Queery Leary Nonsense:
Lear Nonsense Sketches

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Mrs. Blue Dickey-bird, who went out a-walking with her six chickey birds: she carried a parasol and wore a bonnet of green silk.
The first little chickey bird had daisies growing out of his head, and wore boots because of the dirt.
The second little chickey bird wore a hat, for fear it should rain.
The third little chickey bird carried a jug of water.
The fourth little chickey bird carried a muff, to keep her wings warm.
The fifth little chickey bird was round as a ball.
And the sixth little chickey bird walked on his head, to save his feet.

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These three illustrations for the well-known rhyme "The Owl and the Pussy Cat" by Lear have not been published before.

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One evening after dinner when on a visit to Lady Waldegrave and Lord Carlingford at Chewton Priory, Lear drew the above parrot, a species of bird with which he was well acquainted, having illustrated the bird section of Lord Derby's "Knowsley Menagerie." After he had finished it Ward Brahan, Lady Walaegrave's brother drew the caricature of bird and artist, reproduced on page 57, which amused Lear greatly.

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[Ger-woman loq.—Oh! I have my baby in the water dropped! and I think that it drowned will be.
Ger-man loq.—That is natural: it is here so deep!!
Little-paper moral and proverbial nonsense illustrate on—]

Mr. Lear had a dislike of Germans, but it was accentuated by the hotel which dominated and eventually ruined his beautiful Villa Emily at San Remo, having been built and run by that race.

The above was probably drawn and sent off to his friend Fortescue at a moment when this fact was strong in his mind.

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