PART III.

BORROVIANA: COMPLETE VOLUMES OF BIOGRAPHY AND CRITICISM 311

PART I.

EDITIONES PRINCIPES, ETC.

(1) [CELEBRATED TRIALS: 1825]

Celebrated Trials, / and / Remarkable Cases / of / Criminal

Jurisprudence, / from / The Earliest Records / to / The Year 1825. /

[_Thirteen-line quotation from Burke_] / In Six Volumes. / Vol. I.

[_Vol. II_, _&c._] / London: / Printed for Knight and Lacey, /

Paternoster-Row. / 1825. / Price 3 pounds 12_s._ in Boards.

Collation:--Demy octavo.

Vol. I. Pp. xiii + v + 550, with nine engraved Plates.

Vol. II. ,, vi + 574, with seven engraved Plates.

[P. 574 is misnumbered 140.]

Vol. III. ,, vi + 572, with three engraved Plates.

Vol. IV. ,, vi + 600, with five engraved Plates.

Vol. V. ,, vi + 684, with five engraved Plates.

Vol. VI. ,, viii + 576 + an _Index_ of 8 pages, together with six

engraved Plates.

Issued in drab paper boards, with white paper back-labels. The leaves

measure 8.625 x 5 inches.

It is evident that no fewer than five different printing houses were

employed simultaneously in the production of this work.

The preliminary matter of all six volumes was printed together, and the

reverse of each title-page carries at foot the following imprint:

"_London_: / _Shackell and Arrowsmith_, _Johnson's-Court_,

_Fleet-Street_."

The same firm also worked the whole of the Second Volume, and their

imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 574 [misnumbered 140].

Vol. I bears, at the foot of p. 550, the following imprint: "_Printed by

W. Lewis_, 21, _Finch-Lane_, _Cornhill_."

Vol. III bears, at the foot of p. 572, the following imprint: "_J. and C.

Adlard_, _Printers_, / _Bartholomew Close_."

Vols. IV and VI bear, at the foot of pages 600 and 576 respectively, the

following imprint: "_D. Sidney & Co._, _Printers_ /

_Northumberland-street_, _Strand_."

Vol. V bears, at the foot of p. 684, the following imprint: "_Whiting and

Branston_, / _Beaufort House_, _Strand_."

Both Dr. Knapp and Mr. Clement Shorter have recorded full particulars of

the genesis of the _Celebrated Trials_. Mr. Shorter devotes a

considerable portion of Chapter xi of _George Borrow and his Circle_ to

the subject, and furnishes an analysis of the contents of each of the six

volumes. _Celebrated Trials_ is, of course, the _Newgate Lives and

Trials_ of _Lavengro_, in which book Borrow contrived to make a

considerable amount of entertaining narrative out of his early struggles

and failures.

There is a Copy of the First Edition of _Celebrated Trials_ in the

Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 518.g.6.

(2) [FAUSTUS: 1825]

Faustus: / His / Life, Death, / and / Descent into Hell. / Translated

from the German. / _Speed thee_, _speed thee_, / _Liberty lead thee_, /

_Many this night shall harken and heed thee_. / _Far abroad_, /

_Demi-god_, / _Who shall appal thee_! / _Javal_, _or devil_, _or what

else we call thee_. / Hymn to the Devil. / London: / W. Simpkin and R.

Marshall. / 1825.

[Picture: Title page of Fautus, 1825]

Collation:--Foolscap octavo, pp. xii + 251; consisting of: Half-title

(with imprint "_Printed by_ / _J. and C. Adlard_, _Bartholomew Close_" at

the foot of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page, as above (with blank

reverse) pp. iii-iv; Preface (headed _The Translator to the Public_) pp.

v-viii; Table of _Contents_ pp. ix-xii; and Text pp. 1-251. The reverse

of p. 251 is occupied by Advertisements of Horace Welby's _Signs before

Death_, and John Timbs's _Picturesque Promenade round Dorking_. The

headline is _Faustus_ throughout, upon both sides of the page. At the

foot of the reverse of p. 251 the imprint is repeated thus, "_J. and C.

Adlard_, _Bartholomew Close_." The signatures are A (6 leaves), B to Q

(15 sheets, each 8 leaves), plus R (6 leaves).

Issued (in _April_, 1825) in bright claret-coloured linen boards, with

white paper back-label. The leaves measure 6.75 x 4.25 inches. The

published price was 7_s._ 6_d._

The volume has as _Frontispiece_ a coloured plate, engraved upon copper,

representing the supper of the sheep-headed Magistrates, described on pp.

64-66. The incident selected for illustration is the moment when the

wine 'issued in blue flames from the flasks,' and 'the whole assembly sat

like so many ridiculous characters in a mad masquerade.' This

illustration was not new to Borrow's book. It had appeared both in the

German original, and in the French translation of 1798. In the original

work the persons so bitterly satirized were the individuals composing the

Corporation of Frankfort.

In 1840 'remainder' copies of the First Edition of _Faustus_ were issued

with a new title-page, pasted upon a stub, carrying at foot the following

publishers' imprint, "_London_: / _Simpkin_, _Marshall & Co._ / 1840."

They were made up in bright claret-coloured linen boards, uniform with

the original issue, with a white paper back-label. The published price

was again 7_s._ 6_d._

_Faustus_ was translated by Borrow from the German of Friedrich

Maximilian von Klinger. Mr. Shorter suggests, with much reason, that

Borrow did not make his translation from the original German edition of

1791, but from a French translation published in Amsterdam in 1798.

The reception accorded to _Faustus_ was the reverse of favourable. _The

Literary Gazette_ said (_July_ 16_th_, 1825):--

"This is another work to which no respectable publisher ought to have

allowed his name to be put. The political allusion and metaphysics,

which may have made it popular among a low class in Germany, do not

sufficiently season its lewd scenes and coarse descriptions for

British palates. We have occasionally publications for the

fireside,--these are only fit for the fire."

Borrow's translation of Klinger's novel was reprinted in 1864, without

any acknowledgment of the name of the translator. Only a few stray words

in the text were altered. But five passages were deleted from the

Preface, which, not being otherwise modified or supplemented, gave--as

was no doubt the intention of the publishers--the work the appearance of

a new translation specially prepared. This unhallowed edition bears the

following title-page:

_Faustus_: / _His_ / _Life_, _Death_, _and Doom_. / _A Romance in Prose_.

/ _Translated from the German_. / [Quotation as in the original edition,

followed by a Printer's ornament.] / _London_: / _W. Kent and Co._,

_Paternoster Row_. / 1864.--Crown 8vo, pp. viii + 302.

"There is no reason to suppose," remarks Mr. Shorter (_George Borrow and

his Circle_, p. 104) "that the individual, whoever he may have been, who

prepared the 1864 edition of _Faustus_ for the Press, had ever seen

either the German original or the French translation of Klinger's book."

There is a copy of the First Edition of _Faustus_ in the Library of the

British Museum. The Press-mark is N.351.

[Picture: Title page of Romantic Ballads]

(3) [ROMANTIC BALLADS: 1826]

Romantic Ballads, / Translated from the Danish; / and / Miscellaneous

Pieces; / By / George Borrow. / _Through gloomy paths unknown_-- / _Paths

which untrodden be_, / _From rock to rock I roam_ / _Along the dashing

sea_. / Bowring. / Norwich: / Printed and Published by S. Wilkin, Upper

Haymarket. / 1826.

Collation:--Demy octavo, pp. xii + 187; consisting of: Half-title (with

imprint "_Norwich_: / _Printed by S. Wilkin_, _Upper Haymarket_" upon the

centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page, as above (with blank

reverse) pp. iii-iv; Table of _Contents_ (with blank reverse) pp. v-vi;

_Preface_ pp. vii-viii; Prefatory Poem _From Allan Cunningham to George

Borrow_ pp. ix-xi, p. xii is blank; Text of the _Ballads_ pp. 1-184; and

List of Subscribers pp. 185-187. The reverse of p. 187 is blank. There

are head-lines throughout, each page being headed with the title of the

Ballad occupying it. The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 184. The

signatures are a (a half-sheet of 4 leaves), b (a quarter-sheet of 2

leaves), B to M (eleven sheets, each 8 leaves), and N (a half-sheet of 4

leaves), followed by an unsigned quarter-sheet of 2 leaves carrying the

List of Subscribers. {12} Sigs. G 5 and H 2 (pp. 89-90 and 99-100) are

cancel-leaves, mounted on stubs, in every copy I have met with.

Issued (in _May_ 1826) in dark greenish-grey paper boards, with white

paper back-label, lettered "_Romantic_ / _Ballads_ / _From the_ / _Danish

By_ / _G. Borrow_ / _Price_ 10/6 _net_." The leaves measure 9 x 5.5

inches.

The volume of _Romantic Ballads_ was printed at Norwich during the early

months of 1826. The edition consisted of Five Hundred Copies, but only

Two Hundred of these were furnished with the Title-page transcribed

above. These were duly distributed to the subscribers. The remaining

Three Hundred copies were forwarded to London, where they were supplied

with the two successive title-pages described below, and published in the

ordinary manner.

"_I had an idea that_, _provided I could persuade any spirited

publisher to give these translations to the world_, _I should acquire

both considerable fame and profit_;_ not perhaps a world-embracing

fame such as Byron's_, _but a fame not to be sneered at_, _which

would last me a considerable time_, _and would keep my heart from

breaking_;--_profit_, _not equal to that which Scott had made by his

wondrous novels_, _but which would prevent me from starving_, _and

enable me to achieve some other literary enterprise_. _I read and

re-read my ballads_, _and the more I read them the more I was

convinced that the public_, _in the event of their being published_,

_would freely purchase_, _and hail them with merited

applause_"--["George Borrow and his Circle," 1913, p. 102.]

Allan Cunningham's appreciation of the manner in which Borrow had

succeeded in his effort to introduce the Danish Ballads to English

readers is well expressed in the following letter:

27, _Lower Belgrave Place_,

_London_.

16_th_ _May_, 1826.

_My dear Sir_,

_I like your Danish Ballads much_, _and though Oehlenslaeger seems a

capital poet_, _I love the old rhymes best_. _There is more truth

and simplicity in them_;_ and certainly we have nothing in our

language to compare with them_. . . . '_Sir John_' _is a capital

fellow_, _and reminds one of Burns'_ '_Findlay_.' '_Sir Middel_' _is

very natural and affecting_, _and exceedingly well rendered_,--_so

is_ '_The Spectre of Hydebee_.' _In this you have kept up the true

tone of the Northern Ballad_. '_Svend Vonved_' _is wild and

poetical_, _and it is my favourite_. _You must not think me

insensible to the merits of the incomparable_ '_Skimming_.' _I think

I hear his neigh_, _and see him crush the ribs of the Jute_. _Get

out of bed_, _therefore_, _George Borrow_, _and be sick or sleepy no

longer_. _A fellow who can give us such exquisite Danish Ballads has

no right to repose_. . . .

_I remain_,

_Your very faithful friend_,

_Allan Cunningham_.

_Contents_.

PAGE.

Introductory Verses. By Allan Cunningham. [_Sing_, ix

_sing_, _my friend_; _breathe life again_]

The Death-Raven. [_The silken sail_, _which caught the 1

summer breeze_]

I give herewith a reduced facsimile of the first page of

the original Manuscript of this Ballad. No other MS. of

it is known to be extant.

Fridleif and Helga. [_The woods were in leaf_, _and 21

they cast a sweet shade_]

Sir Middel. [_So tightly was Swanelil lacing her vest_] 28

Previously printed (under the title _Skion Middel_, the

first line reading, "_The maiden was lacing so tightly

her vest_,") in _The Monthly Magazine_, _November_ 1823,

p. 308. Apart from the opening line, the text of the

two versions (with the exception of a few trifling

verbal changes) is identical.

