancersdisguisedthatformofthestory，andtheprocessofidealisingArthurreachedsuchheightsinthemiddleagesthatTennysonthoughthimselfatlibertytopainttheFlosRegum，\"theblamelessKing。\"HefollowedtheBrutabArthur。\"Inshort，GodhasnotmadesinceAdamwas，themanmoreperfectthanArthur。\"
ThisisremotefromtheArthuroftheoldestCelticlegends，butjustifiesthepoetinadaptingArthurtotheidealherooftheIdylls:-
\"Idealmanhoodclosedinrealman，Ratherthanthatgreyking，whosename，aghost，Streamslikeacloud，man-shaped，frommountain-peak，Andcleavestocairnandcromlechstill；orhimOfGeoffrey\'sbook，orhimofMalleor\'s，oneTouchedbytheadulterousfingerofatimeThathoveredbetweenwarandwantonness，Andcrowningsanddethronements。\"
ThepoeticalbeautiesofTheComingofArthurexcelthoseofGarethandLynette。ThesonsofLotandBellicentseemtohavebeenoriginallyregardedastheincestuousoffspringofArthurandhissister，thewifeofKingLot。NextitwasrepresentedthatArthurwasignorantoftherelationship。MrRhyssupposesthatthemythicalscandal(stillpresentinMaloryasasinofignorance)arosefromblendingtheCelticArthur(asCultureHero)withanolderdivinepersonage，suchasZeus，whomarrieshissisterHera。MarriagesofbrotherandsisterarefamiliarintheEgyptianroyalhouse，andthatoftheIncas。Butthepoethasaperfectrighttodisregardascandalousmythwhich，obviouslycrystallisedlateraboutthefigureofthemythicalCelticArthur，wasanincongruousaccretiontohislegend。Gareth，therefore，ismerelyArthur\'snephew，notson，inthepoem，asareGawainandthetraitorModred。ThestoryseemstoberathermediaevalFrenchthanCeltic——aminglingofthespiritoffabliauandpopularfairytale。Thepoethasaddedtoitslightness，almostfrivolity，thedescriptionoftheunrealcityofCamelot，builttomusic，aswhen\"Ilion，likeamist，roseintotowers。\"
HehasalsobroughtintheallegoryofDeath，which，whenfaced，provestobe\"abloomingboy\"behindthemask。ThecourtesyandprowessofLancelotleaduptothelaterdevelopmentofhischaracter。
InTheMarriageofGeraint，arumourhasalreadyrisenaboutLancelotandtheQueen，darkeningtheCourt，andpresaging\"Theworld\'sloudwhisperbreakingintostorm。\"
ForthisreasonGeraintremovesEnidfromCamelottohisownland——
thepoetthusearlyleadinguptothesinandthedoomofLancelot。
ButthismotivedoesnotoccurintheWelshstoryofEnidandGeraint，whichTennysonhasotherwisefollowedwithunwontedcloseness。ThetaleoccursinFrenchromancesinvariousforms，butitappearstohavereturned，bywayofFranceandcolouredwithFrenchinfluences，toWales，whereitisoneofthelaterMabinogion。
ThecharactersareCeltic，andNud，fatherofEdyrn，Geraint\'sdefeatedantagonist，appearstoberecognisedbyMrRhysas\"theCelticZeus。\"ThemannersandthetournamentsareFrench。IntheWelshtaleGeraintandEnidarebeddedinArthur\'sownchamber，whichseemstobeasymboliccommutationofthejusprimaenoctisacustomofwhichtheveryexistenceisdisputed。Thisunseemlyantiquariandetail，ofcourse，isomittedintheIdyll。
AnabstractoftheWelshtalewillshowhowcloselyTennysonherefollowshisoriginal。NewsisbroughtintoArthur\'sCourtoftheappearanceofawhitestag。Thekingarrangesahunt，andGuinevereasksleavetogoandwatchthesport。Nextmorningshecannotbewakened，thoughthetaledoesnotaver，liketheIdyll，thatshewas\"Lostinsweetdreams，anddreamingofherloveForLancelot。\"
Guineverewakeslate，andridesthroughafordofUsktothehunt。
