Legends And Lyries: A Book Of Verses

by Adelaide Anne Procter

Legends And A Book Of Verses by Adelaide Anne Procter. Legends And Lyries is a mid-Victorian collection of poems that blends devotional exhortation with noble sentiment, addressing themes of faith, endurance, compassion for the poor, and the moral duties of life. The volume, published in 1861, compiles pieces such as The Angel’s Story, The Wayside Inn, The Three Rulers, and A Legend of Ghent, among many others. Procter uses accessible verse to explore grief, hope, social injustice, motherhood, and the sacredness of everyday acts. The poems often advocate patience, charity, humility, and steadfastness in the face of sorrow, offering consolation to readers and urging ethical action. Across its varied pieces, the collection reflects a conscious moral and religious worldview typical of Victorian poetry, with both intimate personal meditations and broader social concerns. Legends And Lyries stands as a representative voice of a charitable, faith-infused literary sensibility for its era.

Genres: Poetry

276 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1858

Reviews

[Benedict Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a slog. I would go for months at a time not opening the book. While sometimes the charming naive worldview of the author was beautiful, often the poems were simply saccharine and irritating. I think more than anything it made me aware of how disconnected from reality the rich Christians of Victorian England really were. The only thing that Adelaide get's exercised about is the treatment of the Irish Catholics, but even there she has an emphasis on the beauty and "goodness" of the noble poor. Without doubt, an attitude which prevents any momentum for political change (the only way that could have prevented the Irish famine).
Much of the poetry would be called doggerel, but at it's best it overcame it's simply rhyming schemes to present a unique image and worldview (which given I oppose the poet's worldview has to be acknowledged as a substantive achievement).