The poor minstrel is described as accompanying the young originally published under the injudicious and equivocal title rake in his revels. Launcelot describes

The late Right Honourable William Adam, Lord Chief ing; thus uniting the composition of the author with the meCommissioner of the Scotch Jury Court.-ED.

Essay

ON

*mitations of the Ancient Ballad.'

of the ancient recitals was, for the same causes, altered and improved upon. The eternal descriptions of battles, and of love dilemmas, which, to satiety, filled the old romances with trivial repetition, was retrenched. If any one wishes to compare the two eras of lyrical poetry, a few verses taken from one of the latest minstrel ballads, and one of the earliest that were written for the press, will afford him, in some degree, the power of doing so.

THE invention of printing necessarily occasioned the | tion had been originally abandoned. The monotony downfall of the Order of Minstrels, already reduced to contempt by their own bad habits, by the disrepute attached to their profession, and by the laws calculated to repress their license. When the Metrical Romances were very many of them in the hands of every one, the occupation of those who made their living by reciting them was in some degree abolished, and the minstrels either disappeared altogether, or sunk into mere musicians, whose utmost acquaintance with poetry was being able to sing a ballad. Perhaps old Anthony, who acquired, from the song which he accounted his masterpiece, the name of Anthony Now Now, was one of the last of this class in the capital; nor does the tenor of his poetry evince whether it was his own composition or that of some other.2

But the taste for popular poetry did not decay with the class of men by whom it had been for some generations practised and preserved. Not only did the simple old ballads retain their ground, though circulated by the new art of printing, instead of being preserved by recitation; but in the Garlands, and similar collections for general sale, the authors aimed at a more ornamental and regular style of poetry than had been attempted by the old minstrels, whose composition, if not extemporaneous, was seldom committed to writing, and was not, therefore, susceptible of accurate revision. This was the more necessary, as even the popular poetry was now feeling the effects arising from the advance of knowledge, and the revival of the study of the learned languages, with all the elegance and refinement which it induced.

In short, the general progress of the country led to an improvement in the department of popular poetry, tending both to soften and melodise the language employed, and to ornament the diction beyond that of the rude minstrels, to whom such topics of composi

1 This essay was written in April 1830, and forms a continuation of the" Remarks on Popular Poetry."—ED.

2 He might be supposed a contemporary of Henry VIII., if the greeting which he pretends to have given to that monarch is of his own composition, and spoken in his own person.

The rude lines from Anthony Now Now, which we have just quoted, may, for example, be compared, as Ritson requests, with the ornamented commencement of the ballad of Fair Rosamond :—

"When as King Henry ruled this land,
The second of that name,
Besides his queen he dearly loved
A fair and comely dame.

"Most peerless was her beauty found,
Her favour, and her face;

A sweeter creature in the world
Could never prince embrace.

"Her crisped locks, like threads of gold
Appear'd to each man's sight;
Her sparkling eyes, like orient pearls,
Did cast a heavenly light.

"The blood within her crystal checks
Did such a colour drive,
As though the lily and the rose
For mastership did strive." 3

It may be rash to affirm, that those who lived by
singing this more refined poetry, were a class of men
different from the ancient minstrels; but it appears,
that both the name of the professors, and the character
of the Minstrel poetry, had sunk in reputation.
The facility of versification, and of poetical diction,

"Good morrow to our noble king, quoth I;
Good morrow, quoth he, to thou:
And then he said to Anthony,
O Anthony now now now."

3 PERCY'S Reliques, vol. ii. p. 147.

is decidedly in favour of the moderns, as might reason-be entitled, with the ordinary, and especially the ear. ably be expected from the improved taste, and en- lier popular poetry, I cannot help thinking that a larged knowledge, of an age which abounded to such great difference will be observed in the structure of a degree in poetry, and of a character so imaginative the verse, the character of the sentiments, the ornaas was the Elizabethan era. The poetry addressed to ments and refinement of the language. Neither inthe populace, and enjoyed by them alone, was animated | deed, as might be expected from the progress of huby the spirit that was breathed around. We may man affairs, was the change in the popular style of cite Shakspeare's unquestionable and decisive evi- poetry achieved without some disadvantages, which dence in this respect. In Twelfth Night he describes counterbalanced, in a certain degree, the superior art a popular ballad, with a beauty and precision which and exercise of fancy which had been introduced of no one but himself could have affixed to its character; late times. and the whole constitutes the strongest appeal in favour of that species of poetry which is written to suit the taste of the public in general, and is most naturally preserved by oral tradition. But the remarkable part of the circumstance is, that when the song is actually sung by Festé the clown, it differs in almost all particulars from what we might have been justified in considering as attributes of a popular ballad of that early period. It is simple, doubtless, both in structure and phraseology, but is rather a love song than a minstrel ballad-a love song, also, which, though its imaginative figures of speech are of a very simple and intelligible character, may nevertheless be compared to any thing rather than the boldness of the preceding age, and resembles nothing less than the ordinary minstrel ballad. The original, though so well known, may be here quoted, for the purpose of showing what was, in Shakspeare's time, regarded as the poetry of "the old age." Almost every one has the passage by heart, yet I must quote it, because there seems a marked difference between the species of poem which is described, and that which is sung:

