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University of Virginia Library

Collected poems

By Austin Dobson: Ninth edition

Dobson, Austin (1840-1921)

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[To you I sing, whom towns immure]

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OLD-WORLD IDYLLS

A GENTLEMAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL

A GENTLEWOMAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL

THE BALLAD OF “BEAU BROCADE”

THE STORY OF ROSINA

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PROVERBS IN PORCELAIN

THE BALLAD À-LA-MODE

THE METAMORPHOSIS

THE SONG OUT OF SEASON

THE CAP THAT FITS

THE SECRETS OF THE HEART

“GOOD-NIGHT, BABETTE!”

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VIGNETTES IN RHYME

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THE DRAMA OF THE DOCTOR'S WINDOW

1.

2.

Act the Second.

AN AUTUMN IDYLL

A DIALOGUE FROM PLATO

THE ROMAUNT OF THE ROSE

THE LOVE-LETTER

TO “LYDIA LANGUISH”

THE IDYLL OF THE CARP

AN UNFINISHED SONG

THE CHILD-MUSICIAN

THE FORGOTTEN GRAVE

BEFORE THE CURTAIN

A NIGHTINGALE IN KENSINGTON GARDENS

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MISCELLANEOUS PIECES

A SONG OF THE FOUR SEASONS

THE PARADOX OF TIME

TO A GREEK GIRL

THE DEATH OF PROCRIS

THE PRAYER OF THE SWINE TO CIRCE

A CASE OF CAMEOS

THE SICK MAN AND THE BIRDS

A FLOWER SONG OF ANGIOLA

A SONG OF ANGIOLA IN HEAVEN

ANDRÉ LE CHAPELAIN

THE DYING OF TANNEGUY DU BOIS

THE MOSQUE OF THE CALIPH

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AT THE SIGN OF THE LYRE

[“At the Sign of the Lyre,”]

THE LADIES OF ST. JAMES'S

THE OLD SEDAN CHAIR

TO AN INTRUSIVE BUTTERFLY

THE CURÉ'S PROGRESS

THE MASQUE OF THE MONTHS

“AU REVOIR”

THE CARVER AND THE CALIPH

TO AN UNKNOWN BUST IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM

AT THE CONVENT GATE

AN OLD FISH POND

AN EASTERN APOLOGUE

TO A MISSAL OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY

A REVOLUTIONARY RELIC

A SONG TO THE LUTE

A CHAPTER OF FROISSART

TO THE MAMMOTH-TORTOISE

A ROMAN ROUND-ROBIN

VERSES TO ORDER

“LITTLE BLUE-RIBBONS”

LINES TO A STUPID PICTURE

THE DISTRESSED POET

THE COLLECTOR TO HIS LIBRARY

THE BOOK-PLATE'S PETITION

THE WATER OF GOLD

A FANCY FROM FONTENELLE

THE POET'S SEAT

THE LOST ELIXIR

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MEMORIAL VERSES

A FAMILIAR EPISTLE

A POSTSCRIPT TO “RETALIATION”

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

CHARLES GEORGE GORDON

ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON

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FABLES OF LITERATURE AND ART

THE POET AND THE CRITICS

THE SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR

THE TWO PAINTERS

THE CLAIMS OF THE MUSE

THE 'SQUIRE AT VAUXHALL

THE CLIMACTERIC

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THE VIRGIN WITH THE BELLS

A TALE OF POLYPHEME

A STORY FROM A DICTIONARY

THE NOBLE PATRON

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VERS DE SOCIÉTÉ

DORA VERSUS ROSE

IN THE ROYAL ACADEMY

THE LAST DESPATCH

“PREMIERS AMOURS”

THE SCREEN IN THE LUMBER ROOM

DAISY'S VALENTINES

A SONNET IN DIALOGUE

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THE MALTWORM'S MADRIGAL

AN APRIL PASTORAL

A NEW SONG OF THE SPRING GARDENS

OF HIS MISTRESS

THE NAMELESS CHARM

FOR A COPY OF HERRICK

WITH A VOLUME OF VERSE

FOR THE AVERY “KNICKER-BOCKER”

TO A PASTORAL POET

TO ONE WHO BIDS ME SING

“SAT EST SCRIPSISSE”

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PROLOGUES AND EPILOGUES

PROLOGUE TO ABBEY'S EDITION OF “SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER”

PROLOGUE TO ABBEY'S “QUIET LIFE”

DEDICATION OF “THE STORY OF ROSINA”

PROLOGUE TO “EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY VIGNETTES”

EPILOGUE TO “EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY VIGNETTES

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ESSAYS IN OLD FRENCH FORMS

[As, to the pipe, with rhythmic feet]

“PERSICOS ODI”

“VITAS HINNULEO”

“ON LONDON STONES”

“FAREWELL, RENOWN!”

