Committee.]




PREFACE


It has been decided in publishing this volume to reproduce the
illustrations with which the verses originally appeared in _Aunt Judy's
Magazine_. In all cases Mrs. Ewing wrote the lines to fit the pictures,
and it is worthy of note to observe how closely she has introduced every
detail into her words. Most of the woodcuts are by German artists, Oscar
Pletsch, Fedor Flinzer, and others; but the frontispiece is from an
original sketch by Mr. Gordon Browne. In accordance with his special
desire, it has only been used for Mrs. Ewing's poem, as the Convalescent
was a little friend of the artist, who did not live to complete his
recovery. The poem is the last that Mrs. Ewing wrote for children, and
it was penned when she herself was enduring the discomforts of
convalescence with all the courage she so warmly advocates.

Mr. Randolph Caldecott's illustrations to "Mother's Birthday Review"
first appeared in his _Sketch Book_, but the letterpress that
accompanied them was very brief, and Mrs. Ewing could not resist asking
permission to write some verses to the pictures, and publish them in
_Aunt Judy's Magazine_. This favour was kindly granted, and by Mrs.
Caldecott's further kindness the sketches are again used here.

The contents of this volume have been arranged chronologically as far as
is possible.