The Songs of Scotland, Ancient and Modern (Volume 1); With an Introduction and Notes, Historical and Critical, and Characters of the Lyric Poets

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1825. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... SCOTTISH SONGS. TO SIR WALTER SCOTT, BART. TO speak in your presence of Scottish song--to hope you will listen while I seek to trace its history, describe its varied character, and, with an honest heart and a liberal mind, examine the productions of the lyrists of our native land, seems something like the man who spoke to the sun concerning the source of light: for who can know so much about lyric lore, or bring so much knowledge and genius to illustrate it, as yourself? In supposing myself seated beside you with free license of speech, I imagine your patience equal at least to my presumption; for I cannot but know that you have nothing to learn, nor can I hope to charm you into an auditor by any extraordinary grace of language, or felicity of remark. Something indeed of what I have to say has been learned from yourself: I am unwilling to be thought so careless a reader and -so dull a friend, as to come profitless away from your company or your works. It may seejn a piece of tyranny unknown in literature, to echo back your own words in your own ear; but it is for another purpose that I suppose you so near me-- Vol. i. /. B your presence will have a favourable influence over a spirit, which, though it comes gladly to an elected work, is conscious of its defects, and will be willing to imagine itself admonished into more than ordinary conciseness and regularity, by the presence of superior genius. This will likewise enable me to escape from the nice formalities and subtle distinctions of a regular essay, into the more pleasant labour of a desultory introduction; where character may be more closely observed than method, where the fixed or the vagrant graces of song will be traced more anxiously than the works through which they have wandered, from their fi...