at any rate had tried his
hand at that pastime. _The King and Queen of Hearts_ thus becomes his
first juvenile work.

* * * * *

Page 404. POETRY FOR CHILDREN.

This little book, attributed on the title-page merely to the author
of _Mrs. Leicester's School_, was published in two minute volumes at
three shillings by Mrs. Godwin in 1809.

Robert Lloyd, writing from London to his wife in April, 1809, says
of Charles and Mary Lamb: "If we may use the expression, their Union
of affection is what we conceive of marriage in Heaven. They are
the World _one_ to the _other_. They are writing a Book of Poetry
for children together." Later: "It is _task_ work to them, they are
writing for money, and a Book of Poetry for Children being likely to
sell has induced them to compose one." Writing to Coleridge of the
_Poetry for Children_, in June, 1809, Lamb says: "Our little poems are
but humble, but they have no name. You must read them, remembering
they were task-work; and perhaps you will admire the number of
subjects, all of children, picked out by an old Bachelor and an old
Maid. Many parents would not have found so many." Charles Lamb, by the
way, was then thirty-four, and Mary Lamb forty-four. In sending the
book to Manning, Lamb said that his own share of the poems was only
one-third.

The little book seems to have been quickly allowed by its publisher
to pass into the void. Possibly the two-volume form was found to be
impracticable: at any rate _Poetry for Children_ disappeared, many
of its pieces at various times reappearing with the signature Mrs.
Leicester in _The Junior Class-Book_ (two pieces), in _The First Book
of Poetry_ (twenty-two pieces) and _The Poetical Class Book_ (three
pieces), all compiled by William Frederic Mylius, a Christ's Hospital
master, and published by Mrs. Godwin. Hence the extreme rarity of
_Poetry for Children_, which seemed to be completely lost until, in
1877, a copy was found in Australia. Two or three other copies of
the English edition have since come to light. Mylius used also the
frontispieces to the two volumes. As I have not seen all the editions
of these compilations, it is possible that my figures may not be
complete.

An American edition of _Poetry for Children_ was published in 1812 at
Boston. The poems "Clock Striking," "Why not do it, Sir, To-day?" and
"Home Delights," were omitted.

I have placed against the poems, in the notes that follow, t