The man (and woman) in the moon...

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'The Man in the Moon Came Down'
by Mabel Lucie Atwell
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Munroe and Francis, 1833
The Only True Mother Goose Melodies

The man in the moon came down too soon
To inquire the way to Norridge;
The man in the south, he burnt his mouth
With eating cold plum porridge

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'The Man in the Moon Came Down'
ill. by William Wallace Denslow (1856-1915)
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Man in the Moon from 'Sabine Baring Gould', 1872
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The man in the moon is often seen as an old man
carrying a bundle of sticks upon his back, sometimes
carrying a forked stick and lantern and accompanied
by a little dog. In Elizabethan England, the spots of
the Moon were supposed to represent a witch
carrying sticks of wood on her back
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In one common Western perception of the face of
the moon, the figure's eyes are Mare Imbrium and
Mare Serenitatis, its nose is Sinus Aestuum, and its
open mouth is Mare Nubium and Mare Cognitum.
An older European tradition sees a figure of a man
(Maria Serenitatis, Tranquilitatis, Fecunditatis and
Nectaris) carrying a wide burden (Mare Vaporum
and Lacus Somniorum) on his back. He is sometimes
seen as accompanied by a small dog (Mare Crisium)
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The Man in the Moon had silver shoon
And his beard was of silver thread;
He was girt with pure gold and inaureoled
With gold about his head

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The Man in the Moon looked out of the moon,
Looked out of the moon and said,
'Tis time for all children, on the earth
To think about getting to bed!'

This rhyme and illustration can be found in
'The Real Mother Goose', 1916,
illustrated by Blanche
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The Man in the Moon drinks Claret
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There is a tradition that the Man in the Moon
enjoyed drinking, especially claret.
An old ballad runs (original spelling):

'Our man in the moon drinks clarret,

With powder-beef, turnep, and carret.

If he doth so, why should not you

Drink until the sky looks blew?'

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Three photos from the colour version of
Georges Méliès’ 'Le voyage dans la lune', 1902
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You can read more about
'A Trip to the Moon' film here

'Le voyage dans la Lune' poster
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..and another one...
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Bank's collection of Shop Bills

Some old authors and artists have represented the
man in the moon as an inveterate smoker, which
habit surprises us, who supposed him to be

'Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot
Which men call Earth', as the Milton has it

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'Man in the Moon' by Ike Morgan
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