Another, but widely different, version of this Ballad is

printed in _Child Maidelvold and Other Ballads_, 1913,

pp. 5-10. In this latter version the name of the

heroine is Sidselil in place of Swanelil, and that of

the hero is Child Maidelvold in place of Sir Middel.

Elvir-Shades. [_A sultry eve pursu'd a sultry day_] 32

Considerable differences are to be observed between the

text of the Manuscript of _Elvir-Shades_ and that of the

printed version. For example, as printed the second

stanza reads:

_I spurr'd my courser_, _and more swiftly rode_,

_In moody silence_, _through the forests green_,

_Where doves and linnets had their lone abode_.

In the Manuscript it reads:

_Immers'd in pleasing pensiveness I rode_

_Down vistas dim_, _and glades of forest green_,

_Where doves and nightingales had their abode_.

The Heddybee-Spectre. [_I clomb in haste my dappled 37

steed_]

In 1829 Borrow discarded his original (1826) version of

_The Heddybee-Spectre_, and made an entirely new

translation. This was written in couplets, with a

refrain repeated after each. In 1854 the latter version

was revised, and represents the final text. It

commences thus:

_At evening fall I chanced to ride_,

_My courser to a tree I tied_.

_So wide thereof the story goes_.

_Against a stump my head I laid_,

_And then to slumber I essay'd_

_So wide thereof the story goes_.

From the Manuscript of 1854 the ballad was printed

(under the amended title _The Heddeby Spectre_) in

_Signelil_, _A Tale from the Cornish_, _and Other

Ballads_, 1913, pp. 22-24. Borrow afterwards described

the present early version as 'a paraphrase.'

Sir John. [_Sir Lave to the island stray'd_] 40

There is extant a Manuscript of _Sir John_ which

apparently belongs to an earlier date than 1826. The

text differs considerably from that of the _Romantic

Ballads_. I give a few stanzas of each.

1826.

_The servants led her then to bed_,

_But could not loose her girdle red_!

"_I can_, _perhaps_," _said John_.

_He shut the door with all his might_;

_He lock'd it fast_, _and quench'd the light_:

"_I shall sleep here_," _said John_.

_A servant to Sir Lave hied_:--

"_Sir John is sleeping with the bride_:"

"_Aye_, _that I am_," _said John_.

_Sir Lave to the chamber flew_:

"_Arise_, _and straight the door undo_!"

"_A likely thing_!" _said John_.

_He struck with shield_, _he struck with spear_--

"_Come out_, _thou Dog_, _and fight me here_!"

"_Another time_," _said John_.

_Early MS._

_They carried the bride to the bridal bed_,

_But to loose her girdle ne'er entered their head_--

"_Be that my care_," _said John_.

_Sir John locked the door as fast as he might_:

"_I wish Sir Lave a very good night_,

_I shall sleep here_," _said John_.

_A messenger to Sir Lave hied_:

"_Sir John is sleeping with thy young bride_!"

"_Aye_, _that I am_!" _said John_.

_On the door Sir Lave struck with his glove_:

"_Arise_, _Sir John_, _let me in to my love_!"

"_Stand out_, _you dog_!" _said John_.

_He struck on the door with shield and spear_:

"_Come out_, _Sir John_, _and fight me here_!"

"_See if I do_!" _said John_.

May Asda. [_May Asda is gone to the merry green wood_] 44

Aager and Eliza. [_Have ye heard of bold Sir Aager_] 47

Saint Oluf. [_St. Oluf was a mighty king_] 53

_Of Saint Oluf_ there are three MSS. extant, the first

written in 1826, the second in 1829, and the third in

1854. In the two later MSS. the title given to the

Ballad is _Saint Oluf and the Trolds_. As the latest

MS. affords the final text of the Poem, I give a few of

the variants between it and the printed version of 1826

1826.

_St. Oluf built a lofty ship_,

_With sails of silk so fair_;

"_To Hornelummer I must go_,

_And see what's passing there_."

"_O do not go_," _the seamen said_,

"_To yonder fatal ground_,

_Where savage Jutts_, _and wicked elves_,

_And demon sprites_, _abound_."

_St. Oluf climb'd the vessel's side_;

_His courage nought could tame_!

"_Heave up_, _heave up the anchor straight_;

_Let's go in Jesu's name_.

"_The cross shall be my faulchion now_--

_The book of God my shield_;

_And_, _arm'd with them_, _I hope and trust_

_To make the demons yield_!"

_And swift_, _as eagle cleaves the sky_,

_The gallant vessel flew_,

_Direct for Hornelummer's rock_,

_Through ocean's wavy blue_.

'_Twas early in the morning tide_

_When she cast anchor there_;

_And_, _lo_! _the Jutt stood on the cliff_,

_To breathe the morning air_:

_His eyes were like the burning beal_--

_His mouth was all awry_;

_The truth I tell_, _and say he stood_

_Full twenty cubits high_.

* * * * *

"_Be still_, _be still_, _thou noisy guest_--

_Be still for evermore_;

_Become a rock and beetle there_,

_Above the billows hoar_."

_Up started then_, _from out the hill_,

_The demon's hoary wife_;

_She curs'd the king a thousand times_,

_And brandish'd high her knife_.

_Sore wonder'd then the little elves_,

_Who sat within the hill_,

_To see their mother_, _all at once_,

_Stand likewise stiff and still_.

1854.

_Saint Oluf caused a ship be built_,

_At Marsirand so fair_;

_To Hornelummer he'll away_,

_And see what's passing there_.

_Then answer made the steersman old_,

_Beside the helm who stood_:

"_At Hornelummer swarm the Trolas_,

_It is no haven good_."

_The king replied in gallant guise_,

_And sprang upon the prow_:

"_Upon the Ox {23} the cable cast_,

_In Jesu's name let go_!"

_The Ox he pants_, _the Ox he snorts_,

_And bravely cuts the swell_--

_To Hornelummer in they sail_

_The ugly Trolds to quell_.

_The Jutt was standing on the cliff_,

_Which raises high its brow_;

_And thence he saw Saint Oluf_, _and_

_The Ox beneath him go_.

_His eyes were like a burning beal_,

_His mouth was all awry_,

_The nails which feve'd his fingers' ends_

_Stuck out so wondrously_.

"_Now hold thy peace_, _thou foulest fiend_,

_And changed be to stone_;

_Do thou stand there_ '_till day of doom_,

_And injury do to none_."

_Then out came running from the hill_

_The carline old and grey_;

_She cursed the King a thousand times_,

_And bade him sail away_.

_Then wondered much the little Trolds_,

_Who sat within the hill_,

_To see their mother all at once_

_Stand likewise stiff and still_.

The entire ballad should be compared with _King Oluf the

Saint_, printed in _Queen Berngerd_, _The Bard and the

Dreams_, _and Other Ballads_, 1913, pp 23-29.

The Heroes of Dovrefeld. [_On Dovrefeld_, _in Norway_] 58

Another version of _The Heroes of Dovrefeld_, written in

1854, is extant in manuscript. Unlike that of 1826,

which was in four line stanzas, this later version is

arranged in couplets, with a refrain repeated after

each. It commences as follows:

_On Dovrefeld in Norroway_

_Free from care the warriors lay_.

_Who knows like us to rhyme and rune_?

_Twelve bold warriors there were seen_,

_Brothers of Ingeborg the Queen_.

_Who knows like us to rhyme and rune_?

_The first the rushing storm could turn_,

_The second could still the running burn_.

_Who knows like us to rhyme and rune_?

Svend Vonved. [_Svend Vonved sits in his lonely bower_] 61

In a Manuscript of 1830 the name employed is _Swayne

Vonved_. There is no 1854 Manuscript of this Ballad.

The Tournament. [_Six score there were_, _six score and 82

ten_]

_The Tournament_ was one of the Ballads entirely

rewritten by Borrow in 1854 for inclusion in the then

projected _Koempe Viser_. The text of the later version

differed greatly from that of 1826, as the following

extracts will show:

1826.

_Six score there were_, _six score and ten_,

_From Hald that rode that day_;

_And when they came to Brattingsborg_

_They pitch'd their pavilion gay_.

_King Nilaus stood on the turrets top_,

_Had all around in sight_:

"_Why hold those heroes their lives so cheap_,

_That it lists them here to fight_?

"_Now_, _hear me_, _Sivard Snaresvend_;

_Far hast thou rov'd_, _and wide_,

_Those warriors' weapons thou shalt prove_,

_To their tent thou must straightway ride_."

* * * * *

_There shine upon the eighteenth shield_

_A man_, _and a fierce wild boar_,

_Are borne by the Count of Lidebierg_;

_His blows fall heavy and sore_.

_There shines upon the twentieth shield_,

_Among branches_, _a rose_, _so gay_;

_Wherever Sir Nordman comes in war_,

_He bears bright honour away_.

_There shines on the one-and-twentieth shield_

_A vase_, _and of copper_ '_tis made_;

_That's borne by Mogan Sir Olgerson_:

_He wins broad lands with his blade_.

_And now comes forth the next good shield_,

_With a sun dispelling the mirk_;

_And that by Asbiorn Milde is borne_;

_He sets the knights' backs at work_.

_Now comes the four-and-twentieth shield_,

_And a bright sword there you see_;

_And that by Humble Sir Jerfing is borne_;

_Full worthy of that is he_.

* * * * *

_Sir Humble struck his hand on the board_;

_No longer he lists to play_:

_I tell you_, _forsooth_, _that the rosy hue_

_From his cheek fast faded away_.

"_Now_, _hear me_, _Vidrik Verlandson_;

_Thou art so free a man_;

_Do lend me Skimming_, _thy horse_, _this day_;

_I'll pledge for him what I can_."

* * * * *

_In came Humble_, _with boot and spur_,

_He cast on the table his sword_:

"_Sivard stands in the green wood bound_,

_He speaks not a single word_.

"_O_, _I have been to the wild forest_,

_And have seiz'd the warrior stark_;

_Sivard there was taken by me_,

_And tied to the oak's rough bark_."

* * * * *

_The queen she sat in the high_, _high loft_,

_And thence look'd far and wide_:

"_O there comes Sward Snaresvend_,

_With a stately oak at his side_."

_Then loud laugh'd fair Queen Gloriant_,

_As she looked on Sivard full_:

"_Thou wert_, _no doubt_, _in great_, _great need_,

_When thou such flowers didst pull_."

1854.

_There were seven and seven times twenty_

_Away from Hald that went_;

_And when they came to Brattingsborg_

_There pitch'd they up their tent_.

_King Nilaus stood on the turret's top_,

_Had all around in sight_:

"_If yonder host comes here to joust_

_They hold their lives but light_.

"_Now_, _hear me_, _Sivard Snarenswayne_,

_One thing I crave of thee_;

_To meet them go_, _for I would know_

_Their arms_, _and who they be_."

* * * * *

_There shine upon the eighteenth shield_

_A Giant and a Sow_;

_Who deals worse blows amidst his foes_,

_Count Lideberg_, _than thou_?

_Wherever Sir Nordman comes in war_

_He winneth fame in field_;

_Yon blooming rose and verdant boughs_

_Adorn the twentieth shield_.

_A copper kettle_, _fairly wrought_,

_Upon the next you see_;

'_Tis borne by one who realms has won_,

_Sir Mogan good_, _by thee_!

_Forth comes the two-and-twentieth shield_,

_A sun mid mist and smoke_;

_Of wrestler line full many a spine_

_Has Asborn Milday broke_.

_A glittering faulchion shines upon_

_The four-and-twentieth shield_;

_And that doth bear Sir Jerfing's heir_,

_He's worthy it to wield_.

* * * * *

_Young Humble struck his hand on the board_,

_No longer he lists to play_;

_I tell to you that the rosy hue_

_From his cheek fast fled away_.

"_Now hear me_, _Vidrik Verlandson_,

_Thou art a man so free_;

_Lend me thy horse to ride this course_,

_Grey Skimming lend to me_."

