Star.
London, England, 1822-09-06 00:00:00

•
voice than rude style," to whom he alludes, he had
heard Nash aseompany -the"Mkas with the live Tr--k
dramatic action—had he seen him fall suddenly
his knees and move about cutting and thrusting.
all sides, as if to rearm thedescription of Witherr
ton fighting on his stamps—it is easy to suppcse what
would have been the result itt.fertone.bf :Nash. How-•
ever, it so happened chit the date, of Islash's fortune
was fixed. at a later MIMI; fert,tbe gteat Secretary
Cecil was once so captivated withlitainging, that
he soon enabled him to retire frowthe peofession,...
The accident that led to thiaforttuurte.reneontre is not
impertinent to, our subject time of a dearth
which was severely felt to 'the: city, the famous bal.
hid-maker Delone composed a song reflecting on het
Majesty. The ballad-singer and the publisher were
both committed to the Comptes; but the Poet defiedi
the Government from his retreat. In a letter to the
Lord Mayor he avowed the balled, justified.his satires
and concluded with these lines from the Mirror of
Magistrates, descriptive of the duties of a true Poet.
They.siere.conaposed by one .Collingbaerne, put to
death in ,the reign of Richard for " making a
foolish rh y Me."
" Things that import he must be snick to pen,
Reproving vices sharply now and then,
He must be swift when touched tyrant 3 chafe
To gallop thence, to keep his carcase safe !"
Nitsh, in the meantime, in an interview with de Se-
.cretary, fully establisholllis innocence, and laid the
iounda;ion of his future prosperity.
i:kimpossible to quit the reign of Elizabeth with-
mit for a mono delaying on the names of Elderton
and Delone, age two illustrious ballad-makers of the
time. Theforsner was full of enthusiasm—a hearty
bard :

I

tate to eves", even en state occasions, a preference
fat tot simple Wm, That charm red early years,
Illanheeltborate • ootipoiltions of. the most 'esteemed
AMMO% of the time .VOO are to ltmk Upon the bal.
.lad-slagers from this time forth in the *t of it Cor-
poration. Custom had established yearly festivals
for them in the classii regions-of St. Giles's; which
were:much frequented by some of the wit* of the
,day4-Swift, Cray, Bolingbroke, Steele, &c. From
these high followers of the Moses-yearly contingentsl
of ballads were expected. SWift contracted to fur-
nish thehumorous songs. -Gay, who, as. Goldsmith
observed of him, had a happy strain of ballad-think-
ing, was set down for the pathetic ones. Those of a
miscellaneous character were divided amongst a
number of amateur Bards. No importunities, even
of his friends, could induce Pope to attend stay of
these assemblies. He was, however, prevailed on to
write:ao epitaph for a young creature whom 'he had
several times seen and heard, and who was known'
to her companions under the title of Clarinda. She
was much favoured by some of the great, and, but!
-for her attachment to the life of a ballad-singer,
might with her beauty and accomplishments haves
risen to fortune. The following is a fragment of the'
epitaph ; and, as we have it merely from tradition,
we must not be held answerable for it as a Jenuine
or correct production :•
She who inlaid benea.th this sod of earth
:Was blest, though wanting titles, power, and birth ;
Though poor, had yet the loftiest Bards inspired;
Thougll fair, was yet by her own sex admired;
But Wortley was the woman that did praise,
And Swift and Gay the Buds that loved her lays. -
Clarinda, courted by the wise and great,
Would stay to charm the vulgar at their gate;
Pleased if those notes which Lords and roes Wed,
Were by the humble peasant-throng approved."
Gay and Swift had naturally a relish for low so-
ciety, and were hailed by the fraternity and sister-
hood as the most precious sources of profit. Amongst
other songs which Swift sells into the world through
the medium of the ballad-singers, was a severe satire
on the Duke of Marlborough,- beginning " Our
Johnny is come from the wars.* fhe song drew
much attention in the streets, and excited the strongest
resentment against the author in the breast of the ac-
complished Duchess. She remained implacable until
the publication of Gulliver, when she offered her
friendship to Swift, through his friend Gay. The
Begar's Opera was originally written (we have it on
Gay s own authority), to celebrate the marriage of
James Chanter and Moll Lay. There was a young
creature amongst the ballad-singers, now known to
the world by no other title than Clara, who' drew
much attention at this time by the sweetness and
pathos of her tones. She was the original singer of
Black-eyed Susan, and one or two songs which were
afterwards introduced into the Beggars Opera. But
her recommendation to particular notice was the cir-
cumstance of her having for many years been the
object of Lord Bolingbroke's enthusiastic *affection.—
The poor girl strayed for some time, during which
his Lordship had not seen her ; and it was alter that
interval, that, having met her, he addressed to her
the tender lines, beginning—
" Dear' thoughtless Clara, to my verse attend.
Believe for asset the lover and the friend!"
And concluding thus—
" To virtue thus and to thyself restored,
By all admired, by one alone adored;
Be to thy Harry ever kind and true,
And live for him who more than died for you!"

