The Humorous Poetry of the English Language; from Chaucer to Saxe

Holmes, Saxe, and Lowell are, therefore, only REPRESENTED in this collection. To have done more than fairly represent them, had been to infringe rights which are doubly sacred, because they are not protected by law. To have done less would have deprived the reader of a most convenient means of observing that, in a kind of composition confessed to be among the most difficult, our native wits are not excelled by foreign.

The editor expected to be embarrassed with a profusion of material for his purpose. But, on a survey of the poetical literature of the two countries, it was discovered that, of really excellent humorous poetry, of the kinds universally interesting, untainted by obscenity, not marred by coarseness of language, nor obscured by remote allusion, the quantity in existence is not great. It is thought that this volume contains a very large proportion of the best pieces that haveappeared.

An unexpected feature of the book is, that there is not a line in it by a female hand. The alleged foibles of the Fair have given occasion to libraries of comic verse; yet, with diligent search, no humorous poems by women have been found which are of merit sufficient to give them claim to a place in a collection like this. That lively wit and graceful gayety, that quick perception of the absurd, which ladies are continually displaying in their conversation and correspondence, never, it seems, suggest the successful epigram, or inspire happy satirical verse.

The reader will not be annoyed by an impertinent superfluity of notes. At the end of the volume may be found a list of the sources from which its contents have been taken. For the convenience of those who live remote from biographical dictionaries, a few dates and other particulars have been added to the mention of each name. For valuable contributions to this portion of the volume, and for much well-directed work upon other parts of it, the reader is indebted to Mr. T. BUTLER GUNN, of this city.

There is, certainly, nothing more delightful than the fun of a man of genius. Humor, as Mr. Thackeray observes, is charming, and poetry is charming, but the blending of the two in the same composition is irresistible. There is much nonsense in this book, and some folly, and a little ill-nature; but there is more wisdom than either. They who possess it may congratulate themselves upon having the largest collection ever made of the sportive effusions of genius.

INDEX.

MISCELLANEOUS.

SUBJECT. AUTHOR.

To my Empty Purse Chaucer To Chloe Peter Pindar To a Fly Peter Pindar Man may be Happy Peter Pindar Address to the Toothache Burns The Pig Southey Snuff Southey Farewell to Tobacco Lamb Written after swimming from Sestos to Abydos Byron The Lisbon Packet Byron To Fanny Moore Young Jessie Moore Rings and Seals Moore Nets and Cages Moore Salad Sydney Smith My Letters Barham The Poplar Barham Spring Hood Ode on a Distant Prospect of Clapham Academy Hood Schools and School-fellows Praed The Vicar Praed The Bachelor's Cane-bottomed Chair Thackeray Stanzas to Pale Ale Punch Children must be paid for Punch The Musquito Bryant To the Lady in the Chemisette with Black Buttons Willis Come out, Love Willis The White Chip Hat Willis You know if it was you Willis The Declaration Willis Love in a Cottage Willis To Helen in a Huff Willis The Height of the Ridiculous O. W. Holmes The Briefless Barrister J. G. Saxe Sonnet to a Clam J. G. Saxe Venus of the Needle Allingham

NARRATIVE.

Take thy Old Cloak about thee Percy Reliques King John and the Abbot Percy Reliques The Baffled Knight, or Lady's Policy Percy Reliques Truth and Falsehood Prior Flattery Williams (Sir C. H.) The Pig and Magpie Peter Pindar Advice to Young Women Peter Pindar Economy Peter Pindar The Country Lasses Peter Pindar The Pilgrims and Peas Peter Pindar On the Death of a Favorite Cat Gray The Retired Cat Cowper Saying, not Meaning Wake Julia Coleridge A Cock and Hen Story Southey The Search after Happiness Scott (Sir W.) The Donkey and his Panniers Moore Misadventure at Margate Barham The Ghost Barham A Lay of St. Gengulphus Barham Sir Rupert the Fearless Barham Look at the Clock Barham The Bagman's Dog Barham Dame Fredegonde W. Aytoun The King of Brentford's Testament Thackeray Titmarsh's Carmen Lillienses Thackeray Shadows Lantern The Retort G. P. Morris

SATIRICAL.

The Rabble, or Who Pays? S. Butler The Chameleon Prior The Merry Andrew Prior Jack and Joan Prior The Progress of Poetry Swift Twelve Articles Swift The Beast's Confession Swift A New Simile for the Ladies Sheridan (Dr. T.) On a Lap-dog Gay The Razor Seller Peter Pindar The Sailor Boy at Prayers Peter Pindar Bienseance Peter Pindar Kings and Courtiers Peter Pindar Praying for Rain Peter Pindar Apology for Kings Peter Pindar Ode to the Devil Peter Pindar The King of Spain and the Horse Peter Pindar The Tender Husband Peter Pindar The Soldier and the Virgin Mary Peter Pindar A King of France and the Fair Lady Peter Pindar The Eggs Yriarte The Ass and his Master Yriarte The Love of the World Reproved, or Hypocrisy Detected Cowper Report of an Adjudged Case Cowper Holy Willie's Prayer Burns Epitaph on Holy Willie Burns Address to the Deil Burns The Devil's Walk on Earth Southey Church and State Moore Lying Moore The Millennium Moore The Little Grand Lama Moore Eternal London Moore On Factotum Ned Moore Letters (Fudge Correspondence), First Letter Moore Letters (Fudge Correspondence), Second Letter Moore Letters (Fudge Correspondence), Third Letter Moore The Literary Lady Sheridan (R. B.) Netley Abbey Barham Family Poetry Barham The Sunday Question Hood Ode to Rae Wilson, Esquire Hood Death's Ramble Hood The Bachelor's Dream Hood On Samuel Rogers Byron My Partner Praed The Belle of the Ball Praed Sorrows of Werther Thackeray The Yankee Volunteer Thackeray Courtship and Matrimony Thackeray Concerning Sisters-in-law Punch The Lobsters Punch To Song Birds on a Sunday Punch The First Sensible Valentine Punch A Scene on the Austrian Frontier Punch Ode to the Great Sea Serpent Punch The Feast of Vegetables and the Flow of Water Punch Kindred Quacks Punch The Railway Traveler's Farewell to his Family Punch A Letter and an Answer Punch Papa to his Heir Punch Selling off at the Opera-house Punch Wonders of the Victorian Age Punch To the Portrait of a Gentleman Holmes My Aunt Holmes Comic Miseries Saxe Idees Napoleoniennes Aytoun The Lay of the Lover's Friend Aytoun