When the book came out, in 1802, the imprint, Kelso, was read with wonder by amateurs of typography, who had never heard of such a place, and were astonished at the example of handsome printing which so obscure a town produced.

As for the editorial part of the task, my attempt to imitate the plan and style of Bishop Percy, observing only more strict fidelity concerning my originals, was favourably received by the public, and there was a demand within a short space for a second edition, to which I proposed to add a third volume. Messrs. Cadell and Davies, the first publishers of the work, declined the publication of this second edition, which was undertaken, at a very liberal price, by the well

known firm of Messrs. Longman and Rees of Paternoster Row. My progress in the literary career, in which might now be considered as seriously engaged, the reader will find briefly traced in an Introduction prefixed to the "Lay of the Last Minstrel." In the meantime, the Editor has accomplished his proposed task of acquainting the reader with some particulars respecting the modern imitations of the Ancient Ballad, and the circumstances which gradually, and almost insensibly, engaged himself in that species of literary employment. W. S.

ABBOTSFORD, April, 1830.

NOTE A.

Monk;' but I have others, weaker, indeed, than the one mentioned, but still sufficiently strong. I perceive that I have put

-P. 557.

THIS failure applies to the repairs and rifacimentos of old ballads, as well as to complete imitations. In the beautiful and simple ballad of Gil Morris, some affected person has stuck in one or two factitious verses, which, like vulgar persons in a drawing-room, betray themselves by their over finery. Thus, after the simple and affecting verse which prepares the readers for the coming tragedy,

"Gil Morrice sat in good green wood,
He whistled and he sang;
'O, what mean a' yon folk coming,
My mother tarries lang?'"

some such" vicious intromitter" as we have described, (to use a barbarous phrase for a barbarous proceeding,) has inserted the following quintessence of affectation:

"His locks were like the threads of gold
Drawn from Minerva's loom;
His lips like roses drapping dew,
His breath was a' perfume.

"His brow was like the mountain snow,
Gilt by the morning beam;
His cheeks like living roses blow,
His een like azure stream.

"The boy was clad in robes of green,
Sweet as the infant spring;
And, like the mavis on the bush,
He gart the valleys ring."

that, convinced of my object being unexceptionable, I did not sufficiently examine whether the means by which I attained that object were equally so; and that, upon many accounts, I have to accuse myself of high imprudence. Let me, however, observe, that twenty is not the age at which prudence is most to be expected. Inexperience prevented my distinguishing what would give offence; but as soon as I found that offence was given, I made the only reparation in my power-I carefully revised the work, and expunged every syllable on which could be grounded the slightest construction of immorality. This, indeed, was no difficult task; for the objections rested entirely on expressions too strong, and words carelessly chosen, not on the sentiments, characters, or general tendency of the work ;-that the latter is undeserving censure, Addison will vouch for me. The moral and outline of my story are taken from an allegory inserted by him in the 'Guardian,' and which he commends highly for ability of invention, and propriety of object.' Unluckily, in working it up, I thought that the stronger my colours, the more effect would my picture produce; and it never struck me, that the exhibition of vice in her temporary triumph, might possibly do as much harm, as her final exposure and punishment could do good. To do much good, indeed, was more than I expected of my book; having always believed that our conduct depends on our own hearts and characters, not on the books we read, or the sentiments we hear. But though I did not hope much benefit to arise from the perusal of a trifling romance, written by a youth of twenty, I was in my own mind convinced, that no harm could be produced by a work whose subject was furnished by one of our best moralists, and in the composition of which, I did not introduce a single incident, or a single character, without meaning to illustrate some maxim universally allowed. It was then with infinite surprise, that I heard the * outcry raised against the " [I regret that the letter, though once perfect, now only exists in my possession as a fragment.]

*

*

*

*

NOTE B.

M. G. LEWIS.-P. 562.

In justice to a departed friend, I have subjoined his own defence against an accusation so remorselessly persisted in. The following is an extract of a letter to his father:

"MY DEAR FATHER,

NOTE C.

GERMAN BALLADS.-P. 565.

Among the popular Ballads, or Volkslieder, of the celebrated Herder, is (take one instance out of many) a version of the old Scottish song of "Sir Patrick Spence," in which, but for difference of orthography, the two languages can be scarcedistinguished from each other. For example

"The King sits in Dunfermling town, Drinking the blood-red wine; 'Where will I get a good skipper To sail this ship of mine?**

"Der Konig sitzt in Dumfermling Schloss: Er trinkt blutröthen Wein; 'O wo triff ich einen Segler gut

Dies Schiff zu seglen mein?""

