BALLAD is a word frequently used as synonymous with song: but it properly denotes an historical song, or a song containing a narrative of adventures or exploits, either serious or comic. It is one of the most ancient species of composition, and still constitutes a great portion of the literature of the more uncivilized tribes of mankind. Giovanni Finati, who supplies us with much information respecting the manners and customs of the East, has recorded the following anecdote of ballad-literature among the Benysackr Arabs, whom he found encamped near the shores of the Dead Sea. Their chief, Ibn Fays, he states, “had strangers with him from Damascus, and feasted his guests so plentifully, that the wooden dish out of which we all fed had four iron handles to it, and required three persons to lift it and set it before us. Afterwards, a great earthen pan of grease was lighted as a lamp for the company, and Ibn Fays himself, and his brother, sung a sort of slow plaintive ballad to an instrument with one string, the purport of which was the tragic account of a battle against a neighbouring tribe, in which their own father perished·”^[1. Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Giovanni Finati, translated by William John Bankes, Esq. vol. ii. p. 272. Lond. 1830, 2 vols. 8vo. ] The leader of this wandering horde might himself be the author, as well as the reciter, of the ballad which thus regaled his guests.

Most of the nations of modern Europe have considerable collections of the ballads which delighted their forefathers; and in some countries the political influence of such compositions has been found to be very powerful. “Of these,” says Dr Aikin, “the most copious source is party; and there has seldom been an occasion of political contest in countries permitting such freedoms, in which appeal has not been made to the popular feelings by means of comic and satirical ballads, often with great effect. The share that Lilliburlero had in producing the Revolution in this country has been noticed by grave historians. In the war of the Fronde in France, ballads were a weapon as much employed as muskets, and those written for and against Cardinal Mazarin filled several volumes. The French give to these compositions the appropriate title of Vaudeville, implying their fitness to walk the streets; and indeed street-poetry iñ general belongs to the ballad class.”^[2. Aikin’s Essay on Song-Writing (p. xviii.) prefixed to Vocal Poetry, or a Select Collection of English Songs. Bond. 1810, 8vo. ] The Spaniards^[3. See the introduction to Depping’s Sammlung der besten alten Spanischen Historischen Uitter-und Maurischen Romanzen. Altenburg und Leipzig, 1817, 12mo. ] and other nations of the south have preserved ample collections of their early ballads; but the affinity of our own nation and tongue with those of the northern tribes, renders their literary reliques an object of more particular interest. The various tribes of Scandinavians have generally been distinguished for their love of poetry. Many ancient reliques of Islandic poetry are still preserved, and are regarded as very curious specimens of the literature of the different ages to which they belong; nor are the kindred nations of Sweden and Denmark without their early and recent poets, some of whom have attained to high reputation. Of the ballad-poetry of these northern nations, many remnants have descended to our times; and ample collections of Danish, Swedish, and even Feroese ballads have recently been published by respectable editors, “The songs mentioned by Tacitus in his account of the Germans,” says Mr Jamieson, “those collected by the order of Charlemagne, and those which the Goths brought with them out of the East, are now not to be found; yet it is more than probable that much more of them is preserved, in however altered a form, than we are aware of; in the elder northern and Teutonic romances, the Danish and Swedish, Scottish and English popular ballads, and those which are sung by old women and nurses, and hawked about at fairs, in Germany.”^[4. Illustrations of Northern Antiquities, p. 245. Edinb. 1814, 4to. ] The same ingenious and well-informed writer has elsewhere expressed his conviction, that many of the traditionary ballads still current in this kingdom have been preserved in the north of England and the lowlands of Scotland, ever since the arrival of the Cimbri in Britain.^[5. Jamieson’s Popular Ballads and Songs, vol. ii. p. 87∙ Edinb. 180G, 2 vols. 8vo.—See however Mr Finlay’s Scottish Historical and Romantic Ballads, vol. i. p. xxv. Edinb. 1808, 2 vols. 8vo. ] Many of our historical ballads may at all events be considered as the productions of a remote period; but it is not to be supposed that they have been transmitted from one generation to another without innumerable transformations. A great proportion of them have doubtless been preserved by oral tradition; and they seem in general to have undergone such changes as brought them nearer to the current speech of each successive generation; for, without this progressive adaptation, the lapse of a few centuries would have rendered them unintelligible to the great body of the people; nor is it usual for any combination of words to be retained in the memory without being understood. Thus, for example, we have reason to believe that the ballad of Sir Patrick Spence derives its origin from a very early age; but the variations to which it must gradually have been subjected, may easily be inferred from a comparison of the different copies which are now to be found.^[6. Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, vol. i. p. 81. Scott’s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, vol. i. p. 7∙ Jamieson’s Popular Ballads. and Songs, vol. i. p. 157—See Mr Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, Ancient and Modern, p. xliv. Glasgow, 1827, 4to. ] A story may thus be preserved, when most of the original words have been changed. The close affinity between the old Danish and the old Scotish and English ballads has been noticed by various writers, by Pinkerton, Jamieson, Nyerup, Geijer, and Grimm:^[7. Pinkerton’s Enquiry, vol. i. p. 3G4. Jamieson’s Ballads, vol. ii. p- 87∙ Nyerup, Danske Viser, Bind v. S. 12. Geijer, Svenska Folk-Visor, del. i. s. liv—The affinity between the old English and the old Danish ballads is noticed in the preface (S. xxxi.) to Altdii-nische Heldenlieder, Balladen, und Märchen, übersetzt von Wilhelm Carl Grimm. Heidelberg, 1811, - 8vo. ] their resemblance is to be traced in the general spirit and contrivance of the poems; while some of the Danish and Scotish ballads exhibit a remarkable coincidence in their particular stories. Whether these effects [7:4:320]are to be imputed to so remote a cause as the emigration of the ancient Scandinavians, may however admit of much doubt and hesitation. Fiction moves from one region to another with very elastic steps, and in many instances it is impossible to trace her progress.

