"_One New Year's Day_" (Vol. ix., p. 467.).--The lines quoted by MR.
SKYRING are the opening lines of an old ballad, entitled "Richard of
Taunton Dean, or Dumble Dum Deary." It may be found in _Ancient Poems,
Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England_, edited (for the Percy
Society) by J. H. Dixon, Esq., who says:
"This song is very popular with the country people in every part of
England, but more particularly so with the inhabitants of Somerset,
Devon, and Cornwall. There are many different versions."
In the notes to his volume, Mr. Dixon mentions two Irish versions of this
ballad, communicated to him by T. C. Croker, Esq., one of which, entitled
"Last New Year's Day," is almost _verbatim_ with {527} the English ballad.
The other version (which is given by Mr. D.) is entitled "Dicky of
Ballyman."