Robin Hood and Maid Marian (150): “This foolish ditty.” III, 218.
Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight (153): “Written, perhaps, because it was thought that authority should in the end be vindicated against outlaws, which may explain why this piece surpasses in platitude everything that goes before.” III, 225.
The Suffolk Miracle (272): “This piece could not be admitted here on its own merits. At the first look, it would be classed with the vulgar prodigies printed for hawkers to sell and for Mopsa and Dorcas to buy. It is not even a good specimen of its kind.” V, 58.
We may add from the Ballads half-a-dozen examples of specific praise:
The Lass of Lochroyan [76, D][393]: “This beautiful piece.” Ballads, II, 98.
The Queen’s Marie [173, I]: “Jamieson and Kinloch have each published a highly dramatic fragment of this terrible story.” Ballads, III, 107.
The Lochmaben Harper [192, A]: “This fine old ballad ... has the genuine ring of the best days of minstrelsy. On account of its excellence, we give