hat child, whose parents insist so much on matters
of fact, that the "cow" must be made, in compliance with the rules
of their educational code, to jump "_under_" instead of "_over_ the
moon;" while of course the little dog must be considered as "barking,"
not "laughing" at the circumstance.

These, or any such objections,--for it seems there are others of
about equal weight,--are, it appears to me, more silly than the worst
nursery rhyme the little readers will meet with in the following
pages. I am quite willing to leave the question to their decision,
feeling assured the catering for them has not been in vain, and
that these cullings from the high-ways and bye-ways--they have been
collected from nearly every county in England--will be to them real
flowers, soothing the misery of many an hour of infantine adversity.

[Illustration]

NURSERY RHYMES.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

FIRST CLASS--HISTORICAL 1

SECOND CLASS--LITERAL 14

THIRD CLASS--TALES 22

FOURTH CLASS--PROVERBS 68

FIFTH CLASS--SCHOLASTIC 76

SIXTH CLASS--SONGS 82

SEVENTH CLASS--RIDDLES 119

EIGHTH CLASS--CHARMS 135

NINTH CLASS--GAFFERS AND GAMMERS 141

TENTH CLASS--GAMES 154

ELEVENTH CLASS--PARADOXES 196

TWELFTH CLASS--LULLABIES 205

THIRTEENTH CLASS--JINGLES 213

FOURTEENTH CLASS--LOVE AND MATRIMONY 224

FIFTEENTH CLASS--NATURAL HISTORY 251

SIXTEENTH CLASS--ACCUMULATIVE STORIES 282

SEVENTEENTH CLASS--LOCAL 299

EIGHTEENTH CLASS--RELICS 303

INDEX 317

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

FIRST CLASS--HISTORICAL.

I.

Old King Cole
Was a merry