W.E.F. Britten - The Early Poems of Alfred, Lord Tennyson - The Deserted House, William Edward Frank Britten

Illustration to tennyson's "the deserted house" by w. E. F. Britten. The metaphor is fairly obvious. Life and thought have gone away side by side, leaving door and windows wide. Careless tenants they!   all within is dark as night: in the windows is no light; and no murmur at the door, so frequent on its hinge before. Close the door; the shutters close; or through the windows we shall see the nakedness and vacancy of the dark deserted house. Come away: no more of mirth is here or merry-making sound. The house was builded of the earth, and shall fall again to ground. Come away: for life and thought here no longer dwell; but in a city glorious - a great and distant city -have bought a mansion incorruptible. Would they could have stayed with us! Date: 1901 (terminus post quem).