The Holy Grail

Published 1869 (‘1870’). H.T. quotes his mother’s journal: ‘1868, Sept. 9th. A. read a bit of his San Graal, which he has just begun. Sept. 14th. He has almost finished the San Graal. It came like a breath of inspiration. Sept. 23rd … A. read the San Graal MS complete in the garden … I doubt whether the San Graal would have been written but for my endeavour, and the Queen’s wish, and that of the Crown Princess. Thank God for it. He has had the subject in his mind for years, ever since he began to write about Arthur and his knights.’ As long ago as 3 Oct. 1859, T. had written to the Duke of Argyll: ‘As to Macaulay’s suggestion of the Sangreal, I doubt whether such a subject could be handled in these days, without incurring a charge of irreverence’ (Mem. i 456; Mat. ii 236). Emily wrote to Woolner, 24 Oct. 1863: ‘I long for him to be at the San Graal, feeling sure that is his work’; and again, 11 July 1864: ‘I hope you think he has given your stories well. I wish he would give mine now and do the San Graal for me’ (Letters of E. T., pp. 176, 185). In April 1868 he wrote Ambrosius’s speech (Mem. ii 53). Sir Charles Tennyson has pointed out the odd discrepancy between T.’s reluctance to tackle The Holy Grail and the statement in 1859 (Eversley v 440): ‘He made a poem on Lancelot’s quest of the San Graal; “in as good verse”, he said, “as I ever wrote — no, I did not write, I made it in my head, and it has altogether slipt out of memory”’. See the MS stanzas of Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere (pp. 99–100). The source of Eversley is T.’s letter to the Duke of Argyll, 3 Oct. 1859. ‘As to Macaulay’s suggestion of the Sangraal I doubt whether such a subject could be handled in these days, without incurring a charge of irreverence. It would too much like playing with sacred things. The old writers believed in the Sangraal. Many years ago I did write Lancelot’s Quest of the Grail in as good verses as I ever wrote — no, I did not write — I made it in my head, and it has now altogether slipt out of memory’ (Letters ii 244). Walter White specifies that this amounted to ‘three hundred lines’ (14 Aug. 1860; Journals, 1898, pp. 151–2). Cp. Sir Galahad (p. 165).