" He was a care-slefying blade
As ever Bacchus listed."
He was highly charged with all the frailties that RC-
company, in many cases, the social bias ; as the sitiess
Elderton of his epitaph, and the uncharitable lampoon
of Bishop Hall, record. Delone had more of judgment.
But they were both men of great genius : they were
envied, and variously and powerfully assailed: they
both shewed a courage worthy of their inspiration.
The time was now come when this remarkable duum-
virate, having lived to a good old age in the enjoy-
ment-of a degree of popular favour to which they saw
so many highly-gifted spirits pretend in vain,were to
begin to prepare their account with posterity. They
saw that their verseswoald form the traditions of every
village—still it was necessary to the dignity of their
fame that they should call in their scattered labours,
and leave behind them an authenticated version of
their songs. The collections of these two bards were
published under the titles of Garlands, with various
fanciful additions. During their days of singleness and
liberty, the ballads were called penny men invents.
The gipsies fumbled a number of female ballad-
singers about this time. The laws and the prejudices
of society, in that age, concurred in denouncing this
race. But how just is Nature! the most esteemed and
the best received ballad-singers of their time belonged
to the outlaw tribe. Alice Boyce, for instance,with the
bronzed face, dark eyes and hair of her nation, came
to London from Cumberland. She sang-her way.to the
metropolis, and, when there, very quickly gained the
ears of the great. She was even appointed to sing
"0, the Broom" and " Lady Greenleaves" before
the Queen. The reigns of King James the First
and his successor were remarkable for nothing eon-
nected with our purpose, except that the taste of the
population for nature and simplicity kept up the pro-
fession of ballad-singing. The poets of the day in
the meantime became so learned, that they were
scarcely to be understood even by the great. Hence-
forward ballad-singing maintained a prosperous and
respectable course. The singers had no state enemies
to contend with. Their employment was too lucra-.
tire, and custom had too firmly sanctioned it, to per-
mit the persecutions of parish fiends. But, better
than all, the law as yet furnished no pretext for stop-
ping the free circulation of the lower ranks through-
out the country. The Government, and still more
frequently the Corporation of London, had been
alarmed at the influx of humble strangers into
the Metropolis. There were issued bulls of penal
denunciation, street proclamations, circumstantial
and minute, embracing the professors of all manner
of arts and employments, whether for use or.amuse-
ment ; yet not a word of ballad-singers. Fiddlers put
the whole Council into consternation ; minstrels (such
as they were) have a price set upon their bodies; but
there is no vice assumed of the members of the vocal
throng. Cromwell was disturbed by the presence of
low visitcrs to the metropolis: he again excommuni-
cates minstrels and fiddlers, but leaves ballad-singers Yesterday John Robinson.was indicted-for stealing
to pursue their business unmolested. And tet the a pair of breeches,and on being called upon to plead,
Protector found not in that order a friendly or even he replied "Guilty."
a neutral power. They sang of bold Cavaliers and The CHAIRMAN asked the prisoner whether he in-
Ladies bright, themes that did not fail to keep the tended to abide by that plea? the prisoner answered
memory of past times " green in the souls of men." in the affirmative, and the plea was ordered to be
But as soon as the Restoration removed all restraint recorded.—The prosecutor was desired to stand up.
.from the ballad-singers, the streets re-echoed to the W. Gale, a pawnbroker in Bermondsey-street, said
strains either of thanksgiving for the return of the that, on Tuesday evening, at nine o'clock, he missed
Monarch, or in ridicule of the fallen power. The the pair of breeches which the prisoner acknowledged
song beginning with the words " Rebellion bath himself guilty of stealing.—He was called in order
broken up house" was very celebrated at the time.— that the Court might ascertain the circumstances at-
klowerree,.the•taste of, the Public in the course of a tending the prisoner's guilt.
abort time Was divided between political and amatory The Cnaressan4hen sentenced the prisoner to be
pOetryl•the circumstances of the limes recommended confined three months in the House of Correction at
.the first species ;.and the spirit that produced the Brixton, and- kept to hard labour.
sfoesileys, Etheridge:, and Rocbesters, brought in the IllitheifFietaing• was tried for stealing a tea-chest
;letter. Many of the celebrated Poets of the day and other articles, the property of John Buck.
wrote for the streets and villages. But there never A lad, named Harper, who was servant to the pro-
was an era when .the ballad-singers answered more secutor, said that his master kept a stall at. Camber-
faithfully to.the public feeling. •They were a fearful well Fair. Between one and two in the morning of
check on the acts of the despotic Monarch. When Wednesday, the 21st of Atigust,while they were pre-
the Charter, was .withdrawn from the City of Lon- -paring to go off to Peckham,witness saw the prisoner
don, a storm of ballads assailed the Court, and was lift up the cloth of the stall, and take away a large
beard ,with dismay in the Council. The agitated box, on which he hallooed out to his master, and at
period that immediately went before the Revolution the samc-time he saw the prisoner run away ; he cried
pnensitted .scarcely any but political ballads to be out " stop thief," and never lost sight of the prisoner
sag. There were faint strains of loyalty now and until the watchman took him.
thou put forth.
Sevenal gstn the death of Rus- Charles Walsh,.the watchman, swore to his run
sell and M npmeath ale prisserved. But the great ning after the prisoner when the alarm was given
effeative. force of the bailad4lngers .was. directed and taking him into custody. When taken to the
t the.reigning family.' The decisive effects of , watch-house the prisoner pulled off a cost,' which he'
ttleggael. verses called the Litlitualtdie itre anther- threw on one side, and a small knife was found in the
tillaattl: by _Cabby. , Lisle •Wintekoirf tile author of pockit of it. •
ithresentp boasted that-he hadAltiistif Idtig.raines , The night constable of Camberwell said the pri-
dalt..of his doninioaa.o.oll4kailechnotly' the ismffl
er had taken off his coat to bae the boy, in order
yam* waiters.: cialletibmealiradthit theit was no that he might hot 'know him ; the boy, however,
etalgenttkaaia theAteebtaciThe OA' of 'tidpulat stneatapily pointed,him oat from among,a 404,444 W
wow; andikalled-tinghtreatarill Vhd sde t(' -the i 44 444iers„ observing that he knew him by his:glased
--"stahliak ed.) drtaaansathe Qbeen laird *We.' kateand.black handkerchief. • : - •
`` trDs~ttllttil~.tpBaxs~;'%lie iartidtheib► • Jobb .Iluck, the owt*of the ;faten:4)4 ttirt! cite.

A series of calamities totally ruined her vocal powers,
and she afterwards subsisted by the sale of oranges
at the Court of Requests.
The profession did not continue to maintain its
rank. The disappointed author in Roderick Random,
who set about writing for the ballad-singers, Was in-
troduced into one of their assemblies. His testimony
establishes the deepest degeneracy in the members of
the order. Indeed, the history of ballad-singing
during the remainder of the last century affords but
an unsatisfactory subject of reflection to the lovers of
song. The modern state of the art merits an essay
in itself. w.
• 11'be Queen having a mind one. afternoon to be enter-
taineYwith music, sent to Mr. (jostling, to Henry Pureed; and
"Mrs. Hunt, with a request to attend her: they obeyeti.her
mends. Mr. Gostling and Mrs. Hunt sung several compositions
of Purcell, who accompanied. them on the harpsichord : at length
the Queen beginning to grow tired of this, asked Mrs. Hunt if
she could not sing the old Scots ballad of Cold and raw ?' Mrs.
Hunt answered, yei, sad sung it to her lute. Purcell was all
tbs while sitting at the harpsichord unemployed, and not a little
nettled at the Queen's preference of a vulgar ballad to his
music."—Sir J. Hawkins.

SURREY SESSIONS.