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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

6783 Alfred Tennyson Tennyson 1809-1892 John Bartlett

 
NUMBER:6783
AUTHOR:Alfred Tennyson Tennyson (1809–1892)
QUOTATION:I held it truth, with him who sings 1 
  To one clear harp in divers tones,
  That men may rise on stepping-stones
Of their dead selves to higher things. 2 
ATTRIBUTION:In Memoriam. i. Stanza 1.
 
Note 1.
The poet alluded to is Goethe. I know this from Lord Tennyson himself, although he could not identify the passage; and when I submitted to him a small book of mine on his marvellous poem, he wrote, “It is Goethe’s creed,” on this very passage.—Rev. Dr. Getty (Vicar of Ecclesfield, Yorkshire). [back]
Note 2.
See Longfellow, page 643. [back]