* * * * *

_In came Humble_, _with boot and spur_,

_On the table cast his sword_:

"_'Neath the green-wood bough stands Sivard now_,

_He speaketh not a word_.

"_O_, _I have been to the forest wild_,

_And have seiz'd the warrior good_:

_These hands did chain the Snarenswayne_

_To the oak's bark in the wood_."

* * * * *

_The Queen she sat in the chamber high_,

_And thence look'd far and wide_:

"_Across the plain comes the Snarenswayne_,

_With an oak-tree at his side_."

_Then loud laughed fair Queen Ellinore_,

_As she looked on Sivard full_:

"_Thou wast_, _I guess_, _in sore distress_

_When thou such flowers didst pull_!"

A reduced facsimile of the first page of the Manuscript

of the 1854 version of _The Tournament_ will be found

herewith, facing page 28.

Vidrik Verlandson. [_King Diderik sits in the halls of 98

Bern_]

_Vidrik Verlandson_ was another of the Ballads entirely

re-written by Borrow in 1854 for the proposed _Koempe

Viser_. The text of the later version differed

extremely from that of 1826, as the following examples

will shew:

1826.

"_A handsome smith my father was_,

_And Verland hight was he_:

_Bodild they call'd my mother fair_;

_Queen over countries three_:

"_Skimming I call my noble steed_,

_Begot from the wild sea-mare_:

_Blank do I call my haughty helm_,

_Because it glitters so fair_:

"_Skrepping I call my good thick shield_;

_Steel shafts have furrow'd it o'er_:

_Mimmering have I nam'd my sword_;

'_Tis hardened in heroes' gore_:

"_And I am Vidrik Verlandson_:

_For clothes bright iron I wear_:

_Stand'st thou not up on thy long_, _long legs_,

_I'll pin thee down to thy lair_:

"_Do thou stand up on thy long_, _long legs_,

_Nor look so dogged and grim_;

_The King holds out before the wood_;

_Thou shall yield thy treasure to him_."

"_All_, _all the gold that I possess_,

_I will keep with great renown_;

_I'll yield it at no little horse-boy's word_,

_To the best king wearing a crown_."

"_So young and little as here I seem_,

_Thou shalt find me prompt in a fray_;

_I'll hew the head from thy shoulders off_,

_And thy much gold bear away_."

* * * * *

_It was Langben the lofty Jutt_,

_He wav'd his steel mace round_;

_He sent a blow after Vidrik_;

_But the mace struck deep in the ground_.

_It was Langben the lofty Jutt_,

_Who had thought his foeman to slay_,

_But the blow fell short of Vidrik_;

_For the good horse bore him away_.

_It was Langben the lofty Jutt_,

_That shouted in wild despair_:

"_Now lies my mace in the hillock fast_,

_As though_ '_twere hammered in there_!"

* * * * *

"_Accursed be thou_, _young Vidrik_!

_And accursed thy piercing steel_!

_Thou hast given me_, _see_, _a wound in my breast_,

_Whence rise the pains I feel_."

* * * * *

"_Now hear_, _now hear_, _thou warrior youth_,

_Thou canst wheel thy courser about_;

_But in every feat of manly strength_

_I could beat thee out and out_."

1854.

"_My father was a smith by trade_,

_And Verland Smith he hight_;

_Bodild they call'd my mother dear_,

_A monarch's daughter bright_.

"_Blank do I call my helm_, _thereon_

_Full many a sword has snapped_;

_Skrepping I call my shield_, _thereon_

_Full many a shaft has rapped_.

"_Skimming I call my steed_, _begot_

_From the wild mare of the wood_;

_Mimmering have I named my sword_,

'_Tis hardened in heroes' blood_.

"_And I am Viderik Verlandson_,

_Bright steel for clothes I wear_;

_Stand up on thy long legs_, _or I_

_Will pin thee to thy lair_!

"_Stand up on thy long legs_, _nor look_

_So dogged and so grim_;

_The King doth hold before the wood_,

_Thy treasure yield to him_!"

"_Whatever gold I here possess_

_I'll keep_, _like a Kemp of worth_;

_I'll yield it at no horseboy's word_

_To any King on earth_!"

"_So young and little as I seem_

_I'm active in a fray_;

_I'll hew thy head_, _thou lubbard_, _off_,

_And bear thy gold away_!"

* * * * *

_It was Langben the Giant waved_

_His steely mace around_;

_He sent a blow at Vidrik_, _but_

_The mace struck deep in the ground_.

_It was Langben_, _the lofty Jutt_,

_Had thought his foe to slay_;

_But the blow fell short_, _for the speedy horse_

_His master bore away_.

_It was Langben_, _the lofty Jutt_,

_He bellow'd to the heaven_:

"_My mace is tight within the height_,

_As though by a hammer driven_!"

* * * * *

_Accurs'd be thou_, _young Vidrik_!

_Accursed be thy steel_!

_Thou'st given me a mighty wound_,

_And mighty pain I feel_.

* * * * *

"_Now hear_, _now hear_, _thou warrior youth_,

_Thou well canst wheel thy steed_;

_But I could beat thee out and out_

_In every manly deed_."

In _Romantic Ballads_, and also in the Manuscript of

1854, this Ballad is entitled _Vidrik Verlandson_. In

the Manuscript of 1829 it is entitled _Vidrik

Verlandson's Conflict with the Giant Langben_. The text

of this Manuscript is intermediate between that of the

other two versions.

A reduced facsimile of the first page of the Manuscript

of the 1854 version of _Vidrik Verlandson_ is given

herewith, facing p. 35.

Elvir Hill. [_I rested my head upon Elvir Hill's side_, 111

_and my eyes were beginning to slumber_]

In the Manuscript of 1829 this Ballad is entitled _Elfin

Hill_, and the text differs considerably from that

printed in 1826. I give the opening stanzas of each

version.

1826.

_I rested my head upon Elvir Hill's side_, _and my

eyes were beginning to slumber_;

_That moment there rose up before me two maids_,

_whose charms would take ages to number_.

_One patted my face_, _and the other exclaim'd_,

_while loading my cheek with her kisses_,

"_Rise_, _rise_, _for to dance with you here we have

sped from the undermost caves and abysses_.

"_Rise_, _fair-haired swain_, _and refuse not to

dance_;_ and I and my sister will sing thee_

_The loveliest ditties that ever were heard_, _and

the prettiest presents will bring thee_."

_Then both of them sang so delightful a song_, _that

the boisterous river before us_

_Stood suddenly quiet and placid_, _as though_

'_twere afraid to disturb the sweet chorus_.

1829.

_I rested my head upon Elfin Hill_, _on mine eyes

was slumber descending_;

_That moment there rose up before me two maids_,

_with me to discourse intending_.

_The one kissed me on my cheek so white_, _the other

she whispered mine ear in_:

"_Arise_, _arise_, _thou beautiful swain_! _for thou

our dance must share in_.

"_Wake up_, _wake up_, _thou beautiful swain_! _rise

and dance_ '_mongst the verdant grasses_;

_And to sing thee the sweetest of their songs I'll

bid my elfin lasses_."

_To sing a song then one began_, _in voice so sweet

and mellow_,

_The boisterous stream was still'd thereby_, _that

before was wont to bellow_.

Waldemar's Chase. [_Late at eve they were toiling on 115

Harribee bank_]

Previously printed in _The Monthly Magazine_, _August_

1824, p. 21.

The Merman. [_Do thou_, _dear mother_, _contrive 117

amain_]

A later, and greatly improved, version of this Ballad

was included, under the title _The Treacherous Merman_,

in _The Serpent Knight and Other Ballads_, 1913, pp.

15-17. An early draft of this later version bears the

title _Marsk Stig's Daughter_.

The Deceived Merman. [_Fair Agnes alone on the 120

sea-shore stood_]

Previously printed in _The Monthly Magazine_, _March_

1825, pp. 143-144.

Cantata. [_This is Denmark's holyday_] 127

The Hail-Storm. [_When from our ships we bounded_] 136

_The Hail Storm_ was reprinted in _Targum_, 1835, pp.

42-43, and again in _Young Swaigder or The Force of

Runes and Other Ballads_, 1913, pp. 14-15. In each

instance very considerable variations were introduced

into the text.

The Elder-Witch. [_Though tall the oak_, _and firm its 139

stem_]

Ode. From the Gaelic. [_Oh restless_, _to night_, _are 142

my slumbers_]

Bear Song. [_The squirrel that's sporting_] 144

Previously printed, with some trifling differences in

the text, in _The Monthly Magazine_, _December_, 1824,

p. 432.

National Song. [_King Christian stood beside the mast_] 146

Previously printed (under the title "_Sea Song_; _from

the Danish of Evald_") in _The Monthly Magazine_,

_December_, 1823, p. 437.

The Old Oak. [_Here have I stood_, _the pride of the 149

park_]

Lines to Six-Foot Three. [_A lad_, _who twenty tongues 151

can talk_]

Nature's Temperaments:

1. Sadness. [_Lo_, _a pallid fleecy vapour_] 155

2. Glee. [_Roseate colours on heaven's high arch_] 156

3. Madness. [_What darkens_, _what darkens_?--'_tis 158

heaven's high roof_]

In a revised Manuscript of uncertain date, but _c_

1860-70, this poem is entitled _Hecla and Etna_, the

first line reading:

"_What darkens_? _It is the wide arch of the sky_."

The Violet-Gatherer. [_Pale the moon her light was 159

shedding_]

Ode to a Mountain-Torrent. [_How lovely art thou in thy 164

tresses of foam_]

Previously printed in _The Monthly Magazine_, _October_,

1823, p. 244.

In _The Monthly Magazine_ the eighth stanza reads:

_O pause for a time_,--_for a short moment stay_;

_Still art thou streaming_,--_my words are in

vain_;

_Oft-changing winds_, _with tyrannical sway_,

_Lord there below on the time-serving main_!

In Romantic Ballads it reads:

_Abandon_, _abandon_, _thy headlong career_--

_But downward thou rushest_--_my words are in

vain_,

_Bethink thee that oft-changing winds domineer_

_On the billowy breast of the time-serving main_.

Runic Verses. [_O the force of Runic verses_] 167

Thoughts on Death. [_Perhaps_ '_tis folly_, _but still 169

I feel_]

Previously printed (under the tentative title _Death_,

and with some small textual variations) in _The Monthly

Magazine_, _October_, 1823, p. 245.

Birds of Passage. [_So hot shines the sun upon Nile's 171

yellow stream_]

The Broken Harp. [_O thou_, _who_, '_mid the forest 173

trees_]

Scenes. [_Observe ye not yon high cliff's brow_] 175

The Suicide's Grave. [_The evening shadows fall upon 182

the grave_]

NOTE.--Each poem to which no reference is attached, appeared for the

first time in this volume.

There is at present no copy of the First Issue of the First Edition of

_Romantic Ballads_, with the original Title-page, in the Library of the

British Museum.

[Picture: Manuscript of the Death Raven]

[Picture: Manuscript of Sir John]

[Picture: Manuscript of Saint Oluf and the Trolds]

[Picture: Manuscript of Svend Vonved--1830]

[Picture: Manuscript of The Tournament, 1854]

[Picture: Manuscript of Vidrik Verlandson--1854]

[Picture: Manuscript of Elvir Hill]

[Picture: Manuscript of Marsk Stig's Daughter]

Second Issue: 1826

Romantic Ballads, / Translated from the Danish; / and / Miscellaneous

Pieces; / By / George Borrow. / _Through gloomy paths unknown_--/ _Paths

which untrodden be_, / _From rock to rock I roam_ / _Along the dashing

sea_. / Bowring. / London: / John Taylor, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, /

1826.

Collation:--Demy octavo, pp. xii + 187. The details of the collation

follow those of the First Issue described above in every particular, save

that, naturally, the volume lacks the two concluding leaves carrying the

List of Subscribers.

