Abstract

Edward Verrall Lucas and Francis Meynell were men of letters in the old-fashioned sense. They were indefatigable both in creating text and bringing like matter together in new and meaningful forms. Lucas was a journalist, anthologist and publisher. Meynell was a printer, anthologist and publisher, and also a poet of considerable sensitivity and charm. Lucas did not write much poetry but was passionate about its merits, and sought, through his collections, to bring children into contact with the best of verse. Today, the significant contributions that these men made to publishing in Britain are in danger of becoming forgotten, relegated to the minor byways of publishing history. This article examines the origins and connections between two hugely successful anthologies that were inspired by a growing public interest in, and engagement with, the English countryside.