In 1856 a little sixpenny pamphlet was published by J. Booth, of Regent Street, entitled _Anti-Maud_, by a Poet of the People. Tennyson had been accused of fanning the warlike spirit then rampant in the land, and his _Maud_ contained--in exquisite poetry--many of the stock arguments in favour of war and glory. The "Poet of the People," in his _Anti-Maud_, adopted the other, and less popular view. Read in the light of subsequent events, this scarce little pamphlet seems more correct in its deductions, than the Laureate's war cry in _Maud_. The author asserts that _Anti-Maud_ is not merely a _jeu d'esprit_, but something of a more earnest character, and he disclaims any intention of depreciating the Laureate's poetry. I can quote a few only of the best of the fifty odd stanzas it contains: ANTI-MAUD. I hate the murky pool at the back of the stable yard, For dear though it be to the ducks and geese, it has an unpleasant smell; If you gaze therein at your own sweet face, the reflection is broken and marred, And echo, there, if you ask how she is, replies, "I feel very unwell." 1 * * * * * Why do they prate of the blessings of peace? Bloody war is a holy thing. The world is wicked, and base, and vile--shall I show you a new kind of cure? Smeared with blood and with parents' tears call for Moloch, horrible king! Let him trample to dust, with a brutal foot, whatever remains of good or of pure! 11 For I trust, if the low-browed rogue with a ticket-of-leave from the gaol, Encountered the sergeant recruiting, in rainbow-like ribbons arrayed, He would clutch the Queen's shilling with glee, and draining the dregs of his ale, Declare that the sack of Odessa would be quite of a piece with his trade. 12 Wanted a quarrel to set the world straight, and cure it by letting of blood! We are sick to the heart of ourselves I think, and so we are sick of each other: Rapine, and carnage, and rage would do us all manner of good; Let Christian rise up against Christian, and brother take arms against brother! 13 Under the shadow of peace something was done that was good, We tore out a bloody page from the book of our ancient laws; We struck off a bitter tax from the poor man's scanty food, And justice bent down from her seat to give ear to the poor man's cause. 21