_The following verses have been selected from “Lilliput Levee,” 1868,
and from W. B. Rands’ numerous contributions to magazines.[A] He wrote_
_under many signatures, never enumerated; but--with the generous
assistance of his son, Mr. Paul W. Rands, and his publisher, Mr.
Alexander Strahan--I have been able to identify and examine all his
work. Three poems are included, by permission, from the reprint of
“Lilliput Lectures,” which I lately edited for Mr. James Bowden. Messrs.
Dalziel have allowed me to use one from “Hood’s Comic Annual.” All other
rights belonged to Mr. Strahan, and have been transferred, with the full
concurrence of Mr. P. W. Rands, to Mr. John Lane for this volume.
Nothing has been included from “Innocent’s Island,” which we hope to
reprint shortly with some of the “Lilliput Revels.”
These are poems for children, with whom Rands was always at his best,
and have been chosen in remembrance of their tastes and understandings.
As many of them are printed from magazines and never received the
author’s final revision, I have occasionally edited the text, without
scruple, by omitting weak lines or even altering a word._
_R. B. J._
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