Edward Lear

Edward Lear was an English artist, musician, author, and poet famous for his literary nonsense and limericks. Born on May 12, 1812, in Holloway, England, Lear created a genre of literary nonsense that influenced many later English writers. He is best known for his work 'A Book of Nonsense' and 'The Owl and the Pussycat.' His whimsical style and imaginative use of language captivated both children and adults alike. Lear passed away on January 29, 1888.

May 12, 1812

January 29, 1888

English

Edward Lear

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Alphabet, No. 5.

A was an Area Arch
Where washerwomen sat;
They made a lot of lovely starch
To starch Papa's Cravat.

B

B was a Bottle blue,
Which was not very small;
Papa he filled it full of beer,
And then he drank it all.

C

C was Papa's gray Cat,
Who caught a squeaky Mouse;
She pulled him by his twirly tail
All about the house.

D

D was Papa's white Duck,
Who had a curly tail;
One day it ate a great fat frog,
Besides a leetle snail.

E

Edward Lear

Alphabet, No. 6.

tumbled down, and hurt his Arm, against a bit of wood,

said. "My Boy, oh, do not cry; it cannot do you good!"

said, "A Cup of Coffee hot can't do you any harm."

said, "A Doctor should be fetched, and he would cure the arm."

said, "An Egg beat up with milk would quickly make him well."

said, "A Fish, if broiled, might cure, if only by the smell."

said, "Green Gooseberry fool, the best of cures I hold."

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense

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!

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 1.

There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, "It is just as I feared! -
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!"

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 10.

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!"

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 100.

There was a Young Lady of Sweden,
Who went by the slow train to Weedon;
When they cried, "Weedon Station!"
She made no observation,
But thought she should go back to Sweden.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 101.

There was a Young Girl of Majorca,
Whose aunt was a very fast walker;
She walked seventy miles,
And leaped fifteen stiles,
Which astonished that Girl of Majorca.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 102.

There was an Old Man of the Cape,
Who possessed a large Barbary Ape;
Till the Ape one dark night,
Set the house on a light,
Which burned that Old Man of the Cape.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 103.

There was an Old Lady of Prague,
Whose language was horribly vague;
When they said, "Are these caps?"
She answered, "Perhaps!"
That oracular Lady of Prague.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 104.

There was an Old Person of Sparta,
Who had twenty-five sons and one daughter;
He fed them on snails,
And weighed them in scales,
That wonderful person of Sparta.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 105.

There was an Old Man at a easement,
Who held up his hands in amazement;
When they said, "Sir, you'll fall!"
He replied, "Not at all!"
That incipient Old Man at a casement.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 106.

There was an old Person of Burton,
Whose answers were rather uncertain;
When they said, "How d'ye do?"
He replied, "Who are you?"
That distressing old person of Burton.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 107.

There was an Old Person of Ems,
Who casually fell in the Thames;
And when he was found,
They said he was drowned,
That unlucky Old Person of Ems.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 108.

There was an Old Person of Ewell,
Who chiefly subsisted on gruel;
But to make it more nice,
He inserted some mice,
Which refreshed that Old Person of Ewell.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 109.

There was a Young Lady of Parma,
Whose conduct grew calmer and calmer;
When they said, "Are you dumb?"
She merely said, "Hum!"
That provoking Young Lady of Parma.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 11.

There was an Old Man with a flute,
A sarpint ran into his boot;
But he played day and night,
Till the sarpint took flight,
And avoided that man with a flute.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 110.

There was an Old Man of Aosta,
Who possessed a large Cow, but he lost her;
But they said, "Don't you see,
She has rushed up a tree?
You invidious Old Man of Aosta!"

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 111.

There was an Old Man, on whose nose,
Most birds of the air could repose;
But they all flew away,
At the closing of day,
Which relieved that Old Man and his nose.

Edward Lear

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