In like manner, the opening stanza of "Child Waters," and many other Scottish ballads, fall as naturally and easily into the German habits and forms of speech, as if they had originally been composed in that language:

"About Yule, when the wind was cule, And the round tables began,

O there is come to our king's court
Mony weel favour'd man.'

"In Christmessfest, in winter kalt,

Als Tafel rund began,

Da kam zu König's Hoff and Hall

Manch wackrer Ritter an."

It requires only a smattering of both languages, to see at what cheap expense, even of vocables and rhymes, the popular poetry of the one may be transferred to the other. Hardly any thing is more flattering to a Scottish student of German; it resembles the unexpected discovery of an old friend in a foreign land.

NOTE D.

EXTRACTS FROM THE CORRESPONDENCE OF M. G. LEWIS.-P. 567.

My attention was called to this subject, which is now of an old date, by reading the following passage in Medwin's "Account of Some Passages in Lord Byron's later Years." Lord Byron is supposed to speak. "When Walter Scott began to write poetry, which was not at a very early age, Monk Lewis corrected his verse: he understood little then of the mechanical part of the art. The Fire King, in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border,' was almost all Lewis's. One of the ballads in that work, and, except some of Leyden's, perhaps one of the best, was made from a story picked up in a stage-coach; I mean, that of 'Will Jones.'

'They boil'd Will Jones within the pot,

And not much fat had Will.'

"I hope Walter Scott did not write the review on 'Christabel; for he certainly, in common with many of us, is indebted to Coleridge. But for him, perhaps, 'The Lay of the Last Minstrel' would never have been thought of. The line,

'Jesu Maria shield thee well!'

is word for word from Coleridge."

There are some parts of this passage extremely mistaken and exaggerated, as generally attends any attempt to record what passes in casual conversation, which resembles, in difficulty, the experiments of the old chemists for fixing quick

silver.

The following is a specimen of my poor friend Lewis's criticism on my juvenile attempts at ballad poetry; severe enough, perhaps, but for which I was much indebted to him, as forcing upon the notice of a young and careless author hints which the said author's vanity made him unwilling to attend to, but which were absolutely necessary to any hope of his ultimate

success.

Supposed 1799.

"Thank you for your revised 'Glenfinlas.' I grumble, but say no more on this subject, although I hope you will not be so inflexible on that of your other Ballads; for I do not des

pair of convincing you in time, that a bad rhyme Is, in fact, no rhyme at all. You desired me to point out my objections, leaving you at liberty to make use of them or not; and so have at Frederic and Alice.' Stanza 1st, 'hies' and 'joys are not rhymes; the 1st stanza ends with 'joys;' the 2d begins with joying.' In the 4th, there is too sudden a change of tenses, 'flows' and 'rose.' 6th, 7th, and 8th, I like much. 9th, Does not ring his ears' sound ludicrous in yours? The first idea that presents itself is, that his ears were pulled; but even the ringing of the ears does not please. 12th, Shower and roar, not rhymes. Soil' and 'aisle,' in the 13th, are not much better; but 'head' and 'descried' are execrable. In the 14th, bar' and 'stair' are ditto; and groping' is a nasty word. Vide Johnson, He gropes his breeches with a monarch's air.' In the 15th, you change your metre, which has always an unpleasant effect; and 'safe' and 'receive' rhyme just about as well as Scott and Lewis would. 16th, 'within' and 'strain' are not rhymes. 17th, 'hear' and 'air,' not rhymes. 18th, Two metres are mixed; the same objection to the third line of the 19th. Observe that, in the Ballad, I do not always object to a variation of metre; but then it ought to increase the melody, whereas, in my opinion, in these instances it is diminished.

"THE CHASE.-12th, The 2d line reads very harshly; and 'choir' and 'lore' are not rhymes. 13th, Rides' and 'side' are not rhymes. 30th, Pour' and 'obscure,' not rhymes. 40th, Spreads' and 'invades' are not rhymes. 46th, 'Rends' and ascend' are not rhymes.

