TENNYSON AND BROWNING.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12490, 17 March 1909, Page 4

TENNYSON AND BROWNING.

Neither Tennyson nor Browning ! j tvas at all addicted to teetotalism, as i Mr Comyns Carr observes in his } "Eminent Victorians." "Water, Robert !" exclaimed the elder Browning in dismay. "For washing purposes it is, : I believe, often employed, and for : navigable canals I admit it to be indispensable ; but for drinking, Robert, j God never intended it!". "Irving." said Tennyson to the actor when he with his guest in the Isle of Wight, "would you. like a glass . of ., port ?" When Irving confessed that he would, Tennyson poured him out one glass and absent-mindedly drank the res-t qi the bottle himself. . On IrVing's next visit Tennyson was, not unnaturally, ' suffering from gout, and was restricted by his doctor to a single, glass of his favourite wine, while Irving, having now his innings, finished^ the . bottle As Irving had to go away early, the next morning, he took his leave overnight of his host, and was therefore surprised, upon his awakening, to find Tennyson sitting at the foot of the bed. ''Irving Ware .you^his morning ?" he asked anxiously/ "Very well, indeed," replied his guest. "Are you?" came the response, with just a tinge of doubt in his voice. 'You drank a lot of port last night.