ORIGIN OF TWO POPULAR POEMS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1756, 6 October 1879, Page 2

ORIGIN OF TWO POPULAR POEMS.

! Hood's touching lyric, " The Song of the ■ Shirt," was the work of an evening. Its author was prompted to write it by the condition of thousands of workingwomen in the City of London. The eflEcct of its production, was foreseen by two persons, the poet's wife and Mark Lemon, the editor of " Punch." " Now mind, Tom—mind my words," said, his devoted wife, " this will tell wonderfully. It is one of the best things you ever did." Mr Lemon, looking over hia letters one morning, opened au envelope inclosing a poem which the writer said had been rejected by three London journals. He begged the editor to consign it to the paper basket if it was not thought suitable for " Punch," as the author was " sick of the sight of it." The poem was signed Tom Hood, and was entitled " The Song of the Shirt."

It was submitted to the weekly meeting of the editors and principal contributors, several of whom opposed its publication as unsuitable to the pages of a eomic journal. Mr Lemon, however, was so firmly impressed with its beauty that he published it on December 16th, 1843.

" The Song of the Shirt " trebled the sale of the paper, and created a profound Bensation thioughout Great Britain. People of every class were moved by it. It was chanted by ballad singers in the streets of London, and drew tears from the eyes of princes. Some years after the author's death the English people erected a monument over his grave. The rich gave guineas, the laborers and sewing machines gave shillings and pence. Sculptured on it is the inscription devised by himself:—" He sang ' The Song of the Shirt.'"

"The Old Oaken Backet" was written fifty or more years ago by a printer named Samuel Woodworth. He was in the habit of dropping into a noted drinking saloon kept by one Mallory. One day, after drinking a glass of brandy and water, he smacked his lips and declared that Mallory's brandy was superior to any drink he had ever tasted.

"No," said Mallory, "you are mistaken. There was a drink which in both our estimations far surpassed this." " What was that ? " incredulously asked Woodworth, " The fresh spring water we used to arms from the old oaken bucket that; hung in the well, alter returning from the fields on a sultry day." "Yery true," replied Wordsworth, tear drops glistening in his eves. Returning to his printing office, he seated himself at his desk and began to write. la half an hour

"The old oaken bucket, tbe iioa-bound backet, The mous-covered bucket which hung in the well" Was embalmed in an inspiring song that hi a become aa familiar as a household word,