Collected Writings (Volume 7) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1903. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... NATIONAL MINSTRELSY BALLADS AND BALLAD-SINGERS " Give me the making of a people's balladi, and let who will enact their lawi." -- Flktcku or Saltohh. " Valdius oblectat populum, meliusque moratur, Quam vernu inopes rerum, nugaeque canone." Hok. A. f IT is well remarked by Mr. Addison, in his justly celebrated paper on the ballad of " The Children in the Wood," of which Mr. Godwin has lately given us so admirable an amplification in his novel of " Cloudesley," that "those only who are endowed with a true greatness of soul and genius, can divest themselves of the little images of ridicule, and admire nature in her simplicity and nakedness " of beauty. We trust, therefore, that we shall not only be forgiven, but commended by our most thinking public, for the zeal and diligence with which we have, according to the Horatian precept, devoted sleepless nights and days to the recovery of some of those precious gems of taste and genius, which adorn what may, in the strictest sense, be termed " our national literature," and which, according to the notion of the grave Scotch politician quoted above, moves and influences the people, " And wields at will the fierce democracy," more than any other species of writing whatever. Notwithstanding the laborious researches of our countryman, Mr. Edward Bunting, and the elegant adaptations of Mr. Moore, we confess that we indulge in a pleasing belief that now, for the first time, most of the reliques which will be found embalmed in the following paper, are rescued from the chilling gripe of forgetfulness, and reserved as a KTrjfj.a e