c. The modern ballads are arranged chronologically, according to the dates of birth of their authors, and are intended to be, so far as possible, representative of our best poets. Parodies and dialect poems have been purposely omitted, because they form classes by themselves and are essentially different in spirit from both the traditionary and the literary ballads. This restriction does not involve the omission of all poems with humorous subjects or treatment.
By calling these ballads "modern" I do not wish to imply that every one of them was written later than those in Vols. I. and II., since it is practically certain that some of the Peasant group belong to this century. They are modern in the sense of being literary productions by known authors, which were offered to the public in a printed form from the first.
d. Irish ballads, written in English, are comparatively modern, but they belong to the traditionary manner and, whether the work of ballad-mongers or of poets, need not be separated from the few translations from the Irish which have been thought suitable for this collection. They too are arranged chronologically.
e. A similar group of Welsh ballads was projected, but after a careful investigation of the principal periodicals and collections, and some correspondence with students of Welsh literature, I have concluded that, for English readers at least, there exist but few Welsh ballads of any merit; and that the poetic genius of the nation could not be fairly represented by such a selection.
3. a. Every student of our old ballads owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude to Professor F. J. Child, whose monumental collections * have covered the entire field. I have naturally followed his guidance in the choice of texts and used his transcripts from manuscripts, having received his cordial permission to do so, in letters of kind advice and sympathy.
* "English and Scottish Ballads," in 8 vols. (Houghton,
Mifflin & Co.); "The English and Scottish Ballads"—in the
course of publication—Parts i.-viii. having already
appeared (Houghton, Mifflin & Co.).
My thanks are also due to Dr Furnivall and Professor Hales for answers to questions and permission to follow their reprint of The Percy Folio; to Professor Skeat for the use of his transcript of The Hunting of the Cheviot; to Mr W. C. Hazlitt for a portion of an old copy of Adam Bell, Clym of the Clough, and William Cloudeslè; and to the Council of the Folk-lore Society for the version of the Unquiet Grave which appeared in their Record.
b. In the preparation of the Peasant group I have received great assistance from the Rev. S. Baring-Gould, who has generously put at my disposal the results of his life-long studies in this subject, given me advice and information at every turn, and allowed me the free use of all his own manuscript and printed material. Without his help and encouragement this part of the work could never have been completed.
My thanks are also due to numerous members of the Folk-lore Society, both in London and the provinces, among whom I would particularly mention Miss C. S. Burne, author of Shropshire Folk-lore, and Mrs Balfour of Northumberland.
I have received much assistance also from Miss Lucy E. Broadwood, who has united with Mr J. A. Fuller-Maitland and the Leadenhall Press, Ltd., in permitting me to reprint from her English County Songs.