There was an Old Person of Dover, Who rushed through a field of blue Clover;

[HenHanna]

There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, 'It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!'

------------ Why is B in [beard] lowercase???


There was an Old Person of Dover,
Who rushed through a field of blue Clover;
But some very large bees,
Stung his nose and his knees,
So he very soon went back to Dover.

Edward Lear. " Limericks By Edward Lear." Family Friend Poems,
https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/limericks-by-edward-lear


1. Uses [Very] 2 times, in such a short poem.

2. He apparently initail-Capitalizes some Nouns, just for Emphasis.

This looks roughly like capitalization of lexical words for emphasis,
rather than on any grammatical basis.

[LionelEdwards]

Post by HenHanna
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, 'It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!'
------------ Why is B in [beard] lowercase???
There was an Old Person of Dover,
Who rushed through a field of blue Clover;
But some very large bees,
Stung his nose and his knees,
So he very soon went back to Dover.
Edward Lear. " Limericks By Edward Lear." Family Friend Poems,
https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/limericks-by-edward-lear
1. Uses [Very] 2 times, in such a short poem.
2. He apparently initail-Capitalizes some Nouns, just for Emphasis.

This looks roughly like capitalization of lexical words for emphasis,
rather than on any grammatical basis.

Skip forward a generation or two, and you have the
flowers uncapitalized - alongside different, semi-random
capitalisation:

"The Doctor came round and examined his chest,
And ordered him Nourishment, Tonics, and Rest..."

https://allpoetry.com/The-Dormouse-And-The-Doctor

[LionelEdwards]

Post by LionelEdwards

Post by HenHanna
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, 'It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!'
------------ Why is B in [beard] lowercase???
There was an Old Person of Dover,
Who rushed through a field of blue Clover;
But some very large bees,
Stung his nose and his knees,
So he very soon went back to Dover.
Edward Lear. " Limericks By Edward Lear." Family Friend Poems,
https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/limericks-by-edward-lear
1. Uses [Very] 2 times, in such a short poem.
2. He apparently initail-Capitalizes some Nouns, just for Emphasis.

This looks roughly like capitalization of lexical words for emphasis,
rather than on any grammatical basis.

Skip forward a generation or two, and you have the
flowers uncapitalized - alongside different, semi-random
"The Doctor came round and examined his chest,
And ordered him Nourishment, Tonics, and Rest..."
https://allpoetry.com/The-Dormouse-And-The-Doctor

They were also nearer to the times when there
were no rules about punctuation - no dictionaries
either. I don't suppose much effort is made to
replicate Milton's capitalisation but FWIW:

When I consider how my light is spent,
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide;
“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”
I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.”