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JOHN JAMES LONSDALE,

Author of "The Ship Boy's Letter," "Robiu's Retxirn," &c.

WITH A BRIEF MEMOIR.

From the ATHENÆUM, December 21st, 1867.

Mr. Lonsdale's songs have not only great merit, but they display the very variety of which he himself was sceptical. His first lay, "Minna," might lay claim even to imagination; nevertheless, for completeness and delicacy of execution, we prefer some of his shorter pieces. Of most of these it may be said that they are the dramatic expressions of emotional ideas. In many cases, however, these songs have the robust interest of story, or that of character and picture. When it is borne in mind that by far the greater portion of these lays were written for music, no small praise must be awarded to the poet, not only for the suitability of his themes to his purpose, but for the picturesqueness and fancy with which he has invested them under difficult conditions.

From the WESTMINSTER REVIEW, January, 1868.

Poetry seems now to flourish more in the north than in the south of England. Not long ago we noticed an admirable collection of Cumberland ballads, containing two songs by Miss Blamire, which are amongst the most beautiful and pathetic in our language. We have now a small volume by a Cumberland poet, which may be put on the same shelf with Kirke White. Like Kirke White's, Mr. Lonsdale's life seems to have been marked by pain and disappointment. Like Kirke White too, he died before his powers were full developed. A delicate pathos and a vein of humour characterize his best pieces.

From the SPECTATOR, January 14th, 1868.

"The Children's Kingdom" is really touching. The picture of the band of children setting out in the morning bright and happy, lingering in the forest at noon, and creeping to their journey's end at midnight with tearful eyes, has a decided charm.

CARLISLE: GEO. COWARD. LONDON: ROUTLEDGE AND SONS; AND ALL BOOKSELLERS.