The Seven Families of Lake Pipple-Popple

This was one of my favourite bits of nonsense as a kid, “The History of the Seven Families of the Lake Pipple-Popple” by Edward Lear (1865). The text and illustrations are in the public domain. Thanks to nonsenselit.org for the words, corrected and formatted here to match the version in The Children’s Omnibus (Gollancz 1932, ed. Sylvia Lynd).

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The Cordial Elderflower

Jane and a friend visiting us from Australia toured the castles of Aberdeenshire last week, and brought back a bag of elderflowers picked from the side of the road. She asked if I could post this recipe here to add to the collective elderflower wisdom of the web, which I’m more than happy to (and to see how many times I can say the word “elderflower”). It’s a combination of several different recipes, and tastes great. It’s pretty strong, so you might want to dilute it more than you would a commercial cordial.

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The Man in Asbestos

“The Man in Asbestos: An Allegory of the Future,” chapter ten of Nonsense Novels by Stephen Leacock (1911). The text is in the public domain.

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Aristocratic Anecdotes

An edited excerpt from “Aristocratic Anecdotes: or, Little Stories of Great People,” chapter five of Moonbeams From the Larger Lunacy by Stephen Leacock (1915). The text is in the public domain.

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The State Governor’s Speech

“The Speech that Ought to be Made by a State Governor After Visiting the Fall Exposition of an Agricultural Society,” from chapter eight of Moonbeams From the Larger Lunacy by Stephen Leacock (1915). The text is in the public domain.

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The Last Man Out of Europe

Part six of “Afternoon Adventures at my Club,” chapter three of Moonbeams From the Larger Lunacy by Stephen Leacock (1915). The text is in the public domain.

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A Problem in Trigonometry

An excerpt from “Education made Agreeable: or, The Diversions of a Professor,” chapter six of Moonbeams From the Larger Lunacy by Stephen Leacock (1915). The text is in the public domain.

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