Geraintfollows，\"agolden-hiltedswordwasathisside，andarobeandasurcoatofsatinwereuponhim，andtwoshoesofleatheruponhisfeet，andaroundhimwasascarfofbluepurple，ateachcornerofwhichwasagoldenapple\":-
\"ButGuineverelaylateintothemorn，Lostinsweetdreams，anddreamingofherloveForLancelot，andforgetfulofthehunt；
Butroseatlast，asinglemaidenwithher，Tookhorse，andfordedUsk，andgain\'dthewood；
There，onalittleknollbesideit，stay\'dWaitingtohearthehounds；butheardinsteadAsuddensoundofhoofs，forPrinceGeraint，Latealso，wearingneitherhunting-dressNorweapon，saveagolden-hiltedbrand，Camequicklyflashingthro\'theshallowfordBehindthem，andsogallop\'duptheknoll。
Apurplescarf，ateitherendwhereofThereswunganappleofthepurestgold，Sway\'droundabouthim，ashegallop\'dupTojointhem，glancinglikeadragon-flyInsummersuitandsilksofholiday。\"
Theencounterwiththedwarf，thelady，andtheknightfollows。TheproseoftheMabinogimaybecomparedwiththeverseofTennyson:-
\"Geraint，\"saidGwenhwyvar，\"knowestthouthenameofthattallknightyonder？\"\"Iknowhimnot，\"saidhe，\"andthestrangearmourthathewearspreventsmyeitherseeinghisfaceorhisfeatures。\"
\"Go，maiden，\"saidGwenhwyvar，\"andaskthedwarfwhothatknightis。\"Thenthemaidenwentuptothedwarf；andthedwarfwaitedforthemaiden，whenhesawhercomingtowardshim。Andthemaideninquiredofthedwarfwhotheknightwas。\"Iwillnottellthee，\"heanswered。\"Sincethouartsochurlishasnottotellme，\"saidshe，\"Iwillaskhimhimself。\"\"Thoushaltnotaskhim，bymyfaith，\"
saidhe。\"Wherefore？\"saidshe。\"BecausethouartnotofhonoursufficienttobefittheetospeaktomyLord。\"Thenthemaidenturnedherhorse\'sheadtowardstheknight，uponwhichthedwarfstruckherwiththewhipthatwasinhishandacrossthefaceandtheeyes，untilthebloodflowedforth。Andthemaiden，throughthehurtshereceivedfromtheblow，returnedtoGwenhwyvar，complainingofthepain。\"Veryrudelyhasthedwarftreatedthee，\"saidGeraint。
\"Iwillgomyselftoknowwhotheknightis。\"\"Go，\"saidGwenhwyvar。
AndGeraintwentuptothedwarf。\"Whoisyonderknight？\"saidGeraint。\"Iwillnottellthee，\"saidthedwarf。\"ThenwillIaskhimhimself，\"saidhe。\"Thatwiltthounot，bymyfaith，\"saidthedwarf；\"thouartnothonourableenoughtospeakwithmyLord。\"SaidGeraint，\"Ihavespokenwithmenofequalrankwithhim。\"Andheturnedhishorse\'sheadtowardstheknight；butthedwarfovertookhim，andstruckhimashehaddonethemaiden，sothatthebloodcolouredthescarfthatGeraintwore。ThenGeraintputhishanduponthehiltofhissword，buthetookcounselwithhimself，andconsideredthatitwouldbenovengeanceforhimtoslaythedwarf，andtobeattackedunarmedbythearmedknight，sohereturnedtowhereGwenhwyvarwas。
\"Andwhiletheylisten\'dforthedistanthunt，AndchieflyforthebayingofCavall，KingArthur\'shoundofdeepestmouth，thererodeFullslowlybyaknight，lady，anddwarf；
Whereofthedwarflagg\'dlatest，andtheknightHadvizorup，andshow\'dayouthfulface，Imperious，andofhaughtiestlineaments。
AndGuinevere，notmindfulofhisfaceIntheKing\'shall，desiredhisname，andsentHermaidentodemanditofthedwarf；
Whobeingvicious，oldandirritable，Anddoublingallhismaster\'sviceofpride，Madeanswersharplythatsheshouldnotknow。
\'ThenwillIaskitofhimself，\'shesaid。
\'Nay，bymyfaith，thoushaltnot，\'criedthedwarf；
\'Thouartnotworthyev\'ntospeakofhim\'；