Mirth and metre

"Mirth and Metre" by Frank E. Smedley and Edmund Yates is a collection of funny poems and light-hearted verses from the 1800s, presented as tales that make fun of things that are often taken seriously. Inspired by Thomas Ingoldsby's style, the writers create stories with their own characters, like a young rich girl named Maude, mixed with funny people in old legends. The book starts with a sad scene at Allinghame Hall, where Maude is sad about her father's death and doesn't want to get married right away, even though many people want to marry her. The story gets funny when Lord Dandelion is robbed by a showy thief, creating a scene that's both scary and funny. This fun mix sets the stage for poems that are playful, blending humor, love stories, and adventures, inviting readers into a world full of love problems and silly events.