Issued in drab paper boards, with white paper back-label. The published

price was Seven Shillings.

"_Taylor will undertake to publish the remaining copies_. _His

advice is to make the price seven shillings_, _and to print a new

title-page_, _and then he will be able to sell some for you I advise

the same_," _etc._--[Allan Cunningham to George Borrow.]

There is a copy of the Second Issue of the First Edition of _Romantic

Ballads_ in the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 11565.

cc. 8.

_Third Issue_: 1826

Romantic Ballads, / Translated from the Danish; / and / Miscellaneous

Pieces; / By / George Borrow. / _Through gloomy paths unknown_--/ _Paths

which untrodden be_, / _From rock to rock I roam_ / _Along the dashing

sea_. / Bowring. / London: / Published by Wightman and Cramp, / 24

Paternoster Row. / 1826.

Collation:--Demy octavo, pp. xii + 187. The details of the collation

follow those of the Second Issue described above in every particular.

Issued in drab paper boards, with white paper back-label. The price was

again Seven Shillings.

In 1913 a type-facsimile reprint of the Original Edition of _Romantic

Ballads_ was published by Messrs. Jarrold and Sons of Norwich. Three

hundred Copies were printed.

(4) [TARGUM: 1835]

Targum. / Or / Metrical Translations / From Thirty Languages / and /

Dialects. / By / George Borrow. / "_The raven has ascended to the nest of

the nightingale_." / Persian Poem. / St. Petersburg. / Printed by Schulz

and Beneze. / 1835.

Collation:--Demy octavo, printed in half-sheets, pp. viii + 106;

consisting of: Title-page, as above (with a Russian quotation upon the

centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; _Preface_ pp. iii-v; Table of _Contents_

pp. vi-viii, with a single _Erratum_ at the foot of p. viii; and Text of

the _Translations_ pp. 1-106. There are no head-lines, the pages being

numbered centrally in Arabic numerals. Beyond that upon the foot of the

title-page, there is no imprint. The signatures are given in large

Arabic numerals, each pair of half-sheets dividing one number between

them; thus the first half-sheet is signed 1, the second 1*, the third 2,

the fourth 2*, &c. The Register is therefore 1 to 7 (thirteen

half-sheets, each 4 leaves), followed by a single unsigned leaf (pp.

105-106), the whole preceded by an unsigned half-sheet carrying the

Title-page, Preface, and Table of Contents. The book was issued without

any half-title.

Issued in plain paper wrappers of a bright green colour, lined with

white, and without either lettering or label. The leaves measure 8 11/16

x 5.5 inches.

Borrow was happy in the title he selected for his book. _Targum_, as Mr.

Gosse has pointed out, is a Chaldee word meaning an interpretation. The

word is said to be the root of 'dragoman.'

_Targum_ was written by Borrow during his two years' residence at St.

Petersburg (August, 1833, to August, 1835), and was published in June of

the latter year. One hundred copies only were printed. As might

naturally be expected the book has now become of very considerable

rarity, but a small proportion of the original hundred copies being

traceable to-day.

A reduced facsimile of the Title-page is given herewith.

"Just before completing this great work, the _Manchu New Testament_,

Mr. Borrow published a small volume in the English language, entitled

_Targum_, _or Metrical Translations from Thirty Languages and

Dialects_. The exquisite delicacy with which he has caught and

rendered the beauties of his well-chosen originals, is a proof of his

learning and genius. The work is a pearl in literature, and, like

pearls, it derives value from its scarcity, for the whole edition was

limited to about a hundred copies."--[_John P. Hasfeld_, _in The

Athenaeum_, _March_ 5_th_, 1836.]

"Some days ago I was at Kirtof's bookshop on the Gaternaya Ulitza. I

wanted to buy a _Bible in Spain_ to send to Simbirsk (on the Volga),

where they torment me for it every post-day. The stock was all sold

out in a few days after its arrival last autumn. The bookseller

asked me if I knew a book by Borrow called _Targum_, which was

understood to have been written by him and printed at St. Petersburg,

but he had never been able to light upon it; and the surprising thing

was that the trade abroad and even in England did him the honour to

order it. I consoled him by saying that he could hardly hope to see

a copy in his shop or to get a peep at it. 'I have a copy,'

continued I, 'but if you will offer me a thousand roubles for the

bare reading of it I cannot do you the favour.' The man opened his

eyes in astonishment. 'It must be a wonderful book,' said he. 'Yes,

in that you are right, my good friend,' I replied."--[_John P.

Hasfeld_.]

"After he became famous the Russian Government was desirous of

procuring a copy of this rare book, _Targum_, for the Imperial

Library, and sent an Envoy to England for the purpose. But the Envoy

was refused what he sought, and told that as the book was not worth

notice when the author's name was obscure and they had the

opportunity of obtaining it themselves, they should not have it

now."--[_A. Egmont Hake_, _in The Athenaeum_, _August_ 13_th_, 1881.]

_Contents_.

PAGE

Ode to God. [_Reign'd the Universe's Master ere were 1

earthly things begun_]

Borrow reprinted this _Ode_ in _The Bible in Spain_,

1843, Vol. iii, p. 333.

Prayer. [_O Thou who dost know what the heart fain would 2

hide_]

Death. [_Grim Death in his shroud swatheth mortals each 3

hour_]

Stanzas. On a Fountain. [_In the fount fell my tears_, 4

_like rain_]

Stanzas. The Pursued. [_How wretched roams the weary 4

wight_]

Odes. From the Persian:

1. [_Boy_, _hand my friends the cup_, '_tis time of 5

roses now_]

2. [_If shedding lovers' blood thou deem'st a matter 5

slight_]

3. [_O thou_, _whose equal mind knows no vexation_] 6

Stanzas. From the Turkish of Fezouli. [_O Fezouli_, 7

_the hour is near_]

Description of Paradise. [_Eight Gennets there be_, _as 8

some relate_]

O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee. [_O Thou_, _from whom 11

all love doth flow_]

Mystical Poem. Relating to the worship of the Great 13

Foutsa or Buddh. [_Should I Foutsa's force and glory_]

Moral Metaphors:

1. [_From out the South the genial breezes sigh_] 19

2. [_Survey_, _survey Gi Shoi's murmuring flood_!] 20

The Mountain-Chase. [_Autumn has fled and winter left 21

our bounds_]

The Glory of the Cossacks. [_Quiet Don_!] 24

The Black Shawl. [_On the shawl_, _the black shawl with 27

distraction I gaze_]

Song. From the Russian of Pushkin. [_Hoary man_, 29

_hateful man_!]

The Cossack. An ancient Ballad. [_O'er the field the 30

snow is flying_]

The Three Sons of Budrys. [_With his three mighty sons_, 32

_tall as Ledwin's were once_]

The Banning of the Pest. [_Hie away_, _thou horrid 35

monster_!]

Woinomoinen. [_Then the ancient Woinomoinen_] 37

The Words of Beowulf, Son of Egtheof. [_Every one 39

beneath the heaven_]

The Lay of Biarke. [_The day in East is glowing_] 40

The title of this Ballad as it appears in the original

MS. is _The Biarkemal_.

The Hail-storm. [_For victory as we bounded_] 42

Previously printed (but with very considerable variations

in the text, the first line reading "_When from our ships

we bounded_") in _Romantic Ballads_, 1826, pp. 136-138.

A final version of the Ballad, written about 1854, was

printed in _Young Swaigder or The Force of Runes and

Other Ballads_, 1913, pp. 14-15.

The King and Crown. [_The King who well crown'd does 44

govern the land_]

Ode To a Mountain Torrent. [_O stripling immortal thou 45

forth dost career_]

Previously printed (but with an entirely different text,

the first line reading "_How lovely art thou in thy

tresses of foam_") in _The Monthly Magazine_, Vol. lvi.,

1823, p. 244.

Also printed in _Romantic Ballads_, 1826, pp. 164-166.

The first stanza of the _Ode_ as printed in _Targum_ does

not figure in the version given in _Romantic Ballads_,

whilst the third stanza of the _Romantic Ballads_ version

is not to be found in _Targum_.

Chloe. [_O we have a sister on earthly dominions_!] 47

Previously printed in _The Monthly Magazine_, Vol. lvi,

1823, p. 437.

National Song. From the Danish of Evald. [_King 49

Christian stood beside the mast_]

Previously printed (under the title _Sea Song_; _from the

Danish of Evald_) in _The Monthly Magazine_, _December_,

1823, p. 437.

Also printed in _Romantic Ballads_, 1826, pp. 146-148;

and again in _The Foreign Quarterly Review_, Vol. vi,

_June_, 1830, p. 70.

The four versions of this _Song_, as printed in _The

Monthly Magazine_, in _Romantic Ballads_, in _The Foreign

Quarterly Review_, and in _Targum_, are utterly

different, the opening line being the only one which has

approximately the same reading in all.

Sir Sinclair. [_Sir Sinclair sail'd from the Scottish 51

ground_]

Previously printed in _The Foreign Quarterly Review_,

Vol. vi, _June_, 1830, p. 73.

Hvidfeld. [_Our native land has ever teem'd_] 56

Birting. A Fragment. [_It was late at evening tide_] 59

This "Fragment" consists of fifteen stanzas from the

Ballad _The Giant of Berne and Orm Ungerswayne_, which

was printed complete, for Private Circulation, in 1913.

[_See post_, No. 40.]

Ingeborg's Lamentation. [_Autumn winds howl_] 62

The Delights of Finn Mac Coul. [_Finn Mac Coul_ '_mongst 65

his joys did number_]

Carolan's Lament. [_The arts of Greece_, _Rome and of 67

Eirin's fair earth_]

To Icolmcill. [_On Icolmcill may blessings pour_] 68

The Dying Bard. [_O for to hear the hunter's tread_] 70

In the original Manuscript of this Poem the title reads

_The Wish of the Bard_; the text also differs

considerably from that which appears in _Targum_.

The Prophecy of Taliesin. [_Within my mind_] 73

The History of Taliesin. [_The head Bard's place I 74

hold_]

The original Manuscript of _The History of Taliesin_

possesses many points of interest. In the first place,

in addition to sundry variations of text, it enables us

to fill up the words in the last line of stanza 3, and

the fourth line of stanza 7, which in the pages of

_Targum_ are replaced by asterisks. The full lines read:

_Where died the Almighty's Son_,

and

_Have seen the Trinity_.

In the second place the Manuscript contains a stanza,

following upon the first, which does not occur in the

printed text. This stanza reads as follows:

_I with my Lord and God_

_On the highest places trod_,

_When Lucifer down fell_

_With his army into hell_.

_I know each little star_

_Which twinkles near and far_;

_And I know the Milky Way_

_Where I tarried many a day_.

A reduced facsimile of the third page of this Manuscript

will be found herewith, facing page 54.

Epigram. On a Miser who had built a Stately Mansion. 77

[_Of every pleasure is thy mansion void_]

The Invitation. [_Parry_, _of all my friends the best_] 78

The Rising of Achilles. [_Straightway Achilles arose_, 82

_the belov'd of Jove_, _round his shoulders_]

The Meeting of Odysses and Achilles. [_Tow'rds me came 85

the Shade of Peleidean Achilles_]

Hymn To Thetis and Neoptolemus. [_Of Thetis I sing with 90

her locks of gold-shine_]

The Grave of Demos. [_Thus old Demos spoke_, _as sinking 91

sought the sun the western wave_]

The Sorceries of Canidia. [_Father of Gods_, _who rul'st 92

the sky_]

The French Cavalier. [_The French cavalier shall have my 97

praise_]

Address To Sleep. [_Sweet death of sense_, _oblivion of 98

ill_]

The Moormen's March From Granada. [_Reduan_, _I but 101

lately heard_]

The Forsaken. [_Up I rose_, _O mother_, _early_] 103

Stanzas. From the Portuguese. [_A fool is he who in the 104

lap_]

My Eighteenth Year. [_Where is my eighteenth year_? _far 105

back_]

Song. From the Rommany. [_The strength of the ox_] 106

Another version of this _Song_, bearing the title "_Our

Heart is heavy_, _Brother_," is printed in _Marsk Stig's

Daughters and other Songs and Ballads_, 1913, pp. 17-18.

