[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR. "] Sin,—" What Lear
did was to adapt the form to a special purpose—to make it the vehicle of sheer, irresponsible, innocent nonsense." I remember Lear's first Book of Nonsense, but am under the impression that
it came out in the " sixties." If so, then John Parry, in his exquisite
portfolio volume of Ridiculous Things, preceded him in the pure nonsense Limerick, both with pen and pencil. He has a page of specimens,
including :— " There was an old woman of Battle, Who tried to play tunes on a rattle I But she played once, so loud, At a concert at Stroud, That it killed the old woman of Battle."
He calla this page " Stray Leaves from ' A Book of Nonsense." The -whole volume is full of humonr and beautiful draughtmanship. It was published by T. McLean, 26 Haymarket, in 1854.—I am, Sir, ho.,
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