I first heard "Early One Morning" on an early record by Richard Dyer-Bennet. As I recall, he sang only two verses.

Later, I encountered the song in a copy of Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, compiled and edited by William Cole, a very nice collection. It gave many, many verses, which, if one were to sing them all, could get more than a little tedious.

While watching one of a couple of series productions of "Pride and Prejudice" on Masterpiece Theatre some years ago, Elizabeth Bennet's vacuous and most unhip sister, Mary, sat at the keyboard and sang verse after verse of "Early One Morning" until Mr. Bennet (the patriarch of the family) interrupted her and suggested that she give others a chance to entertain.

Barbara and I watch a fair amount of British television. We get it on our two local PBS channels. Masterpiece Theatre, Masterpiece Mystery, various comedies. Currently watching "Wolf Hall," about Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII. We've already seen promos for the new "Poldark" series.

Don Firth