Some seven years since, I collected the most popular of the songs and ballads which I had written for the series of light operas with which my name is associated, and published them under the title of "Songs of a Savoyard." It recently occurred to me that these songs had so much in common with "The Bab Ballads" that it might be advisable to weld the two books into one. This is, briefly, the history of the present volume. I have always felt that many of the original illustrations to "The Bab Ballads" erred gravely in the direction of unnecessary extravagance. This defect I have endeavoured to correct through the medium of the two hundred new drawings which I have designed for this volume. I am afraid I cannot claim for them any other recommendation, W. S. GILBERT. GRIM'S DYKE, HARROW WEALD, _4th December 1897_. CONTENTS PAGE CAPTAIN REECE 1 THE DARNED MOUNSEER 6 THE RIVAL CURATES 8 THE ENGLISHMAN 13 ONLY A DANCING GIRL 14 THE DISAGREEABLE MAN 16 GENERAL JOHN 18 THE COMING BY-AND-BY 22 TO A LITTLE MAID 24 THE HIGHLY RESPECTABLE GONDOLIER 26 JOHN AND FREDDY 28 THE FAIRY QUEEN'S SONG 32 SIR GUY THE CRUSADER 34 IS LIFE A BOON? 38 HAUNTED 39 THE MODERN MAJOR-GENERAL 42 THE BISHOP AND THE 'BUSMAN 44 THE HEAVY DRAGOON 49 THE TROUBADOUR 51 PROPER PRIDE 56 FERDINANDO AND ELVIRA; OR, THE GENTLE PIEMAN 58 THE POLICEMAN'S LOT 63 LORENZO DE LARDY 64 THE BAFFLED GRUMBLER 69 DISILLUSIONED 71 THE HOUSE OF PEERS 74 BABETTE'S LOVE 76 A MERRY MADRIGAL 81 TO MY BRIDE 82 THE DUKE AND THE DUCHESS 84