isles: in company
As friends they madly flee!

* * * * *

But Thee, my Best Beloved! may "Suchi" visit fair
With songs of secret waters cooling the quiet air,
Under blue buds of lotus beds, and patalas which shed
Fragrance and balm, while Moonlight weaves over thy happy head
Its silvery veil! So Nights and Days of Summer pass for thee
Amid the pleasure-palaces, with love and melody!

MATTHEW ARNOLD

(1822-1888)

BY GEORGE EDWARD WOODBERRY

Matthew Arnold, an English poet and critic, was born December 24th,
1822, at Laleham, in the Thames valley. He was the son of Dr. Thomas
Arnold, best remembered as the master of Rugby in later years, and
distinguished also as a historian of Rome. His mother was, by her maiden
name, Mary Penrose, and long survived her husband. Arnold passed his
school days at Winchester and Rugby, and went to Oxford in October,
1841. There, as also at school, he won scholarship and prize, and showed
poetical talent. He was elected a fellow of Oriel in March, 1845. He
taught for a short time at Rugby, but in 1847 became private secretary
to Lord Lansdowne, who in 1851 appointed him school inspector. From that
time he was engaged mainly in educational labors, as inspector and
commissioner, and traveled frequently on the Continent examining foreign
methods. He was also interested controversially in political and
religious questions of the day, and altogether had a sufficient public
life outside of literature. In 1851 he married Frances Lucy, daughter of
Sir William Wightman, a judge of the Court of Queen's Bench, and by her
had five children, three sons and two daughters.

His first volume of verse, 'The Strayed Reveller and Other Poems,' bears
the date 1849; the second, 'Empedocles on Etna and Other Poems,' 1852;
the third, 'Poems,' made up mainly from the two former, was published in
1853, and thereafter he added little to his poetic work. His first
volume of similar significance in prose was 'Essays in Criticism,'
issued in 1865. Throughout his mature life he was a constant writer, and
his collected works of all kinds now fill eleven volumes, exclusive of
his letters. In 1857 he was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford, and
there began his career as a lecturer; and this method of public
expression he employed often. His life was thus one with many diverse
activities, and filled with practical or literary affairs; a