THE FRIENDLY TOWN

THE

FRIENDLY TOWN

A Little Book for the Urbane

COMPILED BY

E. V. LUCAS

"This is my home of love; if I have ranged,
Like him that travels I return again."

SHAKESPEARE

METHUEN & CO.

36 ESSEX STREET W.C.

KD 43100

HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

First Published in 1905

The End Papers are from designs by William Hyde

THE ARGUMENT

When still in the season
Of sunshine and leisure,
While blithe yet we wander
O'er meadow and Down,
O say is it treason

To think of the treasure
Heaped up for us yonder

In grey London town?

We hunt the sweet berry
With purple-stained ardour;
Each bramble one hooks in

Is bent 'neath its load:
It's free and it's merry
In nature's rich larder-
But O to hunt books in

The Charing Cross Road!

As daylight expires in
This best of Septembers,
A coolness comes blowing—
A chill wintry hint!
But-think!-it blows fires in,
And dream-kindling embers,
And candle-light glowing

On time-mellowed print!

The glory of summer
One's being rejoices;
Yet hail to this flavour

Of summer's decay.
It's bringing the glamour,
The lights and the voices,
The dear homely savour
Of London this way!

E. V. L.