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Transcriber's note.

Minor punctuation inconsistencies have been silently repaired. A list of
other changes made, can be found at the end of the book. For this text
version, diacritical marks that cannot be represented in plain text are
shown in the following manner:

[O] o with macron above (balcOny).

Mark up: _italics_




[Among the verses in this Collection may be found a few which have
previously appeared in a Volume, by the same Author, now out of print.]




THE LAZY MINSTREL




[Illustration]




  The Lazy
  Minstrel

  By
  J. ASHBY-STERRY

  _And while his merry Banjo rang,
  'Twas thus the Lazy Minstrel sang!_


  [Illustration]

  THIRD EDITION.


  LONDON
  _T. FISHER UNWIN_
  26 PATERNOSTER SQUARE
  MDCCCLXXXVII




_The Author reserves all rights of translation and reproduction._




  TO
  NINA, MARY, AND FLORENCE,
  THIS VOLUME IS
  INSCRIBED.




CONTENTS.


  LAZY LAYS:--                            Page

    Hambleden Lock                           3

    Spring's Delights                        6

    A Modern Syren                           9

    Regrets                                  12

    Hammockuity                              13

    My Country Cousin                        15

    A Common-Sense Carol                     18

    Saint May                                20

    A Canoe Canzonet                         23

    A Lover's Lullaby                        25

    The Tam O' Shanter Cap                   26

    A Street Sketch                          28

    A Tiny Trip                              29

    A Study                                  31

    Doctor Brighton                          33

    Lizzie                                   37

    A Marlow Madrigal                        38

    In Rotten Row                            41

    A Portrait                               43

    Symphonies in Fur                        45

    Drifting Down                            48

    Toujours Tennis                          50

    Tarpauline                               52

    The Kitten                               54

    In the Temple                            56

    An Unfinished Sketch                     59

    On Board the "Gladys"                    62

    Cigarette Rings                          65

    At Charing Cross                         67

    The Music of Leaves                      70


  CASUAL CAROLS:--

    In a Bellagio Balcony                    75

    A Riverain Rhyme                         78

    The Little Rebel                         80

    Canoebial Bliss                          83

    Rosie                                    85

    Skindle's in October                     86

    In My Easy Chair                         88

    Blankton Weir                            90

    Different Views                          95

    Two Naughty Girls                        97

    Couleur de Rose                          99

    In Strawberry Time                       102

    Number One                               104

    After Breakfast                          107

    In an Old City Church                    110

    A Little Love-Letter                     112

    Stray Sunbeams                           114

    Pearl                                    116

    A Nutshell Novel                         118

    The Pink of Perfection                   119

    The Impartial                            121

    A Traveller's Tarantella                 122

    In a Minor Key                           124

    A Shower-Song                            126


  THE SOCIAL ZODIAC:--

    January                                  131

    February                                 132

    March                                    133

    April                                    134

    May                                      135

    June                                     136

    July                                     137

    August                                   138

    September                                139

    October                                  140

    November                                 141

    December                                 142


  IDLE SONGS:--

    Mother o' Pearl                          145

    A Lay of the "Lion"                      147

    Jennie                                   150

    A Favourite Lounge                       151

    Spring Cleaning                          153

    Taken in Tow                             155

    Thrown!                                  157

    Baggage on the Brain                     160

    Haytime                                  163

    Pet's Punishment                         165

    The Baby in the Train                    167

    Miss Sailor-Boy                          170

    A Private Note                           171

    L'Inconnue                               173

    Fallacies of the Fog                     175

    The Merry Young Water-Girl               177

    A Secular Sermon                         179

    On the French Coast                      181

    At the "Lord Warden"                     183