Edward Lear

Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was an English artist, illustrator and writer known for his nonsensical poetry and his limericks, a form which he popularised.

Quotes

 * 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!"
 * Book of Nonsense, Limerick 1 (1846).


 * How pleasant to know Mr. Lear! Who has written such volumes of stuff! Some think him ill-tempered and queer, But a few think him pleasant enough.
 * How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear, st. 1 (1871).


 * His mind is concrete and fastidious, His nose is remarkably big; His visage is more or less hideous, His beard it resembles a wig.
 * How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear, st. 2.


 * Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and their hands are blue, And they went to sea in a Sieve.
 * "The Jumblies", st. 1, in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets (1871).


 * They went to sea in a sieve, they did; In a sieve they went to sea; In spite of all their friends could say.
 * "The Jumblies", st. 1, in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets (1871).


 * Calico Pie, The little Birds fly Down to the calico tree, Their wings were blue, And they sang "Tilly-loo!" Till away they flew,— And they never came back to me!
 * Calico Pie, st. 1 (1871).


 * Calico Jam, The little Fish swam, Over the syllabub sea, He took off his hat, To the Sole and the Sprat, And the Willeby-Wat,— But he never came back to me!
 * Calico Pie, st. 2.


 * Who, or why, or which, or what, Is the Akond of Swat?
 * The Akond of Swat, l. 1 (1877).


 * On the top of the Crumpetty Tree The Quangle Wangle sat, But his face you could not see, On account of his Beaver Hat.
 * The Quangle Wangle's Hat, st. 1 (1877).


 * When awful darkness and silence reign Over the great Gromboolian plain, Through the long, long wintry nights. When the angry breakers roar As they beat on the rocky shore;— When Storm-clouds brood on the towering heights Of the Hills of the Chankly Bore
 * The Dong with the Luminous Nose, st. 1 (1877).


 * The Pobble who has no toes Had once as many as we; When they said, "Some day you may lose them all;"— He replied, — "Fish fiddle de-dee!"
 * The Pobble Who Has No Toes, st. 1 (1877).


 * It's a fact the whole world knows, That Pebbles are happier without their toes.
 * The Pobble Who Has No Toes, st. 6.


 * Ploffskin, Pluffskin, Pelican jee! We think no Birds so happy as we! Plumpskin, Ploshkin, Pelican jill! We think so then, and we thought so still!
 * The Pelican Chorus, chorus (1877).


 * On a little heap of Barley Died my aged uncle Arly, And they buried him one night;— Close beside the leafy thicket;— There, his hat and Railway-Ticket;— There, his ever-faithful Cricket;— (But his shoes were far too tight.)
 * Incidents in the Life of my Uncle Arly, st. 7 (1895).

The Owl and the Pussycat (1871)

 * The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea In a beautiful pea green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above, And sang to a small guitar, "O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love, What a beautiful Pussy you are, You are, You are! What a beautiful Pussy you are!"
 * St. 1.


 * Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl! How charmingly sweet you sing! O let us be married! too long we have tarried: But what shall we do for a ring?"
 * St. 2.


 * They sailed away for a year and a day To the land where the bong-tree grows.
 * St. 2.


 * "Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."
 * St. 3.


 * They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon, The moon, The moon, They danced by the light of the moon.
 * St. 3.

The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bongy-Bò (1877)

 * On the Coast of Coromandel Where the early pumpkins blow, In the middle of the woods Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò. Two old chairs, and half a candle,— One old jug without a handle,— These were all his worldly goods.
 * St. 1.


 * There he heard a Lady talking, To some milk-white Hens of Dorking,— 'Tis the lady Jingly Jones! On that little heap of stones Sits the Lady Jingly Jones!
 * St. 2.


 * I would be your wife most gladly! (Here she twirled her fingers madly,) But in England I've a mate! Yes! you've asked me far too late, For in England I've a mate.
 * St. 5.