THE LITTLE TEA BOOK 



TEA/ 



In the drama of the past 

 Thou art featured in the cast ; 



(OTea!) 



And thou hast played thy part 

 With never a change of heart, 



(O Tea !) 



For 'mid all the ding and dong 

 Waits a welcome soothing song, 

 For fragrant Hyson and Oolong. 



A song of peace, through all the years, 

 Of fireside fancies, devoid of fears, 

 Of mothers' talks and mothers' lays, 

 Of grandmothers' comforts quiet ways. 

 Of gossip, perhaps still and yet 

 What of Johnson ? Would we forget 

 The pictured cup ; those merry times, 

 When round the board, with ready rhymes 

 Waller, Dryden, and Addison Young, 

 Grave Pope to Gay, when Cowper sung? 

 Sydney Smith, too ; gentle Lamb brew, 

 Tennyson, Dickens, Doctor Holmes knew, 

 The cup that cheered, those sober souls, 

 And tiny tea-trays, samovars, and bowls. 



So here's a toast to the queen of plants, 

 The queen of plants Bohea ! 

 Good wife, ring for your maiden aunts, 

 We'll all have cups of tea. 



ARTHUR GRIT. 



