I come from haunts of coot and hern, I come from haunts of coot and hern, I make a sudden sally I make a sudden sally

And sparkle out among the fern, And sparkle out among the fern, To bicker down a valley. To bicker down a valley.

By thirty hills I hurry down, By thirty hills I hurry down, Or slip between the ridges, Or slip between the ridges,

By twenty thorpes, a little town, By twenty thorpes, a little town, And half a hundred bridges. And half a hundred bridges.

Till last by Philip's farm I flow Till last by Philip's farm I flow To join the brimming river, To join the brimming river,

For men may come and men may go, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever. But I go on for ever.

The BrookThe Brook

With many a curve my banks I fret With many a curve my banks I fret By many a field and fallow, By many a field and fallow, And many a fairy foreland set And many a fairy foreland set With willow-weed and mallow. With willow-weed and mallow.

, ,

I chatter over stony ways, I chatter over stony ways, In little sharps and trebles, In little sharps and trebles, I bubble into eddying bays, I bubble into eddying bays,

I babble on the pebbles. I babble on the pebbles.

I chatter, chatter, as I flow I chatter, chatter, as I flow To join the brimming river, To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever. But I go on for ever.

And draw them all along, and flow And draw them all along, and flow To join the brimming river To join the brimming river For men may come and men may go, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever. But I go on for ever.

I wind about, and in and out, I wind about, and in and out, With here a blossom sailing, With here a blossom sailing, And here and there a lusty trout, And here and there a lusty trout, And here and there a grayling, And here and there a grayling,

And here and there a foamy flake And here and there a foamy flake Upon me, as I travel Upon me, as I travel With many a silvery waterbreak With many a silvery waterbreak Above the golden gravel, Above the golden gravel,

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, Among my skimming swallows; Among my skimming swallows; I make the netted sunbeam dance I make the netted sunbeam dance

Against my sandy shallows. Against my sandy shallows.

I steal by lawns and grassy plots, I steal by lawns and grassy plots, I slide by hazel covers; I slide by hazel covers; I move the sweet forget-me-nots I move the sweet forget-me-nots That grow for happy lovers. That grow for happy lovers.

I murmur under moon and stars I murmur under moon and stars In brambly wildernesses; In brambly wildernesses; I linger by my shingly bars; I linger by my shingly bars; I loiter round my cresses; I loiter round my cresses;

And out again I curve and flow And out again I curve and flow To join the brimming river, To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever. But I go on for ever.

The Brook is an exclusive private The Brook is an exclusive private gentlemen's club located at 111 East located at 111 East 54th Street in in Manhattan ( (New York City).).

It was founded in 1903 by a group of prominent men who belonged to It was founded in 1903 by a group of prominent men who belonged to other New York City private clubs, such as the other New York City private clubs, such as the Knickerbocker Club, the , the Union Club of the City of New York, and the , and the Metropolitan Club.[1] The .[1] The

name is derived from the Alfred Lord Tennyson poem The Brook, name is derived from the Alfred Lord Tennyson poem The Brook, whose lines "For men may come and men may go, but I go on for whose lines "For men may come and men may go, but I go on for

ever" were consistent with the intention that the Club would provide ever" were consistent with the intention that the Club would provide 24-hour service and would never close its doors.[1] In 1992, the City 24-hour service and would never close its doors.[1] In 1992, the City Journal wrote that the name was "supposed to mean that the Club is Journal wrote that the name was "supposed to mean that the Club is

always open and the conversation flows on forever," but that "neither always open and the conversation flows on forever," but that "neither is strictly true."[2] One version of the club's origin holds that The is strictly true."[2] One version of the club's origin holds that The

Brook was formed by two young men who had been expelled from the Brook was formed by two young men who had been expelled from the Union Club for trying to poach an egg on the bald head of another Union Club for trying to poach an egg on the bald head of another

club member.[club member.[

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of the United Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language.popular poets in the English language.

Tennyson excelled at penning short lyrics, such as "In the Valley of Cauteretz", Tennyson excelled at penning short lyrics, such as "In the Valley of Cauteretz", "Break, Break, Break", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Tears, Idle Tears" "Break, Break, Break", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Tears, Idle Tears" and "Crossing the Bar". Much of his verse was based on classical mythological and "Crossing the Bar". Much of his verse was based on classical mythological themes, such as Ulysses, although In Memoriam A.H.H. was written to themes, such as Ulysses, although In Memoriam A.H.H. was written to commemorate his best friend Arthur Hallam, a fellow poet and fellow student at commemorate his best friend Arthur Hallam, a fellow poet and fellow student at Trinity College, Cambridge, who was engaged to Tennyson's sister, but died from a Trinity College, Cambridge, who was engaged to Tennyson's sister, but died from a brain haemorrhage before they could marry. Tennyson also wrote some notable brain haemorrhage before they could marry. Tennyson also wrote some notable blank verse including Idylls of the King, "Ulysses," and "Tithonus." During his blank verse including Idylls of the King, "Ulysses," and "Tithonus." During his career, Tennyson attempted drama, but his plays enjoyed little success.career, Tennyson attempted drama, but his plays enjoyed little success.

A number of phrases from Tennyson's work have become commonplaces of the A number of phrases from Tennyson's work have become commonplaces of the English language, including "Nature, red in tooth and claw", "'Tis better to have English language, including "Nature, red in tooth and claw", "'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all", "Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all", "Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die", "My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is but to do and die", "My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is pure", "Knowledge comes, but Wisdom lingers", and "The old order changeth, pure", "Knowledge comes, but Wisdom lingers", and "The old order changeth, yielding place to new". He is the ninth most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford yielding place to new". He is the ninth most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.Dictionary of Quotations.

In 1829 he was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his In 1829 he was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his first pieces, "Timbuctoo." Reportedly, "it was thought to be no slight honour for a first pieces, "Timbuctoo." Reportedly, "it was thought to be no slight honour for a young man of twenty to win the chancellor's gold medal."He published his first solo young man of twenty to win the chancellor's gold medal."He published his first solo collection of poems, Poems Chiefly Lyrical in 1830. "Claribel" and "Mariana", collection of poems, Poems Chiefly Lyrical in 1830. "Claribel" and "Mariana", which later took their place among Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were included which later took their place among Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were included in this volume. Although decried by some critics as overly sentimental, his verse soon in this volume. Although decried by some critics as overly sentimental, his verse soon proved popular and brought Tennyson to the attention of well-known writers of the proved popular and brought Tennyson to the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge.day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Tennyson was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire, a rector's son and fourth of 12 children. He derived from a middle-class line of Tennysons, but also had noble and royal ancestry.

His father, George Clayton Tennyson (1778–1831), was rector of Somersby (1807–1831), also rector of Benniworth and Bag Enderby, and vicar of Grimsby (1815). The rector was the elder of two sons, but was disinherited at an early age by his father, the landowner George Tennyson (1750–1835) (owner of Bayons Manor and Usselby Hall), in favour of his younger brother Charles, who later took the name Charles Tennyson d'Eyncourt. Rev. George Clayton Tennyson raised a large family and "was a man of superior abilities and varied attainments, who tried his hand with fair success in architecture, painting, music, and poetry. He was comfortably well off for a country clergyman and his shrewd money management enabled the family to spend summers at Mablethorpe and Skegness, on the eastern coast of England." Alfred Tennyson's mother, Elizabeth Fytche (1781–1865), was the daughter of Stephen Fytche (1734–1799), vicar of St. James Church, Louth (1764) and rector of Withcall (1780), a small village between Horncastle and Louth. Tennyson's father "carefully attended to the education and training of his children."