SOURCE: "A Literary Squabble," in A Century of Humorous Verse, 1850-1950, edited by Roger Lancelyn Green, J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., 1959, pp. 3-4.

In the following poem, composed in 1863, Planché makes a humorous commentary on Milnes' adoption of the name Lord Houghton.

A Literary Squabble

The Alphabet rejoiced to hear
 That Monckton Milnes was made a Peer;
 For in this present world of letters
 But few, if any, are his betters:
 So an address by acclamation,
 They voted of congratulation,
 And H, O, U, G, T, and N, Were chosen the address to pen;
 Possessing each an interest vital
 In the new Peer's baronial title.
 'Twas done in language terse and telling,
 Perfect in grammar and in spelling:
 But when 'twas read aloud, oh, mercy!
 There sprang up such a controversy
 About the true pronunciation
 Of said baronial appellation.
 The vowels O and U averred
 They were entitled...