Some of these pieces appeared in a volume called "London Lyrics," of which there have been two editions, the first in 1857, and the second in 1862; a few of the pieces have been restored to the reading of the First Edition.
TO C. C. L.
I PAUSE upon the threshold, Charlotte dear,
To write thy name; so may my book acquire
One golden leaf. For Some yet sojourn here
Who come and go in homeliest attire,
Unknown, or only by the few who see
The cross they bear, the good that they have wrought:
Of such art thou, and I have found in thee
The love and truth that He, the Master, taught;
Thou likest thy humble poet, canst thou say
With truth, dear Charlotte?—"And I like his lay."
Rome, May, 1862.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
[THE JESTERS MORAL] 1
[BRAMBLE-RISE] 6
[THE WIDOW'S MITE] 10
[ON AN OLD MUFF] 11
[A HUMAN SKULL] 15
[TO MY GRANDMOTHER] 17
[O TEMPORA MUTANTUR!] 20
[REPLY TO A LETTER ENCLOSING A LOCK OF HAIR] 22
[THE OLD OAK-TREE AT HATFIELD BROADOAK] 25
[AN INVITATION TO ROME, AND THE REPLY:—]
[THE INVITATION] 31
[THE REPLY] 36
[OLD LETTERS] 40
[MY NEIGHBOUR ROSE] 43
[PICCADILLY] 47
[THE PILGRIMS OF PALL MALL] 50
[GERALDINE] 53
[O DOMINE DEUS] 56
[THE HOUSEMAID] 58
[THE OLD GOVERNMENT CLERK] 61
[A WISH] 64
[THE JESTER'S PLEA] 67
[THE OLD CRADLE] 70
[TO MY MISTRESS] 73
[TO MY MISTRESS'S BOOTS] 75
[THE ROSE AND THE RING] 78
[TO MY OLD FRIEND POSTUMUS] 80
[RUSSET PITCHER] 82
[THE FAIRY ROSE] 87
[1863] 89
[GERALDINE GREEN:—]
[I. THE SERENADE] 92
[II. MY LIFE IS A] 93
[MRS. SMITH] 95
[THE SKELETON IN THE CUPBOARD] 98
[THE VICTORIA CROSS] 101
[ST. GEORGE'S, HANOVER SQUARE] 104
[SORRENTO] 105
[JANET] 106
[BÉRANGER] 109
[THE BEAR PIT] 110
[THE CASTLE IN THE AIR] 112
[GLYCERE] 119
[VÆ VICTIS] 121
[IMPLORA PACE] 123
[VANITY FAIR] 125
[THE LEGENDE OF SIR GYLES GYLES] 127
[MY FIRST-BORN] 133
[SUSANNAH:—]
[I. THE ELDER TREES] 135
[II. A KIND PROVIDENCE] 137
[CIRCUMSTANCE] 139
[ARCADIA] 140
[THE CROSSING-SWEEPER] 145
[A SONG THAT WAS NEVER SUNG] 148
[MR. PLACID'S FLIRTATION] 154
[TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS] 157
[BEGGARS] 160
[ON A PORTRAIT OF DR. LAURENCE STERNE] 163
[A SKETCH IN SEVEN DIALS] 166
[LITTLE PITCHER] 167
[UNFORTUNATE MISS BAILEY] 170
[ADVICE TO A POET] 173
[NOTES] 177