William Lamb, Viscount Melbourne

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (1779–1848), was a Whig statesman who served twice as Prime Minister (1834 and 1835–1841) and was Queen Victoria's first political adviser. A few youthful verses are traditionally credited to him.

The poem here is the one printed under his name in Frederick Locker's Lyra Elegantiarum (London: E. Moxon, 1867), an anthology of vers de société and vers d'occasion by deceased authors; the texts follow that first edition.