INTEODUCTION. 



Sayiug, " Who, then, is this Douglas ? 

 AVho this great and learned Douglas ? 

 Tell us all about this Douglas," 

 I should answer your inquiries 

 Straightway in the words which follow. 



" Very near the Blackheath Station, 

 Station of the North Kent Railway, 

 lu a lonely place called Kingswood, 

 Dwells the wise and learned Douglas ; 

 There he wrote the ' World of Insects ;' 

 And before the honoured dwelling 

 Stands a single graceful birch tree. 

 And a somewhat stunted willow. 

 Deep within that honoured dwelling' 

 Live the Douglas and his children. 

 Wondrous Alice, silkhaired Laura, 

 Sober Polly, Pauline Zeller, 

 Fattest Harry, Henry Stainton, 

 Dohru, the namesake of the gifted, 

 And a new and perfect baby. 

 It was this same Douglas taught me." 



Should you ask me why to Laura 

 I address such stores of learning, 

 I should answer, I should tell you, 

 " This is science which her spirit 

 Takes a keen delight in learning, 

 And 1 feel an honest pleasure 

 In returning to the daughter 