"Mark it, Cæsario; it is old and plain:

The spinsters and the knitters in the sun,

And the free maids, that weave their thread with bones,
Do use to chant it; it is silly sooth,

And dallies with the innocence of love,
Like the old age."

The song, thus beautifully prefaced, is as follows:

Come away, come away, death,

And in sad cypress let me be laid;

Fly away, fly away, breath;

I am slain by a fair cruel maid.

My shroud of white, stuck all with yew,
O, prepare it;

My part of death no one so true

Did share it.

"Not a flower, not a flower sweet,

On my black coffin let there be strown;

Not a friend, not a friend greet

My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown:
A thousand, thousand sighs to save,

Lay me, 0, where

Sad true lover never find my grave,

To weep there."1

The expressions of Sir Philip Sidney, an unquestionable judge of poetry, flourishing in Elizabeth's golden reign, and drawing around him, like a magnet, the most distinguished poets of the age, amongst whom we need only name Shakspeare and Spenser, still show sonrething to regret when he compared the highly wrought and richly ornamented poetry of his own time, with the ruder but more energetic diction of Chevy Chase. His words, often quoted, cannot yet be dispensed with on the present occasion. They are a chapter in the history of ancient poetry. "Certainly," says the brave knight, "I must confess my own barbarousness; I never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas, that I found not my heart more moved than with a trumpet. And yet it is sung by some blind crowder, with no rougher voice than rude style, which being so evil apparelled in the dust and cobwebs of that uncivil age, what would it work, trimmed in the gorgeous eloquence of Pindar.” 2

If we inquire more particularly what were the peculiar charms by which the old minstrel ballad produced an effect like a trumpet-sound upon the bosom of a real son of chivalry, we may not be wrong in ascribing it to the extreme simplicity with which the narrative moves forward, neglecting all the more minute ornaments of speech and diction, to the grand object of enforcing on the hearer a striking and affecting catastrophe. The author seems too serious in his wish to affect the audience, to allow himself to be drawn aside by any thing which can, either by its tenor, or the manner in which it is spoken, have the perverse effect of distracting attention from the catastrophe.

Such grand and serious beauties, however, occurred but rarely to the old minstrels; and in order to find them, it became necessary to struggle through long passages of monotony, languor, and inanity. Unfortunately it also happened, that those who, like Sidney, could ascertain, feel, and do full justice to the beauties of the heroic ballad, were few, compared to the numbers who could be sensible of the trite verbiage of a bald passage, or the ludicrous effect of an absurd rhyme. In England, accordingly, the popular ballad fell into contempt during the seventeenth century; and although in remote counties 3 its inspiration was

On comparing this love elegy, or whatever it may occasionally the source of a few verses, it seems to

Twelfth Night, Act ii. Scene 4th.

2 Sir Philip Sidney's Defence of Poesy.

3 A curious and spirited specimen occurs in Cornwall, as late as the trial of the Bishops before the Revolution. The

tempt to emulate the merits and avoid the errors with which the old ballad was encumbered; and in the effort to accomplish this, a species of composition was discovered, which is capable of being subjected to peculiar rules of criticism, and of exhibiting excel

have become almost entirely obsolete in the capital.
Even the Civil Wars, which gave so much occasion
for poetry, produced rather song and satire, than the
ballad or popular epic. The curious reader may satis-
fy himself on this point, should he wish to ascertain
the truth of the allegation, by looking through D'Ur-lences of its own.
fey's large and curious collection,' when he will be
aware that the few ballads which it contains are the
most ancient productions in the book, and very sel-
dom take their date after the commencement of the
seventeenth century.

