The New York herald., 1878-08-08
LITERATURE.

LITERATURE.
THE srIAs wEea OF SEVEN DrALs THx LIFE
TIxss or JENNY CArxAoH, 1HE BALLAD MoSGER
ssThe LILO and Times OF James Catnacn iiatc
Of seven Diaisl Ballad houser" by Charles hindisy
(scribnsr wslfordh Is book TO delight the
heart Of tho collector literature London Is
conttnuay giving birth 10 such books. ior that cy
abounds IN singular characters and strange occupa
nona Among she most interesting oil London street
vendsrs the ballad mougsrs, ono oi wnoss mum
bsr, Silas wegR, Dickens has mmortsiizsd IN "our
Mutual Friend" Ballad literature has long been one
of the things sought alter by collectors. among the
most dilssnt OF whom were Samuel fepys ana
ch.riss lamb TWO hundred snd scvcnty.hve years
ago she ballad monger was not only the poet ana
musicisu OF the poor, but he was their
nswsmongsr. And even as lately as tho early
part Of victeria's reign ballad writer's and ballad
s,pssvs have furnished the poorer classes with their
Information ON tho sensational matters OF tho day, for
nsvspapers were very dear and ballads only cost
penny. Jenny Catnach was printer and lived IN
Monmouth court, Seven Dals, and ike wsg2 no
sometimes dropped into poetry. Generally, however,
ne employed q ballad writer to whom he paid low
pence Tor weaving liquid rhyme "aoubsul scan
d.ls fabulous duels between ladies OF fashion,
saooked and sudden deaths Of eminent
individuals apocryphaI copoments, real or catch
penny accounts OF murders, Impossible roooencss
aeiusive suicides dark deeds and public executions
10 which Was usually attached the all important and
necessary 'sorrowful lamentations or COPY o, anec
tonste ycrses' which, according 10 the established
sus,oro The criminal composed in tho condemned cell
The nigh before execution" Tho success oI the
Deuny ..broadsncsl" died out with CAtnacn somo
years a~o. though several unsuccessful enorss
were mAde 10 rovive IT. Ballad mongsrs nave
nourisoed here IN New New. YORK %s. up up olS 10
man VINO dealt in this merchandise ano
had his salesrooms along the iron ience IN
another Of these dealers who made simiiar use
Of the fence around the old Fulton Strest Dctcn
good old tines" Although the library OF toe British
Museum contains n much larger number OF Droaasiae
Roxburgne coiiection taken alone Is but second in
10 tho collection known BY the namo oi Samaoi
repys, tne diarist. which Is IN the library Of maggie
continuing 1800 ballads oil which l316 are IN piaeK
letter. This fsmcd collection was commenced by inc
learned Ssldcn. Seidcn died IN l65a and Pepys con-
tinued collecting his death, IN 1dO3 The lavorse
snsms Tor tho ballad writer was nairderers comics
non., OF which the following to a. sssreo'ypcd Ok
These deeds mournfally repent.
But now Il Is too late
ns das is past, the die is cast.
Young na men be tau :hs by my are.dfursats.
And teach yourselves In early years
To love and fear your God
The iamensa.,oas and sosfession Of John William
vile, was put into Dy Catnacn's poet. and sold
like wildHre for many weeks 1t ran In this strain -
tender hearted Christians. yoa now draw nesr
Ay nams is d Is John Hoil.w.y .hs TasS viii ansiS
And when think on what I've done it makes my blood
when one roads the confession no docs not wonder
that Johns blood was like 'cc water In his veins Ho
teIis now nc killed his unsuspecting vile by strangu
lauon, and then her body up aud buried 1t In the
Lovers Walk. a. Preston. whtre It discovered by
..u fisherman belonging TO Brighton town." The con-
fesston conIinucs:-
And when body ~ some thousands hoekod
around.
Then wss sister came and to her now stays and
Then fskcn was Ann Ksnpets put close confined
And ont Of Brighten did 20, trying 80 ease my mind
The Ann Kennett alluded TO the woman for
whsse sake he murdered hts wife John had evidently
pepsntsd OF CRIME for he says that he haunted
by his wiie's bloody gnost
hope bsr SOULS heaven at when tormened shall
deserve nothing bat tho burning flames for sAd
-ana VIC have tsle reason to think that he got less
than his deserts. Occasionally the ''last sorrowul
lanentattops'' containcd "love letter." the Grim
tnai being unable in some instances TO read or write
being obstacle the imposition. The exctc cment
caused BY the death Of the Princess Charlotte spurred
Catnacn 10 composition, and no wrote several ballads
The subject ''sst OF h,s own head" ot which ne
following Is spseimen;-
She's gsne sweet Charottes gore!
Cove 10 the silent bourne,
Sho
rns reader Will observe the despair Of the above
she is gone with her joy. her darling boy.
Sho the sixth November,
Eighteen hunared ami seventeen.
This closing ssansa is remarkable for lis accuracy
In the OF dates out 20 say that "she IL
n nor iSs her aas pssa
successcs the "Fuii. H ne and particular account
81 the murder OF weare by rhurtcil and his CON-
ppnions, winch took place on The oath Of October,
1922 IN Gis Hiil Lane, near Eistree, IN Hertford-
shirs Ooly ono penny" There were eignt forms
ret up. for old Jenny had no notion OF stercoypinG
In thsse days. and prcssmen ha: TO cover their
pheepskius aAd struggled away at the 1.-Two pull
iquesz.r' at Tho rate OF Two undred three hun
died copies an hour. aud considered that wosderfu
But by working nizht and day Tor week they man :
sged TO get on sbou, two hundred aud ity thousand
copies four presses, each working Two forms
a me. CatDacn made over So 500 by this sensation
The ioersy Of she press mas never equaisd the lo-
srty Of shesc ballads Their writer's stopped nj lot hing
ssd when there wsrs no mcrdsrs or other bloody
they turned their attention to The royal
Iuas Of tho king or Inc Csnnibai Islands," and very
pepsisr while Victoria was yet maidsn:-
On. hero 1 am, both fair and young,
Ara %n, .crm.a Prince ns Se,sI: =; =. long
buxom youih, as you shall hear,
Ali hsrdsbips tor him will bear.
'rs r;..s. s.f,sS s Ssss
And ns%ia fs.% him With aiss sesd passiss s @ and heel.
viii put new shoes apcn bis feet
wmS 1Tsssrr rrisss sss slisI Albert ss,: .pr..
when he msrres the Queen Of England.
The whole OF the Catpach version of "Tom and
Jerry" Is here given from very rare copy. owned ny
q and loaned 10 the odttcr oil this volume
ous ouotation more and have done with tho
pallsd monger OF Seven Disls The following is moro
the style Of the modern ballad. IL Is headsa by .
SuI representing the widest sors OF dance:-
All around tho rsom ward with Ellen Taylor
All around the walx'd till break Of day.
And ever slnee I've nothing her
Mas she's TO MsrEato, tss summer months To
Viva. a. hall Islington first ehanced 10 her
she really looked nice. couldn't heep
In ali nv life before no'cr sture.
danced With hours. then ninted quite
Sposn--shc vas such divine creature fell in lovc
vita her tho moment saw her, LOCKED lsnruisbngly
. did the at then she such n
Irh-sueh . heavy one You might have hesrdf-
All around the room, &c
James Cninach died February 1s41, In the nfiicth
year his ago leaving has business and considerable
property TO his sister, Anne Rye, who died 1870