2: The Dong with the Luminous Nose

Nicholas Parsons concludes his celebration of the life and work of Edward Lear, the great nonsense poet.

In the last of two programmes he talks about the unusual and difficult life of this amazing man and illustrates it throughout with a delivery of many of Lear's brilliant nonsense poems.

The fantastical world of Lear's nonsense verse was constructed to bring entertainment to children, but also as a means of Lear surviving a very stressful life.

With Colin Sell at the piano.

Producer: Jonathan James-Moore

First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in April 1995.