THE POETRY OF NONSENSE [To the Editor of the SencrAmon.]

Sin,-With reference to Mr. Thomas Carr's letter, may I point out that both Mr. Carr and M. Emile Cammaerts have incorrectly quoted W. S. Gilbert's blank verse Limerick ? A feature of it is the reference to three stinging insects. Thus :

There was an old man of St. Bees, Who was stung in the arm by a wasp ; When asked, "Does it hurt ?"

He replied, "No it doesn't,

I'm so glad it wasn't a hornet."

According to the late D'Oyly Carte (as stated by him in a letter to Mr. Vaughan Pott) Gilbert told him that he compiled this limerick at the request of Mrs. Bernard Beere who, affected by the limerick craze, had been bothering him for an original specimen.

Gilbert was a prolific and inveterate limerick bard, as I have pointed out in my recent book. The sorcerer's song in The Sorcerer is in limerick form and there are other limericks in The Yeoman of the Guard, while in The Bab Ballads there is a complete drama-" The Story of Prince Agib "-told in a series of twenty-one limericks. I have my suspicion that Gilbert is, also, the author of the only other blank verse limerick I have encountered, viz :

An old lady staying at Ryde

Was frightened of visiting Cowes, When they asked her the reason,

She replied, " I'm from And my uncle was rector of Goring.

The traditional " Tralee " limerick is as follows :

There was an old man of Traioo, Who was bothered to death by a flea, So he put out the light,

Saying, "Now he can't bite, For he'll never be able to See."

Personally, I prefer this lesser-known example, however :

There was a young girl of Tralee, Whose knowledge of French was "OW, oui," When they said, " Parlez-revs ?"

She replied, "Same to you!"

She was famed for her bright repartee.

21 Christchurch Road, Ilampstead, N.W. 3.