"WILLIAM AND HELEN.-In order that I may bring it nearer the original title, pray introduce, in the first stanza, the name of Ellenora, instead of Ellen. 'Crusade' and 'sped,' not rhymes in the 2d. 3d, ' Made' and 'shed' are not rhymes; and if they were, come too close to the rhymes in the 2d. In the 4th, Joy' and victory' are not rhymes. 7th, The first line wants a verb, otherwise is not intelligible. 13th, 'Grace' and 'bliss' are not rhymes. 14th, Bale' and 'hell' are not rhymes. 18th, Vain' and 'fruitless' is tautology; and as a verb is wanted, the line will run better thus, And vain is every prayer.' 19th, Is not to her absolutely necessary in the 4th line? 20th, Grace' and 'bliss,' not rhymes. 21st, Bale' and 'hell,' not rhymes. 22d, I do not like the word 'spent.' 23d, O'er' and 'star' are vile rhymes. 26th, A verb is wanted in the 4th line; better thus, 'Then whispers thus a voice.' 28th, Is not 'Is't thou, my love?' better than My love! my love!' 31st, If wight' means, as I conjecture, 'enchanted,' does not this let the cat out of the bag? Ought not the spur to be sharp rather than bright? In the 4th line, 'Stay' and 'day' jingle together: would it not be better, 'I must be gone e'er day?' 32d, Steed' and bed' are not rhymes. 34th, Bride' and 'bed,' not rhymes. 35th, Seat and await,' not rhymes. 39th, Keep hold' and sit fust' seem to my ear vulgar and prosaic. 40th, The 4th line is defective in point of English, and, indeed, I do not quite understand the meaning. 43d, Arose' and 'pursues' are not rhymes. 45th, I am not pleased with the epithet 'savage; and the latter part of the stanza is, to me, unintelligible. 49th, Is it not closer to the original in line 3d to say, 'Swift ride the dead?' 50th, Does the rain whistle?' 55th, line 3d, Does it express, Is Helen afraid of them?' 59th, Door' and flower' do not rhyme together. 60th Scared' and 'heard' are not rhymes. 63d,' Bone' and 'skeleton' not rhymes. 64th, The last line sounds ludicrous; one fancies the heroine coming down with a plump, and sprawling upon her bottom. I have now finished my severe examination, and pointed out every objection which I think can be suggested."

great success. I must not, however, conceal from you, that nobody understood the Lady Flora of Glengyle to be a disguised demon till the catastrophe arrived; and that the opinion was universal, that some previous stanzas ought to be introduced descriptive of the nature and office of the wayward Ladies of the Wood. William Lambe, too, (who writes good verses himself, and, therefore, may be allowed to judge those of other people,) was decidedly for the omission of the last stanza but one. These were the only objections started. I thought it as well that you should know them, whether you attend to them or not. With regard to St. John's Eve, I like it much, and, instead of finding fault with its broken metre, I approve of it highly. I think, in this last Ballad, you have hit off the ancient manner better than in your former ones. Glenfinlas, for example, is more like a polished tale, than an old Ballad. But why, in verse 6th, is the Baron's helmet hacked and hewed, if (as we are given to understand) he had assassinated his enemy? Ought not tore to be torn? Tore seems to me not English. In verse 16th, the last line is word for word from Gil Morrice. 21st, Floor' and 'bower' are not rhymes," &c. &c. &c.

The gentleman noticed in the following letter, as partaker in the author's heresies respecting rhyme, had the less occasion to justify such license, as his own have been singularly accurate. Mr. Smythe is now Professor of Modern History at Cambridge.

"LONDON, January 24, 1799. "I must not omit telling you, for your own comfort, and that of all such persons as are wicked enough to make bad rhymes, that Mr. Smythe (a very clever man at Cambridge) took great pains the other day to convince me, not merely that a bad rhyme might pass, but that occasionally a bad rhyme was better than a good one!!!!!! I need not tell you that he left me as great an infidel on this subject as he found me.

"Ever yours,

"M. G. LEWIS." The next letter respects the Ballad called the "Fire King," stated by Captain Medwin to be almost all Lewis's. This is an entire misconception. Lewis, who was very fond of his idea of four elementary kings, had prevailed on me to supply a Fire King. After being repeatedly urged to the task, I sat down one day after dinner, and wrote the "Fire King," as it was published in the "Tales of Wonder." The next extract gives an account of the manner in which Lewis received it, which was not very favourable; but instead of writing the greater part, he did not write a single word of it. Dr. Leyden, now no more, and another gentleman who still survives, were Now Lord Melbourne.-ED.

sitting at my side while I wrote it; nor did my occupation prevent the circulation of the bottle.

Leyden wrote a Ballad for the Cloud King, which is mentioned in the ensuing extract. But it did not answer Mat's ideas, either in the colour of the wings, or some point of costume equally important; so Lewis, who was otherwise fond of the Ballad, converted it into the Elfin King, and wrote a Cloud King himself, to finish the hierarchy in the way desired.

