FOREWORD.

The Committee are indebted to numerous Borrovians for the loan of Illustrations and Contributions of literary items to the text, to Miss C. M. Nichols, R.E., for her charming Pen Pictures of nooks and corners of Borrow’s old home in Willow Lane, the Rev. F. W. Orde Ward for his appreciative stanzas, and Mr. E. Peake for his Ode to the Flower, whilst special mention must be made of Mr. A. J. Munnings’ inspiring design of George Borrow and Petulengro overlooking the City of Norwich for the cover.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

George Borrow Frontispiece
Staircase doorway, Borrow’s house facing page 4
George Borrow’s birthplace, Dumpling Green, East Dereham 8
Plan of Dumpling Green, East Dereham 9
Roger Kerrison 9
Crown and Angel, St. Stephen’s 12
The grammar school 13
Borrow’s house, Willow Lane 16
The winding river, near Norwich 17
The Yare at Earlham, near Norwich 17
The Strangers’ Hall, Norwich 20
Earlham bridge 21
Bowling Green Inn 24
William Simpson 24
Tuck’s Court, St. Giles 24
John Crome 25
The Windmill on Mousehold Heath 28
Ned Painter 29
Norwich castle and cattle market in Borrow’s time 32
Marshland Shales 33
A quaint corner in Borrow’s house 36
William Taylor 40
George Borrow’s house, Oulton, near Lowestoft 40
George Borrow in 1848 40
George Borrow (painted by his brother) 41
Corner of Borrow’s bedroom 44
George Borrow’s grave, Brompton cemetery 48

George Borrow.

1

Man of the Book, thou Pilgrim of the Road,
The love of travel
Drave thee on ever with pursuing goad;
Trust was thy burning light, Truth was thy load—
Sweet riddles for the weary to unravel,
Within thy breast
Glowed the pure fire of an Eternal Quest.

2

The Bible was thy chart, the open sky
Thy roof and rafter
Often, and thou didst learn night’s mystery;
Learning some tale from each poor passer-by,
Some gracious secret for the grand Hereafter.
Master of lore
Occult, and wanderer on the wildest shore.