Transcriber's Note Minor punctuation inconsistencies have been silently corrected. Variable, archaic and unusual spelling as well as apparent printer's errors have been retained as they appear in the original. The poems "Bohemians, hail!" and "Sonnet on shares" do not appear in the table of contents. Mark up: _italics_ [Illustration] SPOOK BALLADS BY W. THEODORE PARKES. _Crown 8vo, Cloth gilt, 5s._ POPULAR EDITION 2S. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT, & CO., LIMITED. _And all Booksellers._ CHEERS OF THE PRESS! "Ingoldsby, Thomas Hood, W. S. Gilbert,--these are the names that occur to one in trying to 'place' Mr. Parkes after reading this volume of rollicking, verbal and pictorial fun. THE SPOOK BALLADS are in no sense imitations of any of those classics of the comic muse, yet we find in them the same thorough abandonment to 'the humour of the thing.'"--_The Publisher's Circular._ "A substantial volume introducing a Comic Poet, who in the future may give us a modern Ingoldsby. Mr. Parkes has an intellectual touch to his drollery and his sense of the possible humours of versification is pleasantly keen, the SPOOK BALLADS is far above the contemporary average of the lighter rhymesters. Mr. Parkes wields a sprightly pencil, and he has illustrated his verses lavishly and with effect."--_The Stage._ "Not only are the literary merit of these fantastic ballads of a high order, but the illustrations by the author are of such a humorous nature as to give a unique pleasure to the reader."--_The Morning Leader._ "Well written, well illustrated, and funny is a combination of good qualities not often met with even in the Spook world, so Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent, and Co., ought to be well pleased with their publication."--_The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News._ "Dealing largely with ghosts and legends embracing a dash of diablerie such as would have been dear to the heart of Ingoldsby. There is a rugged force in 'The Girl of Castlebar' that will always make it tell in recitation; and even greater success in this direction has attended 'The Fairy Queen,' a story unveiling the seamy side, with quaint humour and stern realism. It is specially worthy of note that Mr. Parkes's skill in versification has received the warmest acknowledgment from those best qualified to appreciate the bright local coloring as well as the blending of fancy and fun."--_Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper._ "A cheery and spirited production, and full of fun; the style reminds one of 'Bon Gaultier,' the style and illustrations combined inevitably recall the famous 'Bab Ballads.' Indeed it is hard to say which is the most felicitous, the draughtsman or the poet."--_The Bookseller._