Produced by Jason Isbell, Christine D. and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was made using scans of public domain works in the International Children's Digital Library.) [Illustration] [Illustration: A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES] [Illustration: ROBERT LOVIS STEVENSON] EDINBVRGH. VAILIMA 1850 1894 [Illustration] A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES BY ROBERT LOVIS STEVENSON ILLVSTRATED--BY CHARLES ROBINSON. NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS LONDON: IOHN LANE. 1895 _Copyright 1895, by Charles Scribner's Sons_ _All rights reserved_ [Illustration] TO ALISON CUNNINGHAM FROM HER BOY FOR THE LONG NIGHTS YOU LAY AWAKE AND WATCHED FOR MY UNWORTHY SAKE: FOR YOUR MOST COMFORTABLE HAND THAT LED ME THROUGH THE UNEVEN LAND: FOR ALL THE STORY BOOKS YOU READ: FOR ALL THE PAINS YOU COMFORTED: FOR ALL YOU PITIED, ALL YOU BORE, IN SAD AND HAPPY DAYS OF YORE:-- MY SECOND MOTHER, MY FIRST WIFE. THE ANGEL OF MY INFANT LIFE-- FROM THE SICK CHILD, NOW WELL AND OLD, TAKE, NURSE, THE LITTLE BOOK YOU HOLD! AND GRANT IT, HEAVEN, THAT ALL WHO READ MAY FIND AS DEAR A NURSE AT NEED, AND EVERY CHILD WHO LISTS MY RHYME, IN THE BRIGHT, FIRESIDE, NURSERY CLIME, MAY HEAR IT IN AS KIND A VOICE AS MADE MY CHILDISH DAYS REJOICE! _R. L. S._ CONTENTS _Bed in Summer_ _Page_ 3 _A Thought_ 5 _At the Seaside_ 6 _Young Night Thought_ 7 _Whole Duty of Children_ 9 _Rain_ 10 _Pirate Story_ 11 _Foreign Lands_ 13 _Windy Nights_ 15 _Travel_ 17 _Singing_ 20 _Looking Forward_ 21 _A Good Play_ 22 _Where Go the Boats?_ 24 _Auntie's Skirts_ _Page_ 26 _The Land of Counterpane_ 27 _The Land of Nod_ 29 _My Shadow_ 32 _System_ 34 _A Good Boy_ 36