Arthur Machen

“ But we do know that while we read the "Idylls" our attitude of mind is wholly mystical, that our hearts lie still under enchantment, that we are never troubled by the thoughts of any "institutions," however valuable such things may be in themselves. To us, indeed, it must seem astounding that Tennyson should resolve our doubts in such a manner, but our amazement would perhaps be less if we could have breathed the atmosphere of the 'thirties with the poet. ”

“ I will return to my first example of the late poet laureate with his "Liberal Institutions," and so far as he and his symbolism are concerned, I answer "No" at once, and without hesitation. It is true that we can not say in words what we seek as we go down to Camelot, we know not how it may be when the trumpet sounds and the Knights of the Round Table are gathered together, we bow in silence at the Elevation of the Grail. ”

“ Again and again he interrupts the splendid passage of his knight to assure the reader that he means no more than a little satire—that his only object is to write down these tedious romances of chivalry. In literature all things are conjectural, but, if anything is certain, one may be sure that Cervantes meant "Don Quixote" to be a burlesque on Amadis and Belianis, and the rest of them; he intended the best book in profane letters to be a "skit," as we should call it. ”

“ No doubt the poet would not have had us take his words in their strictly literal sense; we are not for the future to read into his lines references to Equal Electoral Districts, Payments of Members and the City Council, but from the high and mystic order of the Round Table to "Liberal Institutions" in their mildest form there is surely a frightful and abominable descent. I may admit at once that Tennyson never meant us to associate a "Program" of any kind with Lancelot; that we are free to enjoy the session of the holy knights without a thought of Local Veto ”

“ They see the Tourainian sun shine on the hot rock above Chinon, on the maze of narrow mounting streets, on the high-pitched roofs, on the grey-blue tourelles pricking upwards from the fantastic labyrinth of walls. ”

“ Literature is full of secrets, but perhaps it offers no stranger matter for our consideration than melodies unheard by those that made them, than Siren songs that never came to the Sirens' ears. The magicians have murmured strong spells and most powerful evocations, but like the Coptic priests, they have hardly or not at all understood the words of might. ”

“ We may go far afield and search the most distant ages and authors grotesquely unlike to one another, and yet we shall come to the same conclusion, that the casket alone was designed, that the jewel slipped in unawares. ”

“ We will give the most favourable gloss to the phrase, and confess how good and joyful a thing it is that brethren should dwell together in unity, under equal laws, ruled by noble kings, while freedom broadens slowly down from precedent to precedent ”