NOTE.--Each poem to which no reference is attached, appeared for the

first time in this volume.

In 1892 _Targum_ was reprinted, together with _The Talisman_, by Messrs.

Jarrold & Sons, of Norwich, in an edition of 250 copies.

There is a copy of the First Edition of _Targum_ in the Library of the

British Museum. The Press-mark is C.57.i.6.

[Picture: Title page of Targum, 1835]

[Picture: Manuscript of The Miarkemal]

[Picture: Manuscript of The History of Taliesin]

(5) [THE TALISMAN: 1835]

The / Talisman. / From the Russian / of / Alexander Pushkin. / With other

Pieces. / St. Petersburg. / Printed by Schulz and Beneze, / 1835.

Collation:--Royal octavo, pp. 14; consisting of: Title-page, as above

(with a Russian quotation upon the centre of the reverse) pp. 1-2; and

Text of _The Talisman_ and other Poems pp. 3-14. There are no

head-lines, the pages being numbered centrally in Arabic numerals.

Beyond that upon the title-page there is no imprint. There are also no

signatures, the pamphlet being composed of a single sheet, folded to form

sixteen pages. The last leaf is a blank. The book was issued without

any half-title.

Issued stitched, and without wrappers. The leaves measure 9.75 x 6.25

inches.

One Hundred Copies only were printed.

A reduced facsimile of the Title-page of _The Talisman_ is given

herewith. It will be observed that the heavy letterpress upon the

reverse of the title shows through the paper, and is reproduced in the

photograph.

_Contents_.

PAGE

The Talisman. [_Where fierce the surge with awful 3

bellow_]

The Mermaid. [_Close by a lake_, _begirt with forest_] 5

Ancient Russian Songs:

1. [_The windel-straw nor grass so shook and trembled_] 8

2. [_O rustle not_, _ye verdant oaken branches_!] 9

3. [_O thou field of my delight so fair and verdant_!] 9

Ancient Ballad. [_From the wood a sound is gliding_] 11

The Renegade. [_Now pay ye the heed that is fitting_] 13

NOTE.--The whole of the poems printed in _The Talisman_ appeared there

for the first time.

In 1892 Messrs. Jarrold & Sons published page for page reprints of

_Targum_ and _The Talisman_. They were issued together in one volume,

bound in light drab-coloured paper boards, with white paper back-label,

and were accompanied by the following collective title-page:

_Targum_: / _or_, / _Metrical Translations from Thirty Languages_ / _and

Dialects_. / _And_ / _The Talisman_, / _from the Russian of Alexander

Pushkin_. / _With Other Pieces_. / _By_ / _George Borrow_. / _Author of_

"_The Bible in Spain_" _&c._ / _London_: / _Jarrold & Sons_, 3,

_Paternoster Buildings_.

In 1912 a small 'remainder' of _The Talisman_ came to light. The 'find'

consisted of about Five Copies, which were sold in the first instance for

an equal number of Pence. The buyer appears to have resold them at

progressive prices, commencing at Four Pounds and concluding at Ten

Guineas.

There is a copy of the First Edition of _The Talisman_ in the Library of

the British Museum. The Press-mark is C.57.e.33.

[Picture: Title page of The Talisman, 1835]

(6) [THE GOSPEL OF ST. LUKE: 1837]

Embeo / e Majaro Lucas. / Brotoboro / randado andre la chipe griega,

acana / chibado andre o Romano, o chipe es / Zincales de Sese. / El

Evangelio segun S. Lucas, / traducido al Romani, / o dialecto de los

Gitanos de Espana. / 1837.

Collation:--Foolscap octavo, pp. 177, consisting of: Title-page, as above

(with Borrow's Colophon upon the reverse, followed by a quotation from

the _Epistle to the Romans_, Chap. XV. v. XXIV.) pp. 1-2; and Text of the

Gospel pp. 3-177. The reverse of p. 177 is blank. There are no

head-lines, the pages being numbered centrally in Arabic numerals. There

is no printer's imprint. The signatures are A to L (11 sheets, each 8

leaves), plus L repeated (two leaves, the second a blank). The book was

issued without any half-title.

I have never seen a copy of the First Edition of Borrow's translation

into the dialect of the Spanish Gypsies of the Gospel of St. Luke in the

original binding. No doubt the book (which was printed in Madrid) was

put up in paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges, in accordance with the

usual Continental custom.

Most of the copies now extant are either in a modern binding, or in

contemporary brown calf, with marbled edges and endpapers. The latter

are doubtless the copies sent home by Borrow, and bound in leather for

that purpose. The leaves of these measure 6 x 4 inches.

As will be seen from the following extracts, it is probable that the

First Edition consisted of 250 copies, and that 50 of these were

forwarded to London:

"In response to Borrow's letter of February 27th, the Committee

resolved 'to authorise Mr. Borrow to print 250 copies of the Gospel

of St. Luke, without the Vocabulary, in the Rummanee dialect, and to

engage the services of a competent person to translate the Gospel of

St. Luke by way of trial in the dialect of the Spanish

Basque.'"--[_Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign

Bible Society_, 1911, pp. 205-206.]

"A small impression of the Gospel of St. Luke, in the Rommany, or

Gitano, or Gipsy language, has been printed at Madrid, under the

superintendence of this same gentleman, who himself made the

translation for the benefit of the interesting, singular, degraded

race of people whose name it bears, and who are very numerous in some

parts of Spain. He has likewise taken charge of the printing of the

Gospel of St. Luke, in the Cantabrian, or Spanish Basque language, a

translation of which had fallen into his hands."--[_Thirty-Fourth

Annual Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society_, 1838, p.

xliii.]

"All the Testaments were stopped at the custom house, they were

contained in two large chests. . . . The chests, therefore, with the

hundred Gospels in Gitano and Basque [probably 50 copies of each] for

the Library of the Bible Society are at present at San Lucar in the

custom house, from which I expect to receive to-morrow the receipt

which the authorities here demand."--[_Borrow's letter to the Rev. A.

Brandram_, _Seville_, _May_ 2_nd_, 1839.]

A Second Edition of the Gospel was printed in London in 1871. The

collation is Duodecimo, pp. 117. This was followed by a Third Edition,

London, 1872, the collation of which is also Duodecimo, pp. 117. Both

bear the same imprint: "_London_: / _Printed by William Clowes and Sons_,

_Stamford Street_, / _and Charing Cross_."

For these London Editions the text was considerably revised.

The Gospel of St. Luke in the Basque dialect, referred to in the above

paragraphs, is a small octavo volume bearing the following title-page:

_Evangelioa_ / _San Lucasen Guissan_ / _El Evangelio segun S. Lucas_. /

_Traducido al vascuence_. / _Madrid_: / _Imprenta de la Campania

Tipografica_ / 1838.

The translation was the work of a Basque physician named Oteiza, and

Borrow did little more than see it through the press. The book has,

therefore, no claim to rank as a Borrow _princeps_.

The measure of success which attended his efforts to reproduce the Gospel

of St. Luke in these two dialects is best told in Borrow's own words:

"I subsequently published the Gospel of St. Luke in the Rommany and

Biscayan languages. With respect to the first, I beg leave to

observe that no work printed in Spain ever caused so great and so

general a sensation, not so much amongst the Gypsies, for whom it was

intended, as amongst the Spaniards themselves, who, though they look

upon the Roma with some degree of contempt, nevertheless take a

strange interest in all that concerns them. . . . Respecting the

Gospel in Basque I have less to say. It was originally translated

into the dialect of Guipuscoa by Dr. Oteiza, and subsequently

received corrections and alterations from myself. It can scarcely be

said to have been published, it having been prohibited and copies of

it seized on the second day of its appearance. But it is in my power

to state that it is anxiously expected in the Basque provinces, where

books in the aboriginal tongue are both scarce and dear."--[_Borrow's

Survey of his last two years in Spain_, _printed in his Letters to

the Bible Society_, 1911, pp. 360-361.]

There is a copy of the First Edition of _The Gospel of St. Luke in the

dialect of the Spanish Gypsies_ in the Library of the British Museum.

The Press-mark is C.51.aa.12. The Museum also possesses a copy of the

Gospel in the Basque dialect; the Pressmark is C.51.aa.13.

[Picture: Title page of Embeo e Majaro Lucas]

(7) [THE ZINCALI: 1841]

The Zincali; / Or, / An Account / of the / Gypsies of Spain. / With / An

Original Collection of their / Songs and Poetry, / and / A Copious

Dictionary of their Language. / By / George Borrow, / Late Agent of the

British and Foreign Bible Society / in Spain. / "_For that_, _which is

unclean by nature_, _thou canst entertain no hope_: _no_ / _washing will

turn the Gypsy white_."--Ferdousi. / In Two Volumes. / Vol. I. [_Vol.

II_] / London: / John Murray, Albemarle Street. / 1841.

_Vol. I_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. xvi + 362; consisting of: Half-title

(with imprint "_G. Woodfall and Son_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner Street_,

_London_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page, as above

(with blank reverse) pp. iii-iv; Dedication _To the Right Honourable the

Earl of Clarendon_, _G.C.B._ (with blank reverse) pp. v-vi; _Preface_ pp.

vii-xii; Table of _Contents_ pp. xiii-xvi; and Text pp. 1-362, including

a separate Fly-title (with blank reverse) to _The Zincali_, _Part II_.

There are headlines throughout, each verso being headed _The Zincali_,

whilst each recto carries at its head a note of the particular subject

occupying it. The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 362. The

signatures are a (six leaves), b (two leaves), B to Q (15 sheets, each 12

leaves), plus R (two leaves). Sig. R 2 is a blank.

_Vol. II_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. vi + 156 + vi + *135; consisting of:

Half-title (with imprint "_G. Woodfall and Son_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner

Street_, _London_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page,

as above (with blank reverse) pp. iii-iv; Table of _Contents_ pp. v-vi;

Fly-title to _The Zincali_, _Part III_ (with blank reverse) pp. 1-2; Text

of _Part III_ (including separate Fly-titles, each with blank reverse, to

_The Praise of Buddh_, _On the Language of the Gitanos_, and _Robber

Language_) pp. 3-156; Fly-title (with blank reverse) to _The Zincali_.

_Vocabulary of their Language_ pp. i-ii; _Advertisement to the

Vocabulary_ pp. iii-v; p. vi is blank; Text of the _Vocabulary_ pp.

*1-*113; p. *114 is blank; Fly-title (with blank reverse) to

_Miscellanies in the Gitano Language_ pp. *115-*116; _Advertisement_ to

the _Miscellanies_ p. *117; and Text of the _Miscellanies_ pp. *118-*135.

The reverse of p. *135 is blank. There are head-lines throughout, each

verso being headed _The Zincali_, whilst each recto carries at its head a

note of the particular subject occupying it. The imprint is repeated at

the foot of p. *135. The signatures are a (2 leaves), b (one leaf), B to

G (6 sheets, each 12 leaves), H (6 leaves), A (3 leaves), B to E (4

sheets, each 12 leaves), F (9 leaves), and G (12 leaves). B 6, B 8, and

B 12 are cancel-leaves. The last leaf of Sig. G is occupied by a series

of Advertisements of _Works just Published_ by John Murray.