“MORE POETS YET!”

“WITH PIPE AND FLUTE”

ON THE HURRY OF THIS TIME

“WHEN BURBADGE PLAYED”

TO ETHEL

“WHEN FINIS COMES”

“O FONS BANDUSIÆ”

“EXTREMUM TANAIN”

“VIXI PUELLIS”

“WHEN I SAW YOU LAST, ROSE”

ON A NANKIN PLATE

FOR A COPY OF THEOCRITUS

“TU NE QUAESIERIS”

ON A FAN THAT BELONGED TO THE MARQUISE DE POMPADOUR

A BALLAD TO QUEEN ELIZABETH of the Spanish Armada

A BALLAD OF HEROES

THE BALLAD OF THE THRUSH

THE BALLAD OF THE BARMECIDE

THE BALLAD OF IMITATION

THE BALLAD OF PROSE AND RHYME

THE DANCE OF DEATH

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FOR A COPY OF “THE COMPLEAT ANGLER”

VERSES READ AT THE DINNER OF THE OMAR KHAYYÁM CLUB

VERSES WRITTEN FOR THE MENU OF THE OMAR KHAYYÁM CLUB

FOR “AN APPENDIX TO THE ROWFANT LIBRARY”

FOR A CHARITY ANNUAL

FOR A COPY OF “THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD”

AFTER A HOLIDAY

THE BALLAD OF THE BORE

TO THE LADY DOROTHY NEVILL

TO EDMUND GOSSE

FOR LOCKER'S “LONDON LYRICS”

TO BRANDER MATTHEWS

TO THE LATE H. C. BUNNER

TO RICHARD WATSON GILDER

“GOOD LUCK TO YOUR FISHING!”

1.

A BALLAD OF ANTIQUARIES

2.

A SECOND BALLAD OF ANTIQUARIES

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LUDIBRIA VENTIS

A BALLAD OF INCAPACITY

“A VOICE IN THE SCENTED NIGHT”

A WELCOME FROM THE JOHNSON CLUB

SURGE ET AMBULA

HORATIAN ODE ON THE TERCENTENARY OF “DON QUIXOTE”

THE SIMPLE LIFE

A NEW YEAR'S THOUGHT

RICHARD GARNETT

THE PASSIONATE PRINTER TO HIS LOVE

AN EPISTLE TO AN EDITOR

TO THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH

“FAME IS A FOOD THAT DEAD MEN EAT”

A PLEASANT INVECTIVE AGAINST PRINTING

THE FRIEND OF HUMANITY AND THE RHYMER

TO A FRIEND WHO DEPLORED THE BRIEF LIFE OF LITERARY PERSONALITY

AN EPITAPH (FOR A PARISH MAGAZINE)

THE HAPPY PRINTER

A MILTONIC EXERCISE

PROLOGUE TO “DE LIBRIS”

A SONG OF THE GREENAWAY CHILD

FOR A VISITORS' BOOK

“TWO MAIDS UPROSE IN THE SHIMMERING LIGHT”

ENTENTE CORDIALE

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VERSES WRITTEN FOR THE MENU OF THE OMAR KHAYYÁM CLUB

LA BONNE COMÉDIE

THREESCORE AND TEN

AN HORATIAN ODE TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY

WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY

TO HUGH THOMSON

TO TIME, THE TYRANT

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ADDITIONS AND TRANSLATIONS

[(Too hard it is to sing]

ROSE, IN THE HEDGEROW GROWN

A FABLE (IN THE MANNER OF MR. JOHN GAY)

ON A PICTURE BY HOPPNER

ON THE BELFRY TOWER

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PORCH

THE SONG OF THE SEA WIND

HILL AND VALLEY

A BALLAD OF THE QUEEN'S MAJESTY

TO A FRIEND (ON RECEIVING HIS “COMPLETE POEMS”)

THE SONNET OF THE MOUNTAIN

TO MONSIEUR DE LA MOTHE LE VAYER, UPON THE DEATH OF HIS SON

“ALBI, NE DOLEAS”

THE BALLAD OF BITTER FRUIT

[In after days when grasses high]

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477

TO ETHEL

(Who wishes she had lived—

“In teacup-times of hood and hoop,
Or while the patch was worn.”)

“In teacup-times!” The style of dress
Would suit your beauty, I confess;
Belinda-like, the patch you'd wear;
I picture you with powdered hair,—
You'd make a charming Shepherdess!

And I—no doubt—could well express
Sir Plume's complete conceitedness,—
Could poise a clouded cane with care
“In teacup-times!”

The parts would fit precisely—yes:
We should achieve a huge success!
You should disdain, and I despair,
With quite the true Augustan air;
But . . could I love you more, or less,—
“In teacup-times”?