The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).
Volume XIII. The Victorian Age, Part One.
§ 10. Percival Leigh; W. J. Prowse; Mortimer Collin
The first group or sub-group to be noticed should consist of the earlier mid-century “Bohemians,” whom, however, we can discuss here only in part, Maginn and “Father Prout” being reserved for other divisions; Thackeray himself rising higher; and other for other reasons being, also, excluded. Here, however, may be mentioned Percival Leigh, a great contributor to Punch in its brilliant second early period; and W.J. Prowse, “Nicholas,” who died young and took little care of the work which his short life and his weak health enabled him to do, but whose talent has appealed very strongly to some good judges and can hardly be denied by any. The City of Prague—which has sometimes been attributed to others, particularly to James Hannay, but which is really by Prowse—wants only a very few revising touches to make it a masterpiece. With one of such touches, so slight that the reading is a common one in quotation, and can be constructed out of the printed poem itself, we get the stanza: