Produced by Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net THE BALLADISTS [Illustration: THE BALLADISTS BY JOHN GEDDIE FAMOUS .SCOTS. .SERIES. PUBLISHED BY OLIPHANT ANDERSON & FERRIER . EDINBURGH AND LONDON ] * * * * * The designs and ornaments of this volume are by Mr. Joseph Brown, and the printing from the press of Messrs. T. and A. Constable, Edinburgh. * * * * * PREFACE Not much more has been attempted in these pages than to extract the marrow of the Scottish Ballad Minstrelsy. They will have served their purpose if they help to awaken, or to renew, a relish for the contents of the Ballad Book. To know and love these grand old songs is its own exceeding great reward; and it is also, alas! almost the only means now left to us of knowing something concerning their nameless writers. Questions involving literary or critical controversy as to the age and genuineness of the ballads have been, as far as possible, avoided in this popular presentation of their beauties and their qualities; and in case any challenge may be made of the origin or authenticity of the passages quoted, I may say that, in nearly every case, I have prudently, and of purpose, refrained from giving the authority for my text, and have taken that which best pleases my own ear or has clung most closely to my memory. J. G. _July 1896._ CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I BALLAD CHARACTERISTICS 9 CHAPTER II BALLAD GROWTH AND BALLAD HISTORY 24 CHAPTER III BALLAD STRUCTURE AND BALLAD STYLE 43 CHAPTER IV THE MYTHOLOGICAL BALLAD 58 CHAPTER V THE ROMANTIC BALLAD 83 CHAPTER VI THE HISTORICAL BALLAD 108 CHAPTER VII CONCLUSION 128 CHAPTER I BALLAD CHARACTERISTICS 'Layes that in harping Ben y-found of ferli thing; Sum beth of wer, and sum of wo, Sum of joye and mirthe also; And sum of treacherie and gile; Of old aventours that fell while; And sum of bourdes and ribaudy; And many ther beth of faery,-- Of all things that men seth; Maist o' love forsoth they beth.' _The Lay of the Ash._