The earliest collector of Danish ballads was Anders Sorensön Vedel, chaplain to the king of Denmark, and an intimate friend of the celebrated astronomer Tyge Brahe. His publication bears the title of an hundred select Danish ballads, or Et hundrede vduaalde Danske Viser. Ribe, 1591, 8vo. It is now a very rare book, even in Denmark; but a copious account of it is given by Nyerup, in the last volume of the more recent collection of Danske Viser. After an interval of more than a century, another clergyman, Peder Syv, reprinted this collection of Vedel, and added an equal number of ballads. Kiöbenhavn, 1695, 8vo. But the most extensive collection appeared under the following title: Udvalgte Danske Viser fra AIiddelalderen; efter A. S. Vedels og P. Syvs trykte Udgaver, og efter haand-skrevne Samlinger, udgivne paa ny af Abrahamson, Nyerup, og Rahbek. Kiöbenhavn, 1812-14, 5 Bind. 8vo. This work is accompanied with notes and illustrations, and appears to us to possess no inconsiderable value. A similar collection of Swedish ballads was published by Geijer and Afzelius: Svenska Folk-Visor frŭm Forntiden i sam- 1ade och utgifne af Er. Gust. Geijer och Arv. Aug. Afzelius. Stockholm, 1814-16, 3 del. 8vo. These volumes are accompanied with music, printed in a quarto form. Of Feroese ballads there is a recent collection: Foerö-iske Qpoeder om Sigurd Fosnersbane og hans Aet, med et Anhang: samlede og oversatte af Hans Christian Lyng-bye, Sognepraest i Gjesing; med en Indledning af P. Ľ. Müller, Dr. og Prof, i Theol. Randers, 1822, 8vo. Dr Müller, the author of the introduction, is a learned and able writer, well known as the author of more important works.

Debes mentions that, at their weddings, and at Christmas, the Feroese w ere accustomed to “recreate themselves with a plain dance, holding one another by the hand, and singing some old champion’s ballad.”^[8. Debes’s Description of the Islands and Inhabitants of Foeroc, Englished by Dr Sterpin, p. 273. Lond. 1676, 12mo. ] These islands were peopled in the ninth century by a colony of Norwegians.^[9. Torfaei Commentatio historica de Rébus gestis Foereyensium seu Faròensium, p. 7- Havniae, 1695, 8vo. ] The language of the people, as it appears in these ballads, is removed to a considerable distance from the Islandic as well as the Danish. The plan of publishing a Feroese dictionary was formed about half a century ago; and the English prospectus printed upon that occasion furnishes so curious and entertaining a specimen of the language, that we are tempted to insert it with all its peculiarities.

“Subscription.— We are minded after many years troublesome Collection to acquaint the World with the Tongue, used upon the Isles of Fero, a Dialect of the old noble Tongue in former Times written and spoken in Norway, Denmark, Jsland, Swede, and in a good Deal of the english Dominion. Now it appears for the world translated in Latin, Danish, and conferr’d with the islandsh Tongue.

“If we were men of Wealth, we would not forbear to Regard the Expences of printing this Dictionary as a great Trifle, because it, very likely, not will exceed a good Volume in 4to; but we are poor-men. Nevertheless we hope to bring it forth by Way of Subscription and for that Reason We invite hereby our Neighbours, the brave and Reasonable Englishmen to Deal with us the Honour of bringing this Dialect out of the Darkness, wherein it lies, and let it see the Day-Liht. No-Body of our Countrymen, as we know, has thought this before.

“Perhaps this moment in our Life, ’ that has been the first in Time for this Purpose, will be the Last, and no body afterwards would attend it. The Price will be 2 pence a Sheet and upon good Paper 3 pence.

“N. Mohr. J. C. Svabol'

The two pages which follow are divided into columns for the Names of the Subscriptors and the Number of Exemplars; but it appears that the well-meaning and pains-taking creatures met with too little encouragement to proceed in their enterprise. The prospectus is without a date; but we learn from Müller and Nyerup that Svabo was employed in collecting Feroese ballads in the years 1781 and 1782. (x ,)