Issued (in _April_, 1841) in dark blue cloth boards, with white paper

back-label, lettered "_Borrow's_ / _Gypsies_ / _of_ / _Spain_. / _Two

Volumes_. / _Vol. I_. [Vol. II.]." The leaves measure 7.875 x 4.75

inches. The published price was 18_s._

Of the First Edition of _The Zincali_ Seven Hundred and Fifty Copies only

were printed. A Second Edition, to which a new Preface was added, was

published in _March_, 1843, and a Third in _September_, 1843, each of

which was restricted to the same number of copies. The Fourth Edition

appeared in 1846, the Fifth in 1870, the Sixth in 1882, the Seventh in

1888, and the Eighth in 1893. The book has since been included in

various popular editions, and translated into several foreign languages.

Examples of _The Zincali_ may sometimes be met with bearing dates other

than those noted above. These are merely copies of the editions

specified, furnished with new title-pages.

Included in the second volume of _The Zincali_ is a considerable amount

of verse, as follows:

PAGE

RHYMES OF THE GITANOS. [_Unto a refuge me they led_] 13

THE DELUGE. PART I. [_I with fear and terror quake_] 65

THE DELUGE. PART II. [_When I last did bid farewell_] 75

THE PESTILENCE. [_I'm resolved now to tell_] 85

The whole of the above pieces are accompanied on the

opposite pages by the original texts from which Borrow

translated them.

POEM, RELATING TO THE WORSHIP OF THE GREAT FOUTSA OR 94

BUDDH. [_Should I Foutsa's force and glory_]

Previously printed in _Targum_, 1835, p. 13.

There is a copy of the First Edition of _The Zincali_ in the Library of

the British Museum. The Press-mark is 1429.g.14.

(8) [THE BIBLE IN SPAIN: 1843.]

The / Bible in Spain; / Or, the / Journeys, Adventures, and Imprisonments

/ Of an Englishman, / in / An Attempt to Circulate the Scriptures / in /

The Peninsula. / By George Borrow, / Author of "The Gypsies of Spain." /

In three volumes. / Vol. I. [Vol. II, etc.] / London: / John Murray,

Albemarle Street. / 1843.

_Vol. I_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo pp. xxiv + 370; consisting of: Half-title

(with imprint "_G. Woodfall and Son_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner Street_,

_London_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page, as above

(with blank reverse) pp. iii-iv; _Contents of Vol. i_ pp. v-viii;

_Preface_ pp. ix-xxiv; and Text pp. 1-370. There are head-lines

throughout, each verso being headed _The Bible in Spain_ together with

the number of the Chapter, whilst each recto carries at its head a note

of the particular subject occupying it, with the Chapter number repeated.

The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 370. The signatures are A to Q

(sixteen sheets, each 12 leaves), plus R (a half-sheet of 6 leaves). The

last leaf of sig. R carries a series of Advertisements of books published

by John Murray.

_Vol. II_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. viii + 398; consisting of Half-title

(with imprint "_G. Woodfall and Son_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner Street_,

_London_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page, as above

(with blank reverse) pp. iii-iv; _Contents of Vol. ii._ pp. v-viii; and

_Text_ pp. 1-398. There are headlines throughout, as in the first

volume. The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 398. The signatures

are A (four leaves), B to R (sixteen sheets, each 12 leaves), plus S (8

leaves). The last leaf of Sig. R carries a series of Advertisements of

books published by John Murray.

_Vol. III_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. viii + 391; consisting of: Half-title

(with imprint "_G. Woodfall and Son_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner Street_,

_London_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page, as above

(with blank reverse) pp. iii-iv; _Contents of Vol iii_ pp. v-viii; and

Text pp. 1-391. There are headlines throughout, as in the two preceding

volumes. The reverse of p. 391 is occupied by Advertisements of

_Romantic Ballads_, _Targum_, and _The Zincali_. The imprint is repeated

at the foot of p. 391. The signatures are a (2 leaves), b (2 leaves), B

to R (sixteen sheets, each 12 leaves), plus S (4 leaves).

Issued (in _December_, 1842) in deep claret-coloured cloth boards, with

white paper back-label, lettered "_The_ | _Bible_ | _in_ | _Spain_ |

_Vol. I_. [_Vol. II_, &c.]." The leaves measure 7.75 x 4.75 inches.

The published price was 27_s._

Although the title page of the First Edition of _The Bible in Spain_ is

dated 1843, there can be no doubt that the book was ready early in the

preceding December. I have in my own library a copy, still in the

original cloth boards, with the following inscription in Borrow's

handwriting upon the flyleaf:

[Picture: Borrow's inscription]

Autographed presentation copies of Borrow's books are remarkably few in

number, I only know of four, in addition to the above. One of these is

preserved in the Borrow Museum, at Norwich.

Of the First Edition of _The Bible in Spain_ One Thousand Copies were

printed. The Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Editions were all

published in 1843. By 1896 eighteen authorised editions had made their

appearance. Since that date the book has been re-issued in numberless

popular editions, and has been translated into various foreign languages.

The following verses made their first appearance in _The Bible in Spain_:

VOL. I., PAGE

FRAGMENT OF A SPANISH HYMN. [_Once of old upon 67

a mountain_, _shepherds overcome with sleep_]

LINES FROM AN EASTERN POET. [_I'll weary 149

myself each night and each day_]

A GACHAPLA. [_I stole a plump and bonny fowl_] 175

VOL. II., PAGE

FRAGMENT OF A PATRIOTIC SONG. [_Don Carlos is 141

a hoary churl_]

SAINT JAMES. [_Thou shield of that faith which 176

in Spain we revere_]

A reduced facsimile of the first page of the

Manuscript of _Saint James_ will be found

facing the present page.

LINES. [_May the Lord God preserve us from 310

evil birds three_]

LINES. [_A handless man a letter did write_] 312

There is a copy of the First Edition of _The Bible in Spain_ in the

Library of the British Museum. The press-mark is 1369.f 23.

[Picture: Manuscript of The Hymn to St. James]

(9) [REVIEW OF FORD'S "HAND-BOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN SPAIN": 1845]

Art.--Hand-book for Travellers in Spain. London: 2 Vols. / post 8vo.

1845.

Collation:--Folio, pp. 12. There is no Title-page proper, the title, as

above, being imposed upon the upper portion of the first page, after the

manner of a 'dropped head.' The head-line is _Spanish Hand-book_

throughout, upon both sides of the page. There is no printer's imprint.

There are also no signatures; but the pamphlet is composed of three

sheets, each two leaves, making twelve pages in all.

Issued stitched, and without wrappers. The leaves measure 13.5 x 8.5

inches. The pamphlet is undated. It was printed in 1845.

This _Review_ is unquestionably the rarest of the First Editions of

Borrow's Works. No more than two copies would appear to have been struck

off, and both are fortunately extant to-day. One of these was formerly

in the possession of Dr. William I. Knapp, and is now the property of the

Hispanic Society, of New York. The second example is in my own library.

This was Borrow's own copy, and is freely corrected in his characteristic

handwriting. A greatly reduced facsimile of the last page of the

pamphlet is given herewith.

In 1845 Richard Ford published his _Hand-Book for Travellers in Spain and

Readers at Home_ [2 Vols. 8vo.], a work, the compilation of which is said

to have occupied its author for more than sixteen years. In conformity

with the wish of Ford (who had himself favourably reviewed _The Bible in

Spain_) Borrow undertook to produce a study of the _Hand-Book_ for _The

Quarterly Review_. The above Essay was the result.

But the Essay, brilliant though it is, was not a 'Review.' Not until

page 6 is the _Hand-Book_ even mentioned, and but little concerning it

appears thereafter. Lockhart, then editing the _Quarterly_, proposed to

render it more suitable for the purpose for which it had been intended by

himself interpolating a series of extracts from Ford's volumes. But

Borrow would tolerate no interference with his work, and promptly

withdrew the Essay, which had meanwhile been set up in type. The

following letter, addressed by Lockhart to Ford, sufficiently explains

the position:

_London_,

_June_ 13_th_, 1845.

_Dear Ford_,

'_El Gitano_' _sent me a paper on the_ "_Hand-Book_" _which I read

with delight_. _It seemed just another capital chapter of his_

"_Bible in Spain_" _and I thought_, _as there was hardly a word of_

'_review_,' _and no extract giving the least notion of the peculiar

merits and style of the_ "_Hand-Book_," _that I could easily_ (_as is

my constant custom_) _supply the humbler part myself_, _and so

present at once a fair review of the work_, _and a lively specimen of

our friend's vein of eloquence in exordio_.

_But_, _behold_! _he will not allow any tampering_ . . . . _I now

write to condole with you_; _for I am very sensible_, _after all_,

_that you run a great risk in having your book committed to hands far

less competent for treating it or any other book of Spanish interest

than Borrow's would have been_ . . ._ and I consider that_, _after

all_, _in the case of a new author_, _it is the first duty of the_

"_Quarterly Review_" _to introduce that author fully and fairly to

the public_.

_Ever Yours Truly_,

_J. G. Lockhart_.

"Our author pictures Gibraltar as a human entity thus addressing

Spain:

_Accursed land_! _I hate thee_, _and far from being a defence_,

_will invariably prove a thorn in thy side_.

And so on through many sentences of excited rhetoric. Borrow forgot

while he wrote that he had a book to review--a book, moreover, issued

by the publishing house which issued the periodical in which his

review was to appear."--[_George Borrow and his Circle_, 1913, p.

257].

In 1913 Borrow's _Review_ was reprinted in the following Pamphlet:

_A_ / _Supplementary Chapter_ / _to_ / _The Bible in Spain_ / _Inspired

by_ / _Ford's_ "_Handbook for Travellers in Spain_." / _By_ / _George

Borrow_ / _London_: / _Printed for Private Circulation_ / 1913.--Square

demy 8vo, pp. 46. [See _post_, No. 10.]

[Picture: Printed extract from the Review with hand-written notes]

[Picture: Title page of Supplementary Chapter to The Bible in Spain,

1913]

(10) [A SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER TO "THE BIBLE IN SPAIN": 1913]

A / Supplementary Chapter / to / The Bible in Spain / Inspired by /

Ford's "Handbook for Travellers in Spain." / By / George Borrow / London:

/ Printed for Private Circulation / 1913.

Collation:--Square demy octavo, pp. 46; consisting of: Half-title (with

blank reverse) pp. 1-2; Frontispiece (with blank recto) pp. 3-4;

Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. 5-6; _Prefatory Note_

(signed '_T. J. W._') pp. 7-10; and text of the _Chapter pp._ 11-46.

There are head-lines throughout, each verso being headed _A Supplementary

Chapter_, and each recto _To the Bible in Spain_. Following p. 46 is a

leaf, with blank recto, and with the following imprint upon the reverse,

"_London_: / _Printed for Thomas J. Wise_, _Hampstead_, _N. W._ /

_Edition limited to Thirty Copies_." The signatures are A to C (3

sheets, each 8 leaves), inset within each other.

Issued in bright green paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges, and with the

title-page reproduced upon the front. The leaves measure 8.75 x 6.875

inches.

Thirty Copies only were printed.

The Frontispiece consists of a greatly reduced facsimile of the last

page, bearing Borrow's corrections, of the original edition of his

_Review of Ford's_ '_Hand-Book_.'

This _Supplementary Chapter to_ "_The Bible in Spain_" is a reprint of

the Review of Ford's _Hand-book for Travellers in Spain_ written by

Borrow in 1845 for insertion in _The Quarterly Review_, but withdrawn by

him in consequence of the proposal made by the Editor, John Gibson

Lockhart, that he should himself introduce into Borrow's Essay a series

of extracts from the _Handbook_. [See _ante_, No. 9.]

Included in the _Prefatory Note_ is the following amusing squib, written

by Borrow in 1845, but never printed by him. I chanced to light upon the

Manuscript in a packet of his still unpublished verse:

_Would it not be more dignified_

_To run up debts on every side_,

_And then to pay your debts refuse_,

_Than write for rascally Reviews_?

_And lectures give to great and small_,

_In pot-house_, _theatre_, _and town-hall_,

_Wearing your brains by night and day_

_To win the means to pay your way_?

