He speaks of "Believing where we cannot prove".
(l. 4), and is sure that God "wilt not leave us in the dust" (l. 9). The.
increasing threat posed to religion by science does not worry Tension .
here, as he believes that our increasing knowledge of the universe can be.
reconciled with faith, saying: "Let knowledge grow from more to more,.
But more of reverence in us dwell; That mind and soul, according.
well, May make one music as before" (1. 25-28). He does anticipate.
doubt, though, as he asks in advance for God's forgiveness for the.
"Confusions of a wasted youth" (l. 42). Tennyson here foresees the.
difficulties inherent in reconciling God with the cold universe slowly.
emerging for the notes of scientists. In order to deal with the tasks.
set before him, Tennyson must first boldly face the possibility of a.
world without God. In stanza number three, Sorrow, personified as a.
woman, whispers these disconcerting possibilities to a grief-ridden.
Tennyson, saying, "And all the phantom, Nature, stands-. / A hollow.
form with empty hands" (3.9, 12). He questions whether he should.
"embrace" or "crush" Sorrow with all her uncomfortable suggestions. .
Tennyson goes on to face an even worse possibility than a lonely .
universe, that being the possibility of an existence without meaning. In.
this view, human life is not eternal, and everything returns to dust .
forever. God is like "some wild poet, when he works / Without a .
conscience or an aim" (34.7-8). Why even consider such a God, Tennyson .
asks, and why not end life all the sooner if this vision of God is true .
(34.9-12)? He answers himself in the next poem, however, as he banishes .
such a possibility on the evidence that love could never exist in such a .
reality. What we consider to be love would actually be only be a .
two-dimensional sense of "fellowship," such as animals must feel, out of .
boredom or crude sensuality (35.21-24) The many poems which follow.
