After 1844 the Bon Gaultier co-operation ceased. My profession and removal from Edinburgh to London left no leisure or opportunity for work of that kind, and Aytoun became busy with the Professorship of Belles Lettres in the University and with his work at the Bar and on ‘Blackwood’s Magazine.’ We had also during the Bon Gaultier period worked together in a series of translations of Goethe’s Poems and Ballads for ‘Blackwood’s Magazine,’ which, like the Bon Gaultier Ballads, were collected, added to, and published in a volume a year or two afterwards. In 1845 I left Edinburgh for London, and only met Aytoun at intervals there or at Homburg in the future years; but our friendship was kept alive by active correspondence. Literature was naturally his vocation, and he wrote much and well, with exemplary industry, enlivening his papers in

‘Blackwood,’ till his death in August 1865, with the same manly sense, the same playfulness of fancy and flow of spontaneous humour, which made his society and his letters always delightful to his friends.

“Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit,
Nulli flebilior quam mihi!”

The first edition of this book, now very rare, appeared in 1845. It was illustrated by Alfred Henry Forrester (Alfred Crowquill). In the subsequent editions drawings by Richard Doyle and John Leech, in a kindred spirit of fanciful extravagance, were added, and helped materially towards the attractions of the volume. Its popularity surpassed the utmost expectations of the authors. To them not the least pleasant feature of its success was that it was widely read both in the Navy and the Army, and was nowhere more in demand than in the trenches before Sebastopol in 1854.

THEODORE MARTIN.

31 Onslow Square,
October 1903.

LIST OF EDITIONS
of the
BON GAULTIER BALLADS.

Edition.
1 1845 16mo Illustrated by Alfred Crowquill.
2 1849 sm. 4to Illustrated by Alfred Crowquill and Richard Doyle. With Portrait of “Bon Gaultier,” Illuminated Title-page, and Ornamental Borders.
3 [1849] " Illustrated by Alfred Crowquill, Richard Doyle, and John Leech. First edition with Corner Cartoons.
4 [1855] " Illustrated by the Same. Second Edition with Corner Cartoons.
5 1857 " The editions 5 to 17 were illustrated by Doyle, Leech, and Crowquill.
6 1859 "
7 1861 "
8 1864 "
9 1866 " The 16th and 17th Editions being the Third and Fourth with Corner Cartoons.
10 1868 "
11 1870 "
12 1874 "
13 1877 "
14 1884 crown 8vo
15 1889 "
16 1903 sm. 4to
17 1904 "

CONTENTS.

Page
PREFACE, v
L’ENVOY, xxxiii
Spanish Ballads
THE BROKEN PITCHER, 3
DON FERNANDO GOMERSALEZ: from the spanish of astley’s, 7
THE COURTSHIP OF OUR CID, 24
American Ballads
THE FIGHT WITH THE SNAPPING TURTLE; OR, THE AMERICAN ST GEORGE:—
fytte first, 35
fytte second, 39
THE LAY OF MR COLT:
streak the first, 45
streak the second, 47
THE DEATH OF JABEZ DOLLAR, 53
THE ALABAMA DUEL, 59
THE AMERICAN’S APOSTROPHE TO “BOZ”, 66
Miscellaneous Ballads
THE STUDENT OF JENA, 75
THE LAY OF THE LEVITE, 80
BURSCH GROGGENBURG, 82
NIGHT AND MORNING, 87
THE BITER BIT, 89
THE CONVICT AND THE AUSTRALIAN LADY, 92
THE DOLEFUL LAY OF THE HONOURABLE I. O. UWINS, 96
THE KNYGHTE AND THE TAYLZEOUR’S DAUGHTER, 103
THE MIDNIGHT VISIT, 110
THE LAY OF THE LOVELORN, 116
MY WIFE’S COUSIN, 130
THE QUEEN IN FRANCE: AN ANCIENT SCOTTISH BALLAD:
Part I., 135
Part II., 143
THE MASSACRE OF THE MACPHERSON: from the gaelic, 150
THE LAUREATES’ TOURNEY:—
fytte the first, 156
fytte the second, 161
THE ROYAL BANQUET, 166
THE BARD OF ERIN’S LAMENT, 171
THE LAUREATE, 173
A MIDNIGHT MEDITATION, 177
MONTGOMERY: A Poem, 182
LITTLE JOHN AND THE RED FRIAR: A Lay of Sherwood:—
fytte the first, 186
fytte the second, 192
THE RHYME OF SIR LAUNCELOT BOGLE : A Legend of Glasgow, 201
Illustrations of the Puff Poetical
THE DEATH OF ISHMAEL, 221
PARR’S LIFE PILLS, 223
TARQUIN AND THE AUGUR, 226
LA MORT D’ARTHUR, 228
JUPITER AND THE INDIAN ALE, 229
THE LAY OF THE DOUDNEY BROTHERS, 232
PARIS AND HELEN, 235
A WARNING, 238
TO PERSONS ABOUT TO MARRY, 239
WANT PLACES, 241
Miscellaneous Poems
THE LAY OF THE LOVER’S FRIEND, 245
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI, 249
THE CADI’S DAUGHTER: A Legend of the Bosphorus, 253
THE DIRGE OF THE DRINKER, 258
THE DEATH OF DUVAL, 261
EASTERN SERENADE, 267
DAME FREDEGONDE, 271
SONG OF THE ENNUYÉ, 276
THE DEATH OF SPACE, 279
CAROLINE, 281
TO A FORGET-ME-NOT, 284
THE MEETING, 286
THE MISHAP, 288
COMFORT IN AFFLICTION, 291
THE INVOCATION, 293
THE HUSBAND’S PETITION, 297
SONNET TO BRITAIN, 301