In writing for the use of the general reader, rather than the poetical antiquary, I shall be readily excused from entering into any inquiry respecting the authors who first showed the way in this peculiar department of modern poetry, which I may term the imitation of In Scotland, on the contrary, the old minstrel bal- the old ballad, especially that of the latter or Elizalad long continued to preserve its popularity. Even bethan era. One of the oldest, according to my the last contests of Jacobitism were recited with great recollection, which pretends to engraft modern refinevigour in ballads of the time, the authors of some of ment upon ancient simplicity, is extremely beautiful, which are known and remembered; nor is there a more both from the words, and the simple and affecting spirited ballad preserved than that of Mr. Skirving, melody to which they are usually sung. The title is, (father of Skirving the artist,) upon the battle of Pres-"Lord Henry and Fair Catherine." It begins thus: tonpans, so late as 1745. But this was owing to circumstances connected with the habits of the people in a remote and rude country, which could not exist in the richer and wealthier provinces of England.

2

On the whole, however, the ancient Heroic ballad, as it was called, seemed to be fast declining among the more enlightened and literary part of both countries; and if retained by the lower classes in Scotland, it had in England ceased to exist, or degenerated into doggerel of the last degree of vileness.

Subjects the most interesting were abandoned to the poorest rhymers, and one would have thought that, as in an ass-race, the prize had been destined to the slowest of those who competed for the prize. The melancholy fate of Miss Ray, who fell by the hands of a frantic lover, could only inspire the Grub Street muse with such verses as these, that is, if I remember them correctly:

"A Sandwich favourite was this fair,
And her he dearly loved;

By whom six children had, we hear;
This story fatal proved.

"A clergyman, O wicked one,

In Covent Garden shot her;
No time to cry upon her God,

It's hoped He's not forgot her."

If it be true, as in other cases, that when things are at the worst they must mend, it was certainly time to expect an amelioration in the department in which such doggerel passed current.

Accordingly, previous to this time, a new species of poetry seems to have arisen, which, in some cases, endeavoured to pass itself as the production of genuine antiquity, and, in others, honestly avowed an at

"In ancient days, in Britain's isle,

Lord Henry well was known;
No knight in all the land more famed,
Or more deserved renown.

"His thoughts were all on honour bent,
He ne'er would stoop to love:
No lady in the land had power
His frozen heart to move."

Early in the eighteenth century, this peculiar species of composition became popular. We find Tickell, the friend of Addison, who produced the beautiful ballad, "Of Leinster famed for maidens fair," Mallet, Goldsmith, Shenstone, Percy, and many others, followed an example which had much to recommend it, especially as it presented considerable facilities to those who wished, at as little exertion of trouble as possible, to attain for themselves a certain degree of literary reputation.

Before, however, treating of the professed imitators of Ancient Ballad Poetry, I ought to say a word upon those who have written their imitations with the preconceived purpose of passing them for ancient.

There is no small degree of cant in the violent invectives with which impostors of this nature have been assailed. In fact, the case of each is special, and ought to be separately considered, according to its own circumstances. If a young, perhaps a female author, chooses to circulate a beautiful poem, we will suppose that of Hardyknute, under the disguise of antiquity, the public is surely more enriched by the contribution than injured by the deception. It is hardly possible, indeed, without a power of poetical genius, and acquaintance with ancient language and

President of the Royal Society of London (Mr. Davies Gilbert) has not disdained the trouble of preserving it from oblivion.

1 Pills to Purge Melancholy.

2 See Hogg's Jacobite Relics, vol. i.-ED.

then First Lord of the Admiralty, was assassinated by Mr Hackman, "in a fit of frantic jealous love," as Boswell expresses it, in 1779. See Croker's Boswell, vol. iv. p. 254.-ED. 4 "Hardyknute was the first poem that I ever learnt-the last that I shall forget."-MS. note of Sir Walter Scott on a

3 Miss Ray, the beautiful mistress of the Earl of Sandwich, leaf of Allan Ramsay's Tea table Miscellany.

manners possessed by very few, to succeed in deceiv- on this occasion, (disowning, at the same time, all ing those who have made this branch of literature purpose of imposition,) as having written, at the retheir study. The very desire to unite modern refine-quest of the late Mr. Ritson, one or two things of this ment with the verve of the ancient minstrels, will kind; among others, a continuation of the romance itself betray the masquerade. A minute acquaintance of Thomas of Ercildoune, the only one which chances with ancient customs, and with ancient history, is also to be preserved. And he thinks himself entitled to demanded, to sustain a part which, as it must rest on state, that a modern poet engaged in such a task, is deception, cannot be altogether an honourable one. much in the situation of an architect of the present day, who, if acquainted with his profession, finds no difficulty in copying the external forms of a Gothic castle or abbey; but when it is completed, can hardly, by any artificial tints or cement, supply the spots, weather-stains, and hues of different kinds, with which time alone had invested the venerable fabric which he desires to imitate.

