Rhymes of the times: ballads for recitation with prose readings: 'A tragedy of the turf' and 'Catalina Tiles'.

Rhymes of the Times was published in the late 19th century as a collection of theatrical monologues and narrative ballads designed for public performance. Campbell Rae-Brown, a popular reciter and entertainer of the Victorian era, crafted these pieces to be accessible to amateur elocutionists who sought dramatic material for private gatherings and village halls, a common form of domestic entertainment at the time.

The volume includes 'A Tragedy of the Turf' and 'Catalina Tiles', both of which highlight Rae-Brown’s characteristic blend of sentimentality and rhythmic, performance-oriented verse. As a practitioner of the craft, the author focused on clear, punchy meter and emotive subject matter intended to hold the attention of a live audience, reflecting the broader Victorian appetite for recitation books that served as manuals for the aspiring orator.