But when silver moonlight gleams,
Close your eyes, O poet true,
Then from Faeryland of dreams
We will come again to you.”
And through the branches of the trees shone the red glare of the dawn,
which seemed to come nearer and nearer. The great boughs with their
myriad leaves faded into the angry scarlet, a veil of darkness enveloped
me, and, awaking with a start, I found myself seated in my arm-chair in
the shadowy room, with the fire burning redly in the grate.
Even the cricket had ceased to sing, and outside the white snowflakes
still fell, and the wind whistled shrilly round the house. Was it a
dream? Maybe! for it is only in dreams, dear children, that we can ever
hope to visit Faeryland, where dwell all those lovely fancies and
beautiful thoughts which form your enchanted world; but the child who
has once visited the wonderful realm of gracious Oberon must try never
to forget what he has seen, so that, when he becomes a grown-up person,
he can remember his childish glimpse of the delightful Kingdom of
Faeryland.
[Illustration]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transcriber’s Notes
Pg. 30 - Closing single quote changed to double to match opening quote.
Pg. 30 - Added colon to paragraph end, seems to be a trace in the scan.
Pg. 71 - Closing single quote changed to double to match opening quote.
Pg. 76 - Corrected typo: “... gold box from Salmander” > “Salamander”
Pg. 79 - Period added at end of paragraph instead of comma.
Pg. 104 - Missing period added. Extra spaces in original but no period.
Pg. 105 - Opening single quote changed to double to match opening
quote.
Pg. 130 & 131 - Rose Princess changed to Rose-Princess to match style.
Pg. 141 - “Mirvenetta” changed to “Minervetta,” as that conforms to the
latter, more likely, mention.
Pg. 155 - Closing single quote changed to double to match opening
quote.
Pg. 163 - Added opening quote to match end quote in poem.
Aside from the above, archaic and non-standard spelling and
inconsistent hyphenation have been retained.