Two of the most distinguished authors of this class have, in this manner, been detected; being deficient in the knowledge requisite to support their genius in the disguise they meditated. Hardyknute, for instance, already mentioned, is irreconcilable with all chronology, and a chief with a Norwegian name is strangely introduced as the first of the nobles brought to resist a Norse invasion, at the battle of Largs: the "needlework so rare," introduced by the fair authoress, must have been certainly long posterior to the reign of Alexander III. In Chatterton's ballad of "Sir Charles Baudwin," we find an anxious attempt to represent the composition as ancient, and some entries in the public accounts of Bristol were appealed to in corroboration. But neither was this ingenious but most unhappy young man, with all his powers of poetry, and with the antiquarian knowledge which he had collected with indiscriminating but astonishing research, able to impose on that part of the public qualified to judge of the compositions, which it had occurred to him to pass off as those of a monk of the 14th century. It was in vain that he in each word doubled the consonants, like the sentinels of an endangered army. The art used to disguise and mispell the words only overdid what was intended, and afforded sure evidence that the poems published as antiques had been, in fact, tampered with by a modern artist, as the newly forged medals of modern days stand convicted of imposture from the very touches of the file, by which there is an attempt to imitate the cracks and fissures produced by the hammer upon the original.1

I have only met, in my researches into these matters, with one poem, which, if it had been produced as ancient, could not have been detected on internal evidence. It is the "War Song upon the victory at Brunnanburg, translated from the Anglo-Saxon into Anglo-Norman," by the Right Honourable John Hookham Frere. See Ellis's Specimens of Ancient English Poetry, vol. i. p. 32. The accomplished Editor tells us, that this very singular poem was intended as an imitation of the style and language of the fourteenth century, and was written during the controversy occasioned by the poems attributed to Rowley. Mr. Ellis adds, "the reader will probably hear with some surprise, that this singular instance of critical ingenuity was the composition of an Eton schoolboy."

Leaving this branch of the subject, in which the difficulty of passing off what is modern for what is ancient cannot be matter of regret, we may bestow with advantage some brief consideration on the fair trade of manufacturing modern antiques, not for the purpose of passing them as contraband goods on the skilful antiquary, but in order to obtain the credit due to authors as successful imitators of the ancient simplicity, while their system admits of a considerable infusion of modern refinement. Two classes of imitation may be referred to as belonging to this species of composition. When they approach each other, there may be some difficulty in assigning to individual poems their peculiar character, but in general the difference is distinctly marked. The distinction lies betwixt the authors of ballads or legendary poems, who have attempted to imitate the language, the manners, and the sentiments of the ancient poems which were their prototypes; and those, on the contrary, who, without endeavouring to do so, have struck out a particular path for themselves, which cannot, with strict propriety be termed either ancient or modern.

In the actual imitation of the ancient ballad, Dr. Percy, whose researches made him well acquainted with that department of poetry, was peculiarly successful. The "Hermit of Warkworth," the "Childe of Elle," and other minstrel tales of his composition, must always be remembered with fondness by those who have perused them in that period of life when the feelings are strong, and the taste for poetry, especially of this simple nature, is keen and poignant. This learned and amiable prelate was also remarkable for his power of restoring the ancient ballad, by throwing in touches of poetry, so adapted to its tone and tenor, as to assimilate with its original structure, and impress every one who considered the subject as being coeval with the rest of the piece. It must be owned, that such freedoms, when assumed by a professed antiquary, addressing himself to antiquaries, and for the sake of illustrating literary antiquities, are subject to great and licentious abuse; and herein

The author may be permitted to speak as an artist the severity of Ritson was to a certain extent justified.

1 See Appendix, Note A.

2 See Sir Tristrem, Scott's Poetical Works, vol. v. ; edition 1833.