VERSES FOR CHILDREN

AND

SONGS FOR MUSIC

BY

JULIANA HORATIA EWING.

LONDON:

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE,

Northumberland Avenue, W.C.

New York: E. & J.B. YOUNG & CO.

[Published under the direction of the General LiteratureCommittee.]

PREFACE

It has been decided in publishing this volume toreproduce the illustrations with which the versesoriginally appeared in Aunt Judy's Magazine. In allcases Mrs. Ewing wrote the lines to fit the pictures,and it is worthy of note to observe how closely she hasintroduced every detail into her words. Most of thewoodcuts are by German artists, Oscar Pletsch, FedorFlinzer, and others; but the frontispiece is from anoriginal sketch by Mr. Gordon Browne. In accordancewith his special desire, it has only been used forMrs. Ewing's poem, as the Convalescent was a littlefriend of the artist, who did not live to complete hisrecovery. The poem is the last that Mrs. Ewingwrote for children, and it was penned when sheherself was enduring the discomforts of convalescencewith all the courage she so warmly advocates.

Mr. Randolph Caldecott's illustrations to "Mother'sBirthday Review" first appeared in his Sketch Book,but the letterpress that accompanied them was verybrief, and Mrs. Ewing could not resist asking permissionto write some verses to the pictures, andpublish them in Aunt Judy's Magazine. This favourwas kindly granted, and by Mrs. Caldecott's furtherkindness the sketches are again used here.

The contents of this volume have been arrangedchronologically as far as is possible.

"The Willow Man" and "Grandmother's Spring"were both written to protest against wantonly wastingDame Nature's gifts, and the Note on page 69 showsthat Mrs. Ewing had learnt this lesson herself in childhood.My Father has lately recalled an incident whichhe believes first roused our Mother to teach the lessonto us. They were driving to Sheffield one day, whenon Bolsover Hill they saw a well-known veterinarysurgeon of the district, Mr. Peech, who had dismountedfrom his horse, and was carefully taking upa few roots of white violets from a bank where theygrew in some profusion. He showed Mrs. Gatty whathe was gathering, but told her he was taking care toleave a bit behind. This happened fully forty yearsago, long before the Selborne and other Societies forthe preservation of rare plants and birds had comeinto existence, and Mother was much impressed andpleased by Mr. Peech's delicate scrupulousness.

"A Soldier's Children" was written in 1879, whilstmany friends were fighting in South Africa, and tenyears before a story bearing the same name was issuedby the writer of Bootles' Baby.

The "Songs for Music" appeared in 1874 in avolume called Songs by Four Friends, except the twolast poems, "Anemones" and "Autumn Tints." Theformer was given by Mrs. Ewing to her brother, Mr.Alfred Scott-Gatty, to set to music, and it hasrecently been published by Messrs. Boosey. "AutumnTints" was found amongst Mrs. Ewing's papers afterher death, and is now printed for the first time.

Horatia K.F. Eden.

June 1895.

CONTENTS.