The Friendly Things

There is a forgotten bookmark in today's post, but I think the book it was found in is just as interesting.

The book is "The Elf-Errant" by Moira O'Neill and features exquisite black and white illustrations by W.E.F. Britten.

Here is the cover:




 The front endpaper has an cute inscription:



To Kay (An Irish Girl)

From Edna (An English Girl)

Title page:



Here are some of the illustrations:




 


Finally, the poem:



THE FRIENDLY THINGS

Oh,  it's just the homely little things,
The unobtrusive friendly things,
The "Won't-you-let-me-help-you" things
That make our pathway light.

The "Laugh-with-me-it's-funny" things
And it;s the jolly, joking things,
The "Never-mind-the-trouble" things
That make the world seem bright.

Are not the human little things,
The "Everyday-encountered" things,
The "just-because-I-love-you" things
That make us happy quite?

So here's to all the little things,
The "Done-and-then-forgotten" things,
Those "oh-it's-simply-nothing" things
That make life worth the fight.

"The Elf-Errant" by Moira O'Neill. Published by Lawrence and Bullen, London, 1895.



-Click to enlarge photos-

15 comments:

  1. oh my! this book is just beautiful! i love the illustrations. what a great find! :)

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  2. Another GREAT find! Does it say who did the illustrations? They're wonderful.

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  3. Mr C - I mentioned at the top of the post that they are by W.E.F. Britten.

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  4. & to purchase this book / bookmark? I recall that you said to contact you, or perhaps you had a site where you sell them... Of course, as everyone has budgets, it depends on all that.

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  5. & to purchase this book / bookmark? I recall that you said to contact you, or perhaps you had a site where you sell them... Of course, as everyone has budgets, it depends on all that.

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  6. Angie, you can always reach me using the Contact link on the front page:

    Contact Me!

    Or you can email me.

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  7. This is just lovely. I especially like the inscription. The illustrations are wonderful, but the poem takes the cake.

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  8. And if I'd have looked closely, he (or she) signed them lower left...

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  9. Did you mean to post that one illustration twice? They're quite lovely, I wish I could see more. :^)

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  10. This is so wonderfully whimsical =)

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  11. oh, anything faeries...I would love that book! you sell on line?

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