The Motley Muse

Harry GrahamProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 78K words
Chapters: 8

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Motley Muse (Rhymes for the Times) by Harry GrahamAuthor: Graham, Harry, 1874-1936,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jun 28, 2011

Editor's review

Harry Graham's The Motley Muse, subtitled “Rhymes for the Times,” is a poetry collection by an English writer who lived from the late 19th to the early 20th century and was known for light, ingenious satirical verse. Its value for Chinese readers lies in offering a window onto late Victorian and Edwardian social manners and the British humorous tradition: the lines are short and brisk, often taking everyday trifles, social etiquette, and human foibles as their subjects, making for easy reading with plenty to savor. As a free eBook from Project Gutenberg, it preserves the public-domain text as it stands, suiting readers new to English light verse as well as those with an interest in British comic literature who want something to dip into. The poems are brief and need not be read in sequence; a few on the commute or before bed will provide pleasure. Note that some allusions and period context require notes or background knowledge for full understanding. Readers need not insist on grasping every word: first take in the tone and rhythm, then return to the details for a better experience.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers new to English light verse and satirical humor
Readers hoping to learn about Edwardian social manners
People who need short reading material for fragmented commuting time
Readers interested in public-domain English eBooks and Project Gutenberg

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a novel's plot or a complete narrative
Readers with weak English who need sentence-by-sentence translation
Readers hoping to gain systematic literary-historical knowledge from the collection

Reading tips

Start by skimming the table of contents and sampling poems with intriguing titles; there is no need to proceed in order
Read each poem twice: first for rhythm and tone, then to look up allusions and unfamiliar words
Read alongside brief background material on late 19th-century British society and culture

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a poetry collection?

It is a poetry collection by Harry Graham, subtitled “Rhymes for the Times,” containing verse on themes of contemporary life. It is not a novel and has no continuous plot. It is best read by selection.

How difficult is the English, and what level is needed?

The lines are short and the diction fairly colloquial, making the overall difficulty moderate, though it contains period allusions and puns. Reading ability around CET-4 level is enough to attempt it; for allusions, consult notes or background material.

What are the features of the Gutenberg edition?

Project Gutenberg provides free public-domain eBooks, and this is one of them. It preserves the original content and can be read free on a computer or e-reader. The layout is mainly plain text, so notes and illustrations may be limited.

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About the author

Harry Graham Author · English · 1874–1936

Harry Graham (1874–1936) was a British journalist, humorous poet and lyricist, born on 23 December 1874 and died in London on 30 October 1936. Educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, he served early on as an officer in the Coldstream Guards and later became known by the pen name "Colonel D. Streamer." Graham made his name with collections of darkly comic verse, including Ruthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes and Perverted Proverbs, works that often subvert moral lessons and everyday common sense in playful rhyme laced with cool irony. He also wrote lyrics for several musical comedies, showing a versatile way with words. The library holds 10 of his works, commonly classified under inspirational growth, though his writing is closer to British comic and satirical verse. Public information is limited.