these traditional nonsense-rhymes a meaning and a romance, possibly intelligible only to very young minds, that exercise an influence on the fancy of children. It is obvious there must exist something of this kind; for no modern compositions are found to supply altogether the place of the ancient doggrel.

The nursery rhyme is the novel and light reading of the infant scholar. It occupies, with respect to the A B C, the position of a romance which relieves the mind from the cares of a riper age. The absurdity and frivolity of a rhyme may naturally be its chief attractions to the very young; and there will be something lost from the imagination of that 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.

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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-waysthey 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.

AVENUE LODGE, BRIXTON HILL;

December, 1853.

Lately published, in one vol. 12mo, cloth, 4s. 6d.

POPULAR RHYMES

AND

NURSERY TALES.

BY

JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, ESQ.

This volume on the Traditional Literature of England, is divided into Nursery Antiquities, Fireside Nursery Stories, Game Rhymes, Alphabet Rhymes, Riddle Rhymes, Nature Songs, Proverb Rhymes, Places, and Families, Superstition Rhymes, Custom Rhymes and Nursery Songs; a large number are here printed for the first time. It may be considered a sequel to the present work.