A Child's Garden of Verses 5   By: Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

[Illustration: A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES]

[Illustration: ROBERT LOVIS STEVENSON]

EDINBVRGH. VAILIMA 1850 1894

[Illustration]

A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES

BY ROBERT LOVIS STEVENSON

ILLVSTRATED BY CHARLES ROBINSON.

NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

LONDON: IOHN LANE.

1895

Copyright 1895, by Charles Scribner's Sons

All rights reserved

[Illustration]

TO ALISON CUNNINGHAM FROM HER BOY

FOR THE LONG NIGHTS YOU LAY AWAKE AND WATCHED FOR MY UNWORTHY SAKE: FOR YOUR MOST COMFORTABLE HAND THAT LED ME THROUGH THE UNEVEN LAND: FOR ALL THE STORY BOOKS YOU READ: FOR ALL THE PAINS YOU COMFORTED: FOR ALL YOU PITIED, ALL YOU BORE, IN SAD AND HAPPY DAYS OF YORE: MY SECOND MOTHER, MY FIRST WIFE. THE ANGEL OF MY INFANT LIFE FROM THE SICK CHILD, NOW WELL AND OLD, TAKE, NURSE, THE LITTLE BOOK YOU HOLD!

AND GRANT IT, HEAVEN, THAT ALL WHO READ MAY FIND AS DEAR A NURSE AT NEED, AND EVERY CHILD WHO LISTS MY RHYME, IN THE BRIGHT, FIRESIDE, NURSERY CLIME, MAY HEAR IT IN AS KIND A VOICE AS MADE MY CHILDISH DAYS REJOICE!

R. L. S.

CONTENTS

Bed in Summer Page 3

A Thought 5

At the Seaside 6

Young Night Thought 7

Whole Duty of Children 9

Rain 10

Pirate Story 11

Foreign Lands 13

Windy Nights 15

Travel 17

Singing 20

Looking Forward 21

A Good Play 22

Where Go the Boats? 24

Auntie's Skirts Page 26

The Land of Counterpane 27

The Land of Nod 29

My Shadow 32

System 34

A Good Boy 36

Escape at Bedtime 38

Marching Song 40

The Cow 42

Happy Thought 44

The Wind 45

Keepsake Mill 47

Good and Bad Children 49

Foreign Children 51

The Sun's Travels 53

The Lamplighter 55

My Bed is a Boat 57

The Moon 59

The Swing 62

Time to Rise 64

Looking Glass River 65

Fairy Bread 67

From a Railway Carriage 68

Winter Time 70

The Hayloft 72

Farewell to the Farm 74

North West Passage