My knowledge of historic days is lamentably scant,
But the present will afford me the material I want.”
In fact, the rash resolve with which this foolish man set out,
Was just to deal with matters that he really knew about.
He studied all his characters with sympathy sincere;
He wrote, rewrote, and laboured at his chapters for a year;
He found a trusting publisher—one wonders much at that—
For this, his first production, fell quite absolutely flat.
The critics were benign indeed: “A harmless little tale,”
Was what they mostly called it. “While the reader cannot fail,”