A rare survivor in original covers of a very interesting railway stand ‘Yellow-back’ presenting “most of the popular lyrics of the United States” with interesting notes. This brick red paper cover has clearly been laid over another title on yellow paper (an early example of recycling?). The book is divided into several sections: Songs of the Affections; Pastoral and Rural, Military and Patriotic; Sea Songs; and Miscellaneous. Great and famous compositions such as The Star-spangled Banner are included, but the editor laments the fact that “The more refined the production, the more slender its chances of becoming known, while jingling tomfoolery dashed with a spice of quaintness is in the mouth of the whole nation.” For this reason the book also contains examples of what Paul regards as “feeble stupidities”.