Death of a Wombat Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1 © Licensed by the Trustees of the British Museum Death of a Wombat DGR 1869 November 6 British Museum 1939-5-13-1.(6.) gift Jane Morris; May Morris; Dr. Robert Steele pen and ink 7 x 4 1/2 in. 6th November 1869 Dated on the urn in the picture's background. Surtees, <hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi> , vol. 2, plate 440. Dante Gabriel Rossetti Moore, <hi rend="i">Lallah Rookh</hi> . Surtees states that John Gere pointed out that this doublework parodies four lines from the beginning of “The Fire-Worshippers” in Lallah Rookh : I never nurs'd a dear gazelle To glad me with its soft black eye, But when it came to know me well And love me, it was sure to die! <artist/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnpictorial> <citnmythic> <name/> <culture/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnmythic> <citnhistorical> <event/> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnhistorical> <citnautobiographical> <name/> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnautobiographical> <citnscenic> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnscenic> </listcitn> </source> <commentaries> <head>Commentary</head> <section type="intro"> <head>Introduction</head> <p>The wombat came into DGR's care early in September (see DGR's letter to Jane Morris of 11 September 1869, in which he included a copy of his other wombat parody poem <xref doc="a.36-1869.s607.raw"> <title level="wrk">“Parted Love!” ).

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Fredeman, <hi rend="i">Correspondence</hi> , 69.152. Surtees, <hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi> , vol. 1, 211 (no. 606). Surtees, <hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi> , vol. 2, plate 440.

I never reared a young Wombat To glad me with his pin-hole eye, But when he most was sweet & fat And tail-less; he was sure to die!