Nonsense Books by Edward Lear is a collection of playful poems, limericks, songs, stories, alphabets, and botanical drawings. It delights in absurd characters, invented words, and cheerful rhythm, inviting readers to enjoy language for its own sake. The pieces are short and varied, making the collection easy to dip into and savor.
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Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.
Opening of the book
NONSENSE BOOKS By Edward Lear. Nonsense Books With all the Original Illustrations. 1894. 1894 Covers— Click for larger versions.
■ Nonsense Books ○ "How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear" ○ Introduction ○ I. A Book of Nonsense. ■ Dedication ■ Nonsense Rhymes and Pictur ○ II. Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets. ■ Nonsense Songs ■ Nonsense Stories ■ Nonsense Botany ■ Nonsense Alphabets ○ III. More Nonsense Pictures, Rhymes, Botany etc. ■ Introductio ■ Nonsense Botany ■ One Hundred Nonsense Pictures an
Rhymes ■ Twenty-six Nonsense Rhymes and Pictur ○ IV. Laughable Lyrics: A Fresh Book of Nonsens Poems, Songs, Botany, etc. ■ Laughable Lyrics. ■ Nonsense Botany ■ Nonsense Alphabets ■ Index (added 2004) ○ By First Lines ○ Nonsense Alphabets ○ Nonsense Botanie ○ Nonsense Songs and Stories PUBLISHERS' NOTICE: The first "Book of Nonsense" was published in 1846. Three other volume —"Nonsense Songs, Stories, etc.," published in 1871; "More Nonsense Pictures, etc.," in 1872; and "Laughabl Lyrics: A Fresh Book of Nonsense, etc.," in 1877,—comprise all the "Nonsense Books" written by Mr. Lear
Surely the most beneficent and innocent
of all books yet produced is the "Book of
Nonsense," with its corollary carols,
inimitable and refreshing, and perfect in
rhythm. I really don't know any author to
whom I am half so grateful for my idle
self as Edward Lear. I shall put him first
of my hundred authors.
—JOHN RUSKIN,
In the "List of the Best Hundred Authors."
Qui Legit Regit.
Edward Lear. Engraved by An
San Remo
EDWARD LEAR
Engraved by Andrew From a Photogra
The following lines by Mr. Lear were written for a young lady of his acquaintance, who had quoted to him the words of a young lady not of his acquaintance,
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