Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England
Transcribed from the 1857 John W. Parker and Son edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk ANCIENT POEMS, BALLADS AND SONGS OF THE PEASANTRY OF ENGLAND. TAKEN DOWN FROM ORAL RECITATION AND TRANSCRIBED FROM PRIVATE MANUSCRIPTS, RARE BROADSIDES AND SCARCE PUBLICATIONS. INTRODUCTION. In 1846, the Percy Society issued to its members a volume entitled Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England, edited by Mr. James Henry Dixon. The sources drawn upon by Mr. Dixon are intimated in the following extract from his preface:-
"is that Mother doesn't take tucks in my dresses whenever I'm
naughty, as Maria Parks's mother does. My dear, it's really
dreadful, for sometimes she is so bad her frock is up to her
knees, and she can't come to school. When I think of this
deggerredation, I feegorcer I can bear even my flat nose and
purple gown with yellow skyrockets on it."
Meg was Amy's confidant and monitor, and by some strange
attraction of opposites Jo was gentle Beth's. To Jo alone did
the shy child tell her thoughts, and over her big harum-scarum
sister Beth unconsciously exercised more influence than anyone
in the family. The two older girls were a great deal to one
another, but each took one of the younger sisters into her
keeping and watched over her in her own way, 'playing mother'
they called it, and put their sisters in the places of
discarded dolls with the maternal instinct of little women.
"Has anybody got anything to tell? It's been such a dismal
day I'm really dying for some amusement," said Meg, as they sat
sewing together that evening.
"I had a queer time with Aunt today, and, as I got the best
of it, I'll tell you about it," began Jo, who dearly loved to tell
stories. "I was reading that everlasting Belsham, and droning
away as I always do, for Aunt soon drops off, and then I take out
some nice book, and read like fury till she wakes up. I actually
Transcribed from the 1857 John W. Parker and Son edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk ANCIENT POEMS, BALLADS AND SONGS OF THE PEASANTRY OF ENGLAND. TAKEN DOWN FROM ORAL RECITATION AND TRANSCRIBED FROM PRIVATE MANUSCRIPTS, RARE BROADSIDES AND SCARCE PUBLICATIONS. INTRODUCTION. In 1846, the Percy Society issued to its members a volume entitled Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England, edited by Mr. James Henry Dixon. The sources drawn upon by Mr. Dixon are intimated in the following extract from his preface:-