A BOOK OF NONSENSE
by
EDWARD LEAR
With All the Original Pictures and Verses
[Illustration]
There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
Original Dedication.
TO THE GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, GRAND-NEPHEWS, AND GRAND-NIECES OF EDWARD, 13TH EARL OF DERBY, THIS BOOK OF DRAWINGS AND VERSES
(The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.)
Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
London, 1862.
[Illustration]
There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!" That remarkable Man with a nose.
[Illustration]
There was a Young Person of Smyrna, Whose Grandmother threatened to burn her; But she seized on the Cat, and said, "Granny, burn that! You incongruous Old Woman of Smyrna!"
[Illustration]
There was an Old Man on a hill, Who seldom, if ever, stood still; He ran up and down in his Grandmother's gown, Which adorned that Old Man on a hill.
[Illustration]
There was an Old Person of Chili, Whose conduct was painful and silly; He sate on the stairs, eating apples and pears, That imprudent Old Person of Chili.
[Illustration]
There was an Old Man with a gong, Who bumped at it all the day long; But they called out, "Oh, law! you're a horrid old bore!" So they smashed that Old Man with a gong.
[Illustration]
There was an Old Man of Kilkenny, Who never had more than a penny; He spent all that money in onions and honey, That wayward Old Man of Kilkenny.
[Illustration]
There was an Old Man of Columbia, Who was thirsty, and called out for some beer; But they brought it quite hot, in a small copper pot, Which disgusted that man of Columbia.
[Illustration]
There was an Old Man in a tree, Who was horribly bored by a Bee; When they said, "Does it buzz?" he replied, "Yes, it does! It's a regular brute of a Bee."
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear
- 2: Whose conduct grew friskier and friskier
- 3: Illustration There was an Old Man of the Wrekin
- 4: That ecstatic Old Person of Tring
- 5: That surprising Old Man of Coblenz
- 6: Illustration There was an Old Man of Kamschatka
- 7: That horrible person of Cheadle
- 8: You invidious Old Man of Aosta