To-day you see before your face
Your stalwart youngsters touch the lyre -

On these - on Lang, or Dobson - call,
Long leaders of the songful feast.
They lend a verse your laughing fall -
A verse they owe you at the least.



Letter: TO FREDERICK LOCKER-LAMPSON



[SKERRYVORE], BOURNEMOUTH, SEPTEMBER 1886.

DEAR LOCKER, - You take my verses too kindly, but you will admit,
for such a bluebottle of a versifier to enter the house of
Gertrude, where her necklace hangs, was not a little brave. Your
kind invitation, I fear, must remain unaccented; and yet - if I am
very well - perhaps next spring - (for I mean to be very well) - my
wife might.... But all that is in the clouds with my better
health. And now look here: you are a rich man and know many
people, therefore perhaps some of the Governors of Christ's
Hospital. If you do, I know a most deserving case, in which I
would (if I could) do anything. To approach you, in this way, is
not decent; and you may therefore judge by my doing it, how near
this matter lies to my heart. I enclose you a list of the
Governors, which I beg you to return, whether or not you shall be
able to do anything to help me.