Background
Arthur Hallam was born on February 1, 1811 London, United Kingdom. He was the son of the historian Henry Hallam.
Arthur Hallam was born on February 1, 1811 London, United Kingdom. He was the son of the historian Henry Hallam.
Arthur Hallam attended school at Eton, where he met the future prime minister, William Ewart Gladstone. Hallam was an important influence on Gladstone, introducing him to Whiggish ideas and people. Other friends included James Milnes Gaskell.
After leaving Eton in 1827 Hallam travelled on the continent with his family, and in Italy he became inspired by its culture and fell in love with an English beauty, Anna Mildred Wintour, who inspired eleven of his poems.
In October 1828, Hallam went up to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he met and befriended Tennyson.
Hallam and Tennyson became friends in April 1829. They both entered the Chancellor's Prize Poem Competition. Both joined the Cambridge Apostles (a private debating society), which met every Saturday night during term to discuss, over coffee and anchovy sandwiches, serious questions of religion, literature and society.
During the Christmas vacation, Hallam visited Tennyson's home in Somersby, Lincolnshire. On 20 December he met and fell in love with Tennyson's eighteen-year-old sister, Emily, who was just seven months younger than Hallam. Hallam spent the 1830 Easter vacation with Tennyson in Somersby and declared his love for Emily.
Hallam and Tennyson planned to publish a book of poems together. In the summer vacation, Tennyson and Hallam travelled to the Pyrenees. In December, Hallam again visited Somersby and became engaged to Emily.
In February 1831, Tennyson's father died, with the result that Tennyson could no longer afford to continue at Cambridge. In July Tennyson and Hallam travelled to the Rhine. In October Hallam entered the office of a conveyancer, Mr Walters, of Lincoln's Inn Fields. In December, thanks largely to Hallam's support and practical help, Tennyson's second volume of poetry was published.
In July 1833, Hallam visited Emily. On 3 August, he left with his father for Europe. On 13 September, they went to Vienna, with Hallam complaining of fever and chill. Quinine and a few days rest were prescribed. By Sunday 15th, Hallam felt sufficiently better to take a short walk with his father in the evening. When he returned to the hotel he ordered some sack and lay down on the sofa, talking cheerfully all the time. Leaving his son reading in front of the fire, his father went out for a further stroll. He returned to find Hallam still on the sofa, apparently asleep. Only after a short time did Henry Hallam notice the odd position of his head. He called to his son. There was no response. All efforts to rouse him were in vain. Arthur Hallam was dead at the age of twenty-two.
Quotes from others about the person
Alfred Lord Tennyson described Arthur Henry Hallam as being "as near perfection as mortal man could be".