New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-06
"LORN4 DOONE."
Points To Be Cleared Up IN Regard
to Characters an the Book.

Lorna Doone' is one of those novels which
invite the annotator and dare say there are
many readers of it in this country who have
interested themselves in the questions of fact
it brings UP. Some of them may be moved TO
reply to Mr.. H Snowden Ward, who. as we
have recently noted. has undertaken to edit and
illustrate a new edition of the book. In a letter
to Notes and Queries he makes appeal for
unpublished evidence or for reference 10 pub
lished notes which one is likely TO have missed.
on the following points:
/ The historical facts regarding the Doones. The
principal theories (a) that they distorted
memories OF Danes, OF the time Of Alfred the
Great (l0 that they were outlaws from the coast
OF Wales. the Bristol Channel; (cl that they
& miscellaneous crowd Of outlaws (Western
and from further up country) Of whom
the died the beginning of the last
century; and (D that they were Scottish party,
OF tho time OF Charles I, who remained in Devon
for more than half century and then returned
TO their own land 1t Is possible that there Is some
truth in more than of these theories.
The Doone legends earlier than the publication
OF Lorna Doone" The stories that can be clearly
established seem TO be OF outrages: Cal near Nine
head. house sacked. but person harmed at
the time though in CONSEQUENCE OF the death OF
house. his comrades returned and slew every one
IN the house. 90 At Exford. where the Doones
killed tand in one version ate) child. saying
any asks who killed thee
Tell EN- twas the Doones Of RadGeworthy
Blackmore lays the OF this at Martinhoe.
and adds the abduction OF Chris. Badcock's wife.
motheD hastily hid. leaving child. The Doones
said Prick tho calf. and the old COW II below"
and prlcked tho child with their swords until It
died but the woman did not appear. (d) Yen
worthy. a farm near OGre was attacked when a
woman fired long gun" woundng one OF the
Doones SO that his blood was tracked in the snow
for miles.
SO far as l know. (c) is unpublished. except by
myself II is a genuinely old story, gathered from
the old folk. and like variant Of (bl Can
any give other stories or other versions.
with assurance that they Were known before 1862
I particularly anxious TO know of any old sug-
gestion TO the final fate OF the Doones. and
stories of atrocities which said 10 have stirred
the countryside TO their extinction.
3. Proofs OF the legendary existence of others
OF BlackmoreS characters before he wrote of them
Tom Faggus. Mother Melldrum De Wichehalse
and certain other characters well known IN
history legend; but the originals Of Jan Ridd
John Fry, Jeremy Stickles and others more
difficult though there have been claims of descent
from Jan Ridd. and of relationship TO "girt JAM"
in plenty since Lorna Doone' written. OF
course. there many Ridds QRedds or Rudds)
descended from those OF the name who lived
III EXInoor in the time OF Blackmore. In the
time with which no dealt in his story: but what
needs is TO be quite which Jan Ridd was
In Blackmores mind, and whether any "girt Jam
really existed in tradition before 1863.
Mr.. Ward adds that any suggestion elucl-
dating the basis OF the story will be gratefully
received by him, followed up and acknowledged
He may be addressed at Golden Green, Hadlow.