'Edward' is his
Christian
name, and, as
you may see, LEAR is only EARL transposed.
you may see, LEAR is only EARL transposed.
Lear - Nonsense
To
have been the means of administering innocent mirth to thousands, may
surely be a just motive for satisfaction, and an excuse for grateful
expression.
At the same time, I am desirous of adding a few words as to the history of
the two previously published volumes, and more particularly of the first or
original "Book of Nonsense," relating to which many absurd reports have
crept into circulation, such as that it was the composition of the late
Lord Brougham, the late Earl of Derby, etc. ; that the rhymes and pictures
are by different persons; or that the whole have a symbolical meaning,
etc. ; whereas, every one of the Rhymes was composed by myself, and every
one of the Illustrations drawn by my own hand at the time the verses were
made. Moreover, in no portion of these Nonsense drawings have I ever
allowed any caricature of private or public persons to appear, and
throughout, more care than might be supposed has been given to make the
subjects incapable of misinterpretation: "Nonsense," pure and absolute,
having been my aim throughout.
As for the persistently absurd report of the late Earl of Derby being the
author of the "First Book of Nonsense," I may relate an incident which
occurred to me four summers ago, the first that gave me any insight into
the origin of the rumor.
I was on my way from London to Guildford, in a railway carriage,
containing, besides myself, one passenger, an elderly gentleman: presently,
however, two ladies entered, accompanied by two little boys. These, who had
just had a copy of the "Book of Nonsense" given them, were loud in their
delight, and by degrees infected the whole party with their mirth.
"How grateful," said the old gentleman to the two ladies, "all children,
and parents too, ought to be to the statesman who has given his time to
composing that charming book! "
(The ladies looked puzzled, as indeed was I, the author. )
"Do you not know who is the writer of it? " asked the gentleman.
"The name is 'Edward Lear,'" said one of the ladies.
"Ah! " said the first speaker, "so it is printed; but that is only a whim of
the real author, the Earl of Derby.
'Edward' is his Christian name, and, as
you may see, LEAR is only EARL transposed. "
"But," said the lady, doubtingly, "here is a dedication to the
great-grandchildren, grand-nephews, and grand-nieces of Edward, thirteenth
Earl of Derby, by the author, Edward Lear. "
"That," replied the other, "is simply a piece of mystification; I am in a
position to know that the whole book was composed and illustrated by Lord
Derby himself. In fact, there is no such a person at all as Edward Lear. "
"Yet," said the other lady, "some friends of mine tell me they know Mr.
Lear. "
"Quite a mistake! completely a mistake! " said the old gentleman, becoming
rather angry at the contradiction; "I am well aware of what I am saying: I
can inform you, no such a person as 'Edward Lear' exists! "
Hitherto I had kept silence; but as my hat was, as well as my handkerchief
and stick, largely marked inside with my name, and as I happened to have in
my pocket several letters addressed to me, the temptation was too great to
resist; so, flashing all these articles at once on my would-be
extinguisher's attention, I speedily reduced him to silence.
The second volume of Nonsense, commencing with the verses, "The Owl and the
Pussy-Cat," was written at different times, and for different sets of
children: the whole being collected in the course of last year, were then
illustrated, and published in a single volume, by Mr. R. J. Bush, of 32
Charing Cross.
The contents of the third or present volume were made also at different
intervals in the last two years.
Long years ago, in days when much of my time was passed in a country house,
where children and mirth abounded, the lines beginning, "There was an old
man of Tobago," were suggested to me by a valued friend, as a form of verse
lending itself to limitless variety for rhymes and pictures; and
thenceforth the greater part of the original drawings and verses for the
first "Book of Nonsense" were struck off with a pen, no assistance ever
having been given me in any way but that of uproarious delight and welcome
at the appearance of every new absurdity.
have been the means of administering innocent mirth to thousands, may
surely be a just motive for satisfaction, and an excuse for grateful
expression.
At the same time, I am desirous of adding a few words as to the history of
the two previously published volumes, and more particularly of the first or
original "Book of Nonsense," relating to which many absurd reports have
crept into circulation, such as that it was the composition of the late
Lord Brougham, the late Earl of Derby, etc. ; that the rhymes and pictures
are by different persons; or that the whole have a symbolical meaning,
etc. ; whereas, every one of the Rhymes was composed by myself, and every
one of the Illustrations drawn by my own hand at the time the verses were
made. Moreover, in no portion of these Nonsense drawings have I ever
allowed any caricature of private or public persons to appear, and
throughout, more care than might be supposed has been given to make the
subjects incapable of misinterpretation: "Nonsense," pure and absolute,
having been my aim throughout.
As for the persistently absurd report of the late Earl of Derby being the
author of the "First Book of Nonsense," I may relate an incident which
occurred to me four summers ago, the first that gave me any insight into
the origin of the rumor.
I was on my way from London to Guildford, in a railway carriage,
containing, besides myself, one passenger, an elderly gentleman: presently,
however, two ladies entered, accompanied by two little boys. These, who had
just had a copy of the "Book of Nonsense" given them, were loud in their
delight, and by degrees infected the whole party with their mirth.
"How grateful," said the old gentleman to the two ladies, "all children,
and parents too, ought to be to the statesman who has given his time to
composing that charming book! "
(The ladies looked puzzled, as indeed was I, the author. )
"Do you not know who is the writer of it? " asked the gentleman.
"The name is 'Edward Lear,'" said one of the ladies.
"Ah! " said the first speaker, "so it is printed; but that is only a whim of
the real author, the Earl of Derby.
'Edward' is his Christian name, and, as
you may see, LEAR is only EARL transposed. "
"But," said the lady, doubtingly, "here is a dedication to the
great-grandchildren, grand-nephews, and grand-nieces of Edward, thirteenth
Earl of Derby, by the author, Edward Lear. "
"That," replied the other, "is simply a piece of mystification; I am in a
position to know that the whole book was composed and illustrated by Lord
Derby himself. In fact, there is no such a person at all as Edward Lear. "
"Yet," said the other lady, "some friends of mine tell me they know Mr.
Lear. "
"Quite a mistake! completely a mistake! " said the old gentleman, becoming
rather angry at the contradiction; "I am well aware of what I am saying: I
can inform you, no such a person as 'Edward Lear' exists! "
Hitherto I had kept silence; but as my hat was, as well as my handkerchief
and stick, largely marked inside with my name, and as I happened to have in
my pocket several letters addressed to me, the temptation was too great to
resist; so, flashing all these articles at once on my would-be
extinguisher's attention, I speedily reduced him to silence.
The second volume of Nonsense, commencing with the verses, "The Owl and the
Pussy-Cat," was written at different times, and for different sets of
children: the whole being collected in the course of last year, were then
illustrated, and published in a single volume, by Mr. R. J. Bush, of 32
Charing Cross.
The contents of the third or present volume were made also at different
intervals in the last two years.
Long years ago, in days when much of my time was passed in a country house,
where children and mirth abounded, the lines beginning, "There was an old
man of Tobago," were suggested to me by a valued friend, as a form of verse
lending itself to limitless variety for rhymes and pictures; and
thenceforth the greater part of the original drawings and verses for the
first "Book of Nonsense" were struck off with a pen, no assistance ever
having been given me in any way but that of uproarious delight and welcome
at the appearance of every new absurdity.