There is a leading mistake in the passage from Captain "The Minstrelsy of the Border" is spoken of, but Medwin. what is meant is the "Tales of Wonder." The former work contains none of the Ballads mentioned by Mr. Medwin-the latter has them all. Indeed, the dynasty of Elemental

Kings were written entirely for Mr Lewis's publication. My intimate friend, William Clerk, Esq. was the person who heard the legend of Bill Jones told in a mail-coach by a sea captain, who imagined himself to have seen the ghost to which it relates. The tale was versified by Lewis himself. I forget where it was published, but certainly in no miscellany or publication of mine.

I have only to add, in allusion to the passage I have quoted, that I never wrote a word parodying either Mr. Coleridge or any one else, which, in that distinguished instance, it would have been most ungracious in me to have done; for which the reader will see reasons in the Introduction to "The Lay of the Last Minstrel."

"DEAR SCOTT,

"LONDON, 3d February, 1800.

"I return you many thanks for your Ballad, and the Extract, and I shall be very much obliged to your friend for the 'Cloud King.' I must, however, make one criticism upon The Spirit, being a wicked the Stanzas which you sent me. one, must not have such delicate wings as pale blue ones. He has nothing to do with Heaven except to deface it with storms; and therefore, in The Monk,' I have fitted him with a pair of sable pinions, to which I must request your friend to adapt his Stanza. With the others I am much pleased, as I am with your Fire King; but every body makes the same objection to it, and expresses a wish that you had conformed your Spirit to the description given of him in The Monk,' where his office is to play the Will o' the Wisp, and lead travellers into bogs, &c. It is also objected to, his being removed from his native land, Denmark, to Palestine; and that the office assigned to him in your Ballad has nothing peculiar to the Fire King,' but would have suited Arimanes, Beelzebub, or any other evil spirit, as well. However, the Ballad itself I think very pretty. I suppose you have heard from Bell respecting the copies of the Ballads. I was too much distressed at the time to write myself," &c. &c.

"M. G. L."

Thomas the Rhymer.

IN THREE PARTS.

PART FIRST.-ANCIENT.

FEW personages are so renowned in tradition as Thomas of Ercildoune, known by the appellation of The Rhymer. Uniting, or supposing to unite, in his person, the powers of poetical composition, and of vaticination, his memory, even after the lapse of five hundred years, is regarded with veneration by his countrymen. To give any thing like a certain history of this remarkable man would be indeed difficult; but the curious may derive some satisfaction from the particulars here brought together.

It is agreed on all hands, that the residence, and probably the birthplace, of this ancient bard, was Ercildoune, a village situated upon the Leader, two miles above its junction with the Tweed. The ruins of an ancient tower are still pointed out as the Rhymer's castle. The uniform tradition bears, that his sirname was Lermont, or Learmont; and that the appellation of the The Rhymer was conferred on him in consequence of his poetical compositions. There remains, nevertheless, some doubt upon the subject. In a charter, which is subjoined at length, the son of our poet designed himself "Thomas of Ercildoun, son and heir of Thomas Rymour of Ercildoun," which seems to imply that the father did not bear the hereditary name of Learmont; or, at least, was better 1 See Appendix, Note A.

The lince alluded to are these:-

known and distinguished by the epithet, which he had acquired by his personal accomplishments. I must, however, remark, that, down to a very late period, the practice of distinguishing the parties, even in formal writings, by the epithets which had been bestowed on them from personal circumstances, instead of the proper sirnames of their families, wa common, and indeed necessary, among the Border clans. So early as the end of the thirteenth century when sirnames were hardly introduced in Scotland, this custom must have been universal. There is, therefore, nothing inconsistent in supposing our poet's name to have been actually Learmont, although, in this charter, he is distinguished by the popular appellation of The Rhymer.

We are better able to ascertain the period at which Thomas of Ercildoune lived, being the latter end of the thirteenth century. I am inclined to place his death a little farther back than Mr. Pinkerton, who supposes that he was alive in 1300, (List of Scottish Poets,) which is hardly, I think, consistent with the charter already quoted, by which his son, in 1299, for himself and his heirs, conveys to the convent of the Trinity of Soltra, the tenement which he possessed by inheritance (hereditarie) in Ercildoune, with all claim which he or his predecessors could pretend thereto. From this we may infer, that the Rhymer was now dead, since we find the son disposing of the family property. Still, however, the argument of the learned historian will remain unimpeached as to the time of the poet's birth. For if, as we learn from Barbour, his prophecies were held in reputation as early as "I hope that Thomas's prophecie, Of Erceldoun, shall truly be, In him," &c.