Alfred Lord Tennyson Announces the Birth of His First Child

It was in 1850 that Tennyson reached the pinnacle of his career, publishing his masterpiece, “In Memoriam A.H.H.”, dedicated to his close friend Arthur Henry Hallam. Later the same year, he was appointed Poet Laureate by Queen Victoria, succeeding William Wordsworth. In the same year, Tennyson married Emily Sellwood, whom he had known since childhood. In 1852, they had their first child, a son. Emily was sleepless and unwell for close to 2 weeks after the birth.,

That son, Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, would serve as the second Governor-general of Australia, in office from 1903 to 1904. He was previously Governor of South Australia from 1899 to 1902.

Franz Anton Mesmer was a German physician with an interest in astronomy. He theorized the existence of a natural energy transference occurring between all animated and inanimate objects; this he called “animal magnetism”, sometimes later referred to as mesmerism. Mesmer’s theory attracted a wide following between about 1780 and 1850, and continued to have some influence until the end of the 19th century. Like many Victorians, Tennyson had a strong interest in mesmerism.

The recipient of this letter, James Marshall, was a long time family friend who attended Hallam’s baptism. The letter has been in a private collection for generations.

Autograph letter signed, no date but mid-August 1852, to close friend James Marshall. “Did you not get mine announcing the birth of a son? I fear your wife is unwell as she would have written. Let us know. Mine has had 8 or 9 days of suffering and sleeplessness till I got her right with mesmerizing. The new boy is well…”