(39) [Ermeline: 1913]

Ermeline / A Ballad / By / George Borrow / London: / Printed for Private Circulation / 1913.

Collation:—Square demy octavo, pp. 23; consisting of: Half-title (with blank reverse) pp. 1–2; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. 3–4; and Text of the Poems pp. 5–23. There are head-lines throughout, each page being headed with the title of the particular poem occupying it. Upon the reverse of

p. 23 is the following imprint: “London / Printed for Thomas J. Wise, Hampstead, N.W. / Edition limited to Thirty Copies.” The signatures are A (a half-sheet of four leaves), and B (a full sheet of eight leaves), the one inset within the other.

Issued in bright green paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges, and with the title-page reproduced upon the front. The leaves measure 8½ × 6⅞ inches.

Thirty Copies only were printed.

Contents.

page
Ermeline. [With lance upraised so haughtily] The paper upon which the Manuscript of Ermeline is written is water-marked with the date 1843. No other MS. is forthcoming. 5
The Cuckoo’s Song in Merion. [Though it has been my fate to see] The fifth stanza of this Song was printed by Borrow in Wild Wales, 1862, vol. i, p. 153. The two versions of this stanza offer some interesting variations of text; I give them both: 1862 Full fair the gleisiad in the flood,
Which sparkles ’neath the summer’s sun,
And fair the thrush in green abode
Spreading his wings in sportive fun,
But fairer look if truth be spoke,
The maids of County Merion. 1913 O fair the salmon in the flood,
That over golden sands doth run;
And fair the thrush in his abode,
That spreads his wings in gladsome fun;
More beauteous look, if truth be spoke,
The maids of county Merion. 		21

1862

Full fair the gleisiad in the flood,
Which sparkles ’neath the summer’s sun,
And fair the thrush in green abode
Spreading his wings in sportive fun,
But fairer look if truth be spoke,
The maids of County Merion.

1913

O fair the salmon in the flood,
That over golden sands doth run;
And fair the thrush in his abode,
That spreads his wings in gladsome fun;
More beauteous look, if truth be spoke,
The maids of county Merion.

There is a copy of Ermeline A Ballad in the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is C. 44. d. 38.

(40) [The Giant of Bern: 1913]

The Giant of Bern / and Orm Ungerswayne / A Ballad / By / George Borrow / London: / Printed for Private Circulation / 1913.

Collation:—Crown octavo, pp. 15; consisting of Half-title (with blank reverse) pp. 1–2; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. 3–4; and Text of the Ballad pp. 5–15. The head-line is The Giant of Bern throughout, upon both sides of the page. Upon the reverse of p. 15 is the following imprint: “London: / Printed for Thomas J. Wise, Hampstead, N.W. / Edition limited to Thirty Copies.” There are no signatures, the pamphlet being composed of a single sheet, folded to form sixteen pages.

Issued in bright green paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges, and with the title-page reproduced upon the front. The leaves measure 7½ × 5 inches.

Thirty Copies only were printed.

Contents.

page
The Giant of Bern and Orme Ungerswayne. [It was the lofty jutt of Bern, O’er all the walls he grew] Fifteen stanzas, descriptive of the incident of Orm’s obtaining his father’s sword from the dead man’s grave, were printed in Targum, 1835, pp. 59–61, under the title Birting. A Fragment. The text differs greatly in the two versions, that of the later (which, though not printed until 1913, was written about 1854) is much the superior. As an example I give the first two stanzas of each version: 1835 It was late at evening tide,
Sinks the day-star in the wave,
When alone Orm Ungarswayne
Rode to seek his father’s grave. Late it was at evening hour,
When the steeds to streams are led;
Let me now, said Orm the young,
Wake my father from the dead. 1913 It was so late at evening tide,
The sun had reached the wave,
When Orm the youthful swain set out
To seek his father’s grave. It was the hour when grooms do ride
The coursers to the rill,
That Orm set out resolved to wake
The dead man in the hill. 		5

1835

It was late at evening tide,
Sinks the day-star in the wave,
When alone Orm Ungarswayne
Rode to seek his father’s grave.

Late it was at evening hour,
When the steeds to streams are led;
Let me now, said Orm the young,
Wake my father from the dead.

1913

It was so late at evening tide,
The sun had reached the wave,
When Orm the youthful swain set out
To seek his father’s grave.

It was the hour when grooms do ride
The coursers to the rill,
That Orm set out resolved to wake
The dead man in the hill.

There is a copy of The Giant of Bern and Orm Ungerswayne in the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is C. 44. d. 38.