Alfred Henry Miles

Alfred Henry Miles/Alfred H. Miles (1848 - 30 October 1929) [ [http://www.publicdomainworks.net/2007/06/10/public-domain-composers/ Public domain works] ] [ [http://reciter.wordpress.com/2008/03/16/patriotic-recitation/ Wordpress] ] was a prolific Victorian author, editor, anthologist, journalist, composer and lecturer who published hundreds of works on a wide range of topics, ranging from poetry ("The Poets and the Poetry of the Century", 10 vols. (London: Hutchinson, 1891)), warfare ("Wars of the Olden Times, Abraham to Cromwell") to household encyclopaedias with information for every conceivable contingency ("The Household Oracle : A Popular Referee on Subjects of Household Enquiry"), and even advice to the lovelorn ("Wooing: Stories of the Course that Never Did Run Smooth" by R.E. Francillon and others. Issued as a volume in "The Idle Hour Series", London: Hutchinson, [1891] ). He was Guardian of the Poor for six years and a member of the London Borough of Lewisham from 1904-06.

He was editor of The Fifty-two Library, a series of children's adventure stories published by Hutchinson & Co., London in the nineteenth century. He compiled some fifty volumes that appeared at five shillings apiece.

External links

* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9403E6DC1531E733A25753C1A9649C946797D6CF&oref=slogin New York Times]
* [http://www.library.rochester.edu/index.cfm?page=987 Rochester Library]

elected books

*"The Poets And Poetry Of The Century" (ed) [10v|p|1891-97]
*"The Universal Natural History, with Anecdotes Illustrating the Nature, Habits, Manners and Customs of Animals, Birds, Fishes, Reptiles, Insects, etc., etc." edited by Alfred H. Miles, New York : Dodd, Mead and Co., 1895 [ [http://siris-libraries.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!380292!0 Smithsonian Institute] ]
* [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17378/17378-8.txt "Successful Recitations" (ed) [1902]
*"Fifty-Two Stories Of The Brave And True For Boys" (ed) [s|1902]
*"Fifty-Two Stories Of The Brave And True For Girls" (ed) [s|1902]
* [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/25948/25948-8.txt "Fifty-Two Stories For Girls" (ed) [s|1905]
*"Edward Hayes Plumptre to Selwyn Image : The Sacred Poets Of The Nineteenth Century" [b|1906]
*"Drawing Room Entertainments" [d|pub:1909]
*"Ballads Of Brave Women" [1909]
*"A Book Of Brave Girls At Home And Abroad" [n|1909]
*"A Book Of Brave Boys All The World Over" [n|1909]
*"The First Favourite Reciter" (ed) [1909]
*"Original Poems, Ballads, And Tales In Verse" [p|1910]
*"The Sweep Of The Sword" [1910]
*"Twixt Life And Death On Sea And Shore" [1910]
*"Heroines Of The Home And The World Of Duty" [1910]
*"A Garland Of Verse For Young People" [p|1911]
*"The Diner's-Out Vade Mecum" [n|1912]
*"Fifty-Two Stories Of The Indian Mutiny" (w Arthur John PATTLE) [1915]
*"A Book Of Brave Boys" [n|?/1915]
*"Heroes Of History" [1916]

Poetry

Miles' poetry is unashamedly chauvinistic and strongly reminiscent of Rudyard Kipling.

John Bull and His Island (first verse):"There's a doughty little Island in the ocean,::"The dainty little darling of the free;:"That pulses with the patriots' emotion,::"And the palpitating music of the sea::"She is first in her loyalty to duty;::"She is first in the annals of the brave;:"She is first in her chivalry and beauty,::"And first in the succour of the slave!:"Then here's to the pride of the ocean!::"Here's to the pearl of the sea!:"Here's to the land of the heart and the hand::"That fight for the right of the free!:"Here's to the spirit of duty,::"Bearing her banners along--:"Peacefully furled in the van of the world::"Or waving and braving the wrong. [ [http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/7/3/7/17378/17378.txt Gutenberg] ]

References