NICHOLSON, William. An Almanac of Twelve Sports. Words by Rudyard Kipling. 4to. William Heinemann. 1898
Illus., 1p. ad. on verso of final leaf. Orig. illustrated paper boards, cloth spine; some sl. rubbing to extremities. Internally exceptionally bright, a very nice copy in its original state.
¶Stewart pp156-8. A calendar for 1898 composed of illustrations of seasonal sports by Nicholson and accompanying short verses by Kipling. June is the month of Cricket: 'Thank God who made the British Isles / And taught me how to play, / I do not worship crocodiles / Or bow the knee to clay! / Give me a willow wand and I, / With hide and cork and twine, / From century to century / Will gambol round my Shrine.'