| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| A Vision of Children |
| | | Thomas Ashe (1836–89) |
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| I DREAM’D I saw a little brook | |
| Run rippling down the Strand; | |
| With cherry-trees and apple-trees | |
| Abloom on either hand: | |
| The sparrows gather’d from the Squares, | 5 |
| Upon the branches green; | |
| The pigeons flock’d from Palace-Yard, | |
| Afresh their wings to preen; | |
| And children down St. Martin’s Lane, | |
| And out of Westminster, | 10 |
| Came trooping, many a thousand strong, | |
| With a bewilder’d air. | |
| They hugg’d each other round the neck | |
| And titter’d for delight, | |
| To see the yellow daffodils, | 15 |
| And see the daisies white; | |
| They roll’d upon the grassy slopes, | |
| And drank the water clear, | |
| While ’busses the Embankment took, | |
| Asham’d to pass anear; | 20 |
| And sandwich-men stood still aghast, | |
| And costermongers smil’d; | |
| And the policeman on his beat | |
| Pass’d, weeping like a child. | |
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