On August 6, 1809 in Lincolnshire, the most celebrated Victorian poet was born. Alfred Tennyson was appointed Poet Laureate of Great Britain in 1850, a position he held for 42 years. His poetry is celebrated for its rich language, musical rhythm, and exploration of themes such as love, loss, heroism, faith, nature, and the passage of time. Lord Tennyson was immensely popular during his lifetime and remains one of the most widely read English poets. His best-known works include Ulysses, The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Lady of Shalott, and Crossing the Bar, a meditation on death and the hope of an afterlife. Some of his most memorable quotations include: “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” “Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, ‘It will be happier.’” “Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.” “Music that gentlier on the spirit lies, Than tired eyelids upon tired eyes.” It beautifully expresses music’s ability to soothe the weary soul and remains one of the finest poetic tributes to music in English literature.