_I vow by him who reigns in_ [_hell_],

_It would be more respectable_!

There is a copy of _A Supplementary Chapter to_ "_The Bible in Spain_" in

the Library of the British Museum. The press-mark is C. 57. d. 19 (2).

[Picture: Manuscript of verse on reviewing]

(11) [LAVENGRO: 1851]

Lavengro; / The Scholar--The Gypsy--The Priest. / By George Borrow, /

Author of "The Bible in Spain," and "The Gypsies of Spain" / In Three

Volumes.--Vol. I. [_Vol. II._, _&c._] / London: / John Murray, Albemarle

Street. / 1851.

_Vol. I_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. xviii {85} + 360; consisting of:

Half-title (with imprint "_London_: / _George Woodfall and Son_, / _Angel

Court_, _Skinner Street_" upon the centre of the reverse). Pp. i-ii;

Title-page, as above (with Advertisements of _The Bible in Spain_ and

_The Zincali_ upon the reverse) pp. iii-iv; _Preface_ pp. v-xii; and Text

pp. 1-360. At the foot of p. 360 the imprint is repeated thus, "_G.

Woodfall and Son_, _Printers_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner Street_,

_London_." There are head-lines throughout, each page being headed with

the number of the chapter, together with the title of the individual

subject occupying it. The signatures are A (nine leaves, a single leaf

being inserted between A 6 and A 7), and B to Q (fifteen sheets, each 12

leaves).

A Portrait of Borrow, engraved by W. Holl from a painting by H. W.

Phillips, serves as Frontispiece.

_Vol. II_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. xii + 366; consisting of: Half-title

(with imprint "_London_: / _George Woodfall and Son_, / _Angel Court_,

_Skinner Street_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page,

as above (with Advertisements of _The Bible in Spain_ and _The Zincali_

upon the reverse) pp. iii-iv; _Contents_ of Vol. II pp. v-xi; p. xii is

blank; and Text pp. 1-366. At the foot of p. 366 the imprint is repeated

thus, "_G. Woodfall and Son_, _Printers_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner

Street_, _London_." There are head-lines throughout, as in the first

volume. The signatures are _a_ (2 leaves), _b_ (4 leaves), B to Q

(fifteen sheets, each 12 leaves), plus R (3 leaves).

_Vol. III_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. xii + 426; consisting of: Half-title

(with imprint "_London_: / _George Woodfall and Son_, / _Angel Court_,

_Skinner Street_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page,

as above (with Advertisements of _The Bible in Spain_ and _The Zincali_

upon the reverse) pp. iii-iv; _Contents_ of Vol. III pp. v-xi; p. xii is

blank; and Text pp. 1-426. At the foot of p. 426 the imprint is repeated

thus, "_G. Woodfall and Son_, _Printers_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner

Street_, _London_." There are head-lines throughout, as in the first

volume. The signatures are _a_ (2 leaves), _b_ (4 leaves), B to S

(seventeen sheets, each 12 leaves), T (6 leaves), and U (3 leaves).

Issued in dark blue cloth boards, with white paper back-labels, lettered

"_Lavengro_; / _the_ / _Scholar_, / _the Gypsy_, / _and_ / _the Priest_.

/ _By George Borrow_ / _Vol. i_. [_Vol. ii_., _&c._]" The leaves measure

7.75 x 4.875 inches. The edition consisted of 3,000 Copies. The

published price was 30_s._

A Second Edition (miscalled _Third Edition_) was issued in 1872; a Third

(miscalled _Fourth_) in 1888; and a Fourth (miscalled _Fifth_) in 1896.

To the edition of 1872 was prefixed a new _Preface_, in which Borrow

replied to his critics in a somewhat angry and irritable manner. Copies

of the First Edition of _Lavengro_ are to be met with, the three volumes

bound in one, in original publishers' cloth, bearing the name of the firm

of Chapman and Hall upon the back. These copies are 'remainders.' They

were made up in 1870. It is by no means unlikely that in 1872 some

confusion prevailed as to the nature of this subsidiary issue, and that

it was mistaken for a Second Edition of the book. If so the incorrect

numbering of the edition of that date, the actual Second Edition, may be

readily accounted for.

An important edition of _Lavengro_ is:

_Lavengro_ / _By George Borrow_ / _A New Edition_ / _Containing the

unaltered Text of the Original Issue_; / _some Suppressed Passages now

printed for the_ / _first time_; _MS. Variorum_, _Vocabulary and Notes_ /

_By the Author of_ / _The Life of George Borrow_ / _London_ / _John

Murray_, _Albemarle Street_ / 1900.--Crown 8vo, pp. xxviii + 569.

The book was reprinted in 1911. The Editor was Dr. William Knapp.

An edition of _Lavengro_, with a valuable Introduction by Mr. Theodore

Watts-Dunton, was published by Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co., in 1893. The

work is also included in _Everyman's Library_, and in other series of

popular reprints.

When put to press in February, 1849, the first volume of _Lavengro_ was

set up with the title-page reading as follows:--

_Life_, _A Drama_. / _By_ / _George Borrow_, _Esq._, / _Author of_ "_The

Bible in Spain_," _etc._ / _In Three Volumes_. / _Vol. i_. / _London_: /

_John Murray_, _Albemarle Street_. / 1849.

Only two examples of the volume with this interesting early title-page

are known to have survived. One of these is now in the possession of the

Hispanic Society, of New York. The other is the property of Mr. Otto

Kyllmann.

Later in the same year Murray advertised the work under the following

title:--

_Lavengro_, _An Autobiography_. _By George Borrow_, _Esq._, _&c._

The same title was employed in the advertisements of 1850.

Mr. Clement Shorter possesses the original draft of the first portion of

_Lavengro_. In this draft the title-page appears in its earliest form,

and describes the book as _Some Account of the Life_, _Pursuits_, _and

Adventures of a Norfolk Man_. A facsimile of this tentative title was

given by Mr. Shorter in _George Borrow and his Circle_, 1913, p. 280.

"Borrow took many years to write _Lavengro_. 'I am writing the

work,' he told Dawson Turner, 'in precisely the same manner as _The

Bible in Spain_, viz. on blank sheets of old account-books, backs of

letters,' &c., and he recalls Mahomet writing the Koran on mutton

bones as an analogy to his own 'slovenliness of manuscript.' I have

had plenty of opportunity of testing this slovenliness in the

collection of manuscripts of portions of _Lavengro_ that have come

into my possession. These are written upon pieces of paper of all

shapes and sizes, although at least a third of the book in Borrow's

very neat handwriting is contained in a leather notebook. The

title-page demonstrates the earliest form of Borrow's conception.

Not only did he then contemplate an undisguised autobiography, but

even described himself as 'a Norfolk man.' Before the book was

finished, however, he repudiated the autobiographical note, and we

find him fiercely denouncing his critics for coming to such a

conclusion. 'The writer,' he declares, 'never said it was an

autobiography; never authorised any person to say it was one.' Which

was doubtless true, in a measure."--[_George Borrow and his Circle_,

1913, pp. 279-281].

There is a copy of the First Edition of _Lavengro_ in the Library of the

British Museum. The Press-mark is 12622. f. 7.

(12.) [THE ROMANY RYE: 1857]

The / Romany Rye; / A Sequel to "Lavengro." / By George Borrow, / Author

of / "The Bible in Spain," "The Gypsies of Spain," etc. / "_Fear God_,

_and take your own part_." / In Two Volumes.--Vol. I. [_Vol. II._] /

London: John Murray, Albemarle Street. / 1857. / [The Right of

Translation is reserved.]

_Vol. I_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. xii + 372; consisting of: Half-title

(with blank reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page, as above (with imprint

"_London_: _Woodfall and Kinder_, _Printers_, / _Angel Court_, _Skinner

Street_" at the foot of the reverse) pp. iii-iv; Preface (styled

_Advertisement_) pp. v-vi; Table of _Contents_ pp. vii-xi; Extract from

_Pleasantries of the Cogia Nasr Eddin Efendi_ p. xii; and Text pp. 1-372.

The head-line is _The Romany Rye_ throughout, upon both sides of the

page; each page also bears at its head the number of the particular

Chapter occupying it. At the foot of p. 372 the imprint is repeated

thus, "_Woodfall and Kinder_, _Printers_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner

Street_, _London_." The signatures are A (a half-sheet of 6 leaves), B

to Q (15 sheets, each 12 leaves), plus R (a half-sheet of 6 leaves).

_Vol. II_.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. viii + 375 + ix; consisting of:

Half-title (with blank reverse) pp. i-ii; Title-page, as above (with

imprint "_London_: _Woodfall and Kinder_, _Printers_, / _Angel Court_,

_Skinner Street_" at the foot of the reverse) pp. iii-iv; Table of

_Contents_ pp. v-vii; p. viii is blank; and Text pp. 1-375. The reverse

of p. 375 is blank. The volume is completed by eight unnumbered pages of

Advertisements of _Works by the Author of_ "_The Bible in Spain_" _ready

for the Press_. There are head-lines throughout; up to, and including,

p. 244 the head-line is _The Romany Rye_, together with the numbers of

the Chapters, pp. 245-375 are headed _Appendix_, accompanied by the

numbers of the Chapters. At the foot of the last of the eight unnumbered

pages carrying the Advertisements (Sig. R 12 verso) the imprint is

repeated thus, "_Woodfall and Kinder_, _Printers_, _Angel Court_,

_Skinner Street_, _London_." The signatures are A (four leaves), plus B

to R (16 sheets, each 12 leaves).

Issued (on _April_ 30_th_, 1857) in dark blue cloth boards, with white

paper back-labels, lettered "_The_ / _Romany Rye_. / _By_ / _George

Borrow_. / _Vol. I_. [_Vol. II_.]" The leaves measure 7.875 x 5 inches.

Of the First Edition of _The Romany Rye_ One Thousand Copies were

printed. The published price was 21_s._ A Second Edition was published

in 1858, a Third in 1872, a Fourth in 1888, and a Fifth in 1896. The

book is included in _Everyman's Library_, and in other series of popular

reprints.

The series of Advertisements of _Works_ by Borrow, announced as "Ready

for the Press," which occupy the last eight pages of the second volume of

_The Romany Rye_ are of especial interest. No less than twelve distinct

works are included in these advertisements. Of these twelve _The Bible

in Spain_ was already in the hands of the public, _Wild Wales_ duly

appeared in 1862, and _The Sleeping Bard_ in 1860. These three were all

that Borrow lived to see in print. Two others, _The Turkish Jester_ and

_The Death of Balder_, were published posthumously in 1884 and 1889

respectively; but the remaining seven, _Celtic Bards_, _Chiefs_, _and

Kings_, _Songs of Europe_, _Koempe Viser_, _Penquite and Pentyre_,

_Russian Popular Tales_, _Northern Skalds_, _Kings_, _and Earls_, and

_Bayr Jairgey and Glion Doo_: _The Red Path and the Black Valley_, were

never destined to see the light. However, practically the whole of the

verse prepared for them was included in the series of Pamphlets which

have been printed for private circulation during the past twelve months.

As was the case with _Lavengro_, Borrow delayed the completion of _The

Romany Rye_ to an extent that much disconcerted his publisher, John

Murray. The correspondence which passed between author and publisher is

given at some length by Dr. Knapp, in whose pages the whole question is

fully discussed.

Mr. Shorter presents the matter clearly and fairly in the paragraphs he

devotes to the subject:

"The most distinctly English book--at least in a certain absence of

cosmopolitanism--that Victorian literature produced was to a great

extent written on scraps of paper during a prolonged Continental tour

which included Constantinople and Budapest. In _Lavengro_ we have

only half a book, the whole work, which included what came to be

published as _The Romany Rye_, having been intended to appear in four

volumes. The first volume was written in 1843, the second in 1845,

and the third volume in the years between 1845 and 1848. Then in

1852 Borrow wrote out an advertisement of a fourth volume, which runs

as follows:

_Shortly will be published in one volume_. _Price_ 10_s._ _The

Rommany Rye_, _Being the fourth volume of Lavengro_. _By George

Borrow_, _author of The Bible in Spain_.

But this volume did not make an appearance 'shortly.' Its author was

far too much offended with the critics, too disheartened it may be,

to care to offer himself again for their gibes. The years rolled on,

and not until 1857 did _The Romany Rye_ appear. The book was now in

two volumes, and we see that the word _Romany_ had dropped an _m_. .

. .

The incidents of _Lavengro_ are supposed to have taken place between

the 24_th_ of _May_ 1825, and the 18_th of July_ of that year. In

_The Romany Rye_ the incidents apparently occur between the 19_th_ of

_July_ and the 3_rd_ of _August_ 1825. In the opinion of Mr. John

Sampson, the whole of the episodes in the five volumes occurred in

seventy-two days."--[_George Borrow and his Circle_, 1913, pp.

341-343.]

A useful edition of _The Romany Rye_ is:

_The Romany Rye_ / _A Sequel to_ "_Lavengro_" / _By George Borrow_ / _A

New Edition_ / _Containing the unaltered text of the Original_ / _Issue_,

_with Notes_, _etc._, _by the Author of_ / "_The Life of George Borrow_"

/ _London_ / _John Murray_, _Albemarle Street_ / 1900.--Crown 8vo. pp.

xvi + 403.

The book was edited by Dr. William Knapp.

There is a copy of the First Edition of _The Romany Rye_ in the Library

of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 12622. f. 8.

(13) [THE SLEEPING BARD: 1860]

The Sleeping Bard; / Or / Visions of the World, Death, and Hell, / By /

Elis Wyn. / Translated from the Cambrian British / By / George Borrow, /

Author of/ "The Bible in Spain," "The Gypsies of Spain," etc. / London: /

John Murray, Albemarle Street. / 1860.

Collation:--Crown octavo, pp. x + 128; consisting of: Title-page, as

above (with blank reverse) pp. i-ii; _Preface_ pp. iii-vii; p. viii is

blank; Fly-title to _A Vision of the Course of the World_ (with blank

reverse) pp. ix-x; and Text of the three _Visions_ pp. 1-128. There are

head-lines throughout, each double-page being headed with the title of

the particular _Vision_ occupying it. _A Vision of Hell_ is preceded by

a separate Fly-title (pp. 67-68) with blank reverse. At the foot of p.

128 is the following imprint, "_James M. Denew_, _Printer_, 72, _Hall

Plain_, _Great Yarmouth_." The sheets carry no register. The book was

issued without any Half-title. In some copies the Christian name of the

printer is misprinted _Jamms_.

Issued (in _June_, 1860) in magenta coloured cloth boards, lettered in

gold along the back, "_The Sleeping Bard_," and "_London_ / _John

Murray_" across the foot. The published price was 5_s._; 250 copies were

printed. Murray's connection with the work was nominal. The book was

actually issued at Yarmouth by J. M. Denew, the printer by whom it was

produced. The cost was borne by the author himself, to whom the majority

of the copies were ultimately delivered.

Some few copies of _The Sleeping Bard_ would appear to have been put up

in yellowish-brown plain paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges. One such

example is in the possession of Mr. Paul Lemperley, of Cleveland, Ohio; a

second is in the library of Mr. Clement Shorter. The leaves of both

these copies measure 8.75 x 5.75 inches. The leaves of ordinary copies

in cloth measure 7.5 x 4.75 inches. The translation was made in 1830.

The text of _The Sleeping Bard_ is divided into three sections. Each of

these sections closes with a poem of some length, as follows:--

PAGE

1. The Perishing World. [_O man_, _upon this building 38

gaze_]

2. Death the Great. [_Leave land and house we must some 63

day_]

In the printed text the seventh stanza of _Death the

Great_ reads thus:

_The song and dance afford_, _I ween_,

_Relief from spleen_, _and sorrows grave_;

_How very strange there is no dance_,

_Nor tune of France_, _from Death can save_!

About the year 1871 Borrow re-wrote this stanza, as

follows:

_The song and dance can drive_, _they say_,

_The spleen away_, _and humour's grave_;

_Why hast thou not devised_, _O France_!

_Some tune and dance_, _from Death to save_?

As was invariably the case with Borrow, his revision was

a vast improvement upon the original version.

3. The Heavy Heart. [_Heavy's the heart with wandering 124

below_]

The Manuscript of _The Sleeping Bard_ was formerly in the

possession of Dr. Knapp. It is now the property of the

Hispanic Society, of New York. It extends to 74 pages

4to.

There is a copy of the First Edition of _The Sleeping Bard_ in the

Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 12355. c. 17.

(14) [WILD WALES: 1862]

Wild Wales: / Its People, Language, and Scenery. / By George Borrow, /

Author of "The Bible in Spain," etc. / "_Their Lord they shall praise_, /

_Their language they shall keep_, / _Their land they shall lose_, /

_Except Wild Wales_." / Taliesin: Destiny of the Britons. / In Three

Volumes.--Vol. I. [_Vol. II_, _&c._] / London: / John Murray, Albemarle

Street. / 1862. / The right of Translation is reserved.

Vol. I.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. xii + 410; consisting of: Half-title

(with advertisements of five of Borrow's _Works_ upon the reverse) pp.

i-ii; Title-page, as above (with imprint "_London_: / _Printed by

Woodfall and Kinder_, / _Angel Court_, _Skinner Street_" upon the centre

of the reverse) pp. iii-iv; Notice regarding the previous appearance of a

portion of the work in _The Quarterly Review_ (with blank reverse) pp.

v-vi; _Contents of Vol. I_ pp. vii-xi; p. xii is blank; and Text pp.

1-410. There are head-lines throughout, each verso being headed _Wild

Wales_, whilst each recto is headed with the title of the particular

subject occupying it. At the foot of p. 410 the imprint is repeated

thus: "_Woodfall and Kinder_, _Printers_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner

Street_, _London_." The signatures are A (a half-sheet of 6 leaves), B

to S (17 sheets, each 12 leaves), plus T (2 leaves). The second leaf of

Sig. T is a blank.

Vol. II.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. viii + 413; consisting of: Title-page,

as above (with imprint "_London_: / _Printed by Woodfall and Kinder_, /

_Angel Court_, _Skinner Street_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp.

i-ii; _Contents of Vol. II_ pp. v-vii; p. viii is blank; and Text pp.

1-413. The reverse of p. 413 is blank. There are head-lines throughout,

as in the first volume. At the foot of p. 413 the imprint is repeated

thus, "_Woodfall and Kinder_, _Printers_, _Angel Court_, _Skinner

Street_, _London_." The signatures are A (4 leaves), B to S (17 sheets,

each 12 leaves), plus T (4 leaves). The last leaf of Sig. T is a blank.

The volume was issued without any Half-title.

Vol. III.

Collation:--Large duodecimo, pp. viii + 474; consisting of: Title-page,

as above (with imprint "_London_: / _Printed by Woodfall and Kinder_, /

_Angel Court_, _Skinner Street_" upon the centre of the reverse) pp.

i-ii; _Contents of Vol. III_ pp. iii-viii; and Text pp. 1-474. There are

head-lines throughout, as in the first volume. At the foot of p. 474 the

imprint is repeated thus, "_Woodfall and Kinder_, _Printers_, _Angel

Court_, _Skinner Street_, _London_." The signatures are A (8 leaves), B

to U (18 sheets, each 12 leaves), plus X (10 leaves). The last leaf of

Sig. H is a blank. The volume was issued without any Half-title.

Issued (in _December_, 1862) in dark green cloth boards, with white paper

back-label, lettered "_Wild Wales_. / _By_ / _George Borrow_. / _Vol. I_

[Vol. ii, &c.]." The leaves measure 7.625 x 4.875 inches. The published

price was 30_s._; 1,000 copies were printed.

A Second Edition of _Wild Wales_ was issued in 1865, a Third Edition in

1888, and a Fourth Edition in 1896. The book has since been included in

divers series of non-copyright works.

The following Poems made their first appearance in the pages of _Wild

Wales_:

VOL. I

PAGE

CHESTER ALE. [_Chester ale_, _Chester ale_! _I could 18

ne'er get it down_]

Another, widely different, version of these lines exist

in manuscript. It reads as follows:

_On the Ale of Chester_.

_Of Chester the ale has but sorry renown_,

'_Tis made of ground-ivy_, _of dust_, _and of

bran_;

'_Tis as thick as a river belough a hugh town_,

'_Tis not lap for a dog_, _far less drink for a

man_.

SAXONS AND BRITONS. [_A serpent which coils_] 48

Previously printed in _The Quarterly Review_, _January_

1861, p. 42.

TRANSLATION OF A WELSH ENGLYN UPON DINAS BRAN. [_Gone_, 61

_gone are thy gates_, _Dinas Bran on the height_!]

LINES FOUND ON THE TOMB OF MADOC. [_Here after sailing 105

far I Madoc lie_]

THE LASSIES OF COUNTY MERION. [_Full fair the gleisiad 153

in the flood_]

This was one stanza only, the fifth, of the complete poem

_The Cookoo's Song in Merion_, which Borrow translated

some years later, and which was first printed in

_Ermeline_, 1913, pp. 21-23. The text of the two

versions of this stanza differ considerably.

STANZA ON THE STONE OF JANE WILLIAMS. [_Though thou art 161

gone to dwelling cold_]

THE MIST. [_O ho_! _thou villain mist_, _O ho_!] 173

Although Borrow translated the whole poem, he omitted 24

lines (the 14 opening and 10 closing lines) when printing

it in _Wild Wales_. Here are the missing lines, which I

give from the original Manuscript:

_A tryste with Morfydd true I made_,

'_Twas not the first_,_ in greenwood glade_,

_In hope to make her flee with me_;

_But useless all_, _as you will see_.

_I went betimes_, _lest she should grieve_,

_Then came a mist at close of eve_;

_Wide o'er the path by which I passed_,

_Its mantle dim and murk it cast_.

_That mist ascending met the sky_,

_Forcing the daylight from my eye_.

_I scarce had strayed a furlong's space_

_When of all things I lost the trace_.

_Where was the grove and waving grain_?

_Where was the mountain hill and main_?

* * * * *

_Before me all affright and fear_,

_Above me darkness dense and drear_,

_My way at length I weary found_,

_Into a swaggy willow ground_,

_Where staring in each nook there stood_

_Of wry mouthed elves a wrathful brood_.

_Full oft I sank in that false soil_,

_My legs were lamed with length of toil_.

_However hard the case may be_

_No meetings more in mist for me_.

Two of the above lines, somewhat differently worded, were

given in _Wild Wales_, Vol. i, p. 184.

LINES DESCRIPTIVE OF THE EAGERNESS OF A SOUL TO REACH 251

PARADISE. [_Now to my rest I hurry away_]

FILICAIA'S SONNET ON ITALY. [_O Italy_! _on whom dark 290

Destiny_]

TRANSLATION OF AN ENGLYN FORETELLING TRAVELLING BY STEAM. 341

[_I got up in Mona_, _as soon as_ '_twas light_]

TRANSLATION OF A WELSH STANZA ABOUT SNOWDON. [_Easy to 360

say_ '_Behold Eryri_']

STANZAS ON THE SNOW OF SNOWDON. [_Cold is the snow on 365

Snowdon's brow_]

VOL. II

LINES FROM BLACK ROBIN'S ODE IN PRAISE OF ANGLESEY. 33

[_Twelve sober men the muses woo_]

LINES ON A SPRING. [_The wild wine of Nature_] 112

THINGS WRITTEN IN A GARDEN. [_In a garden the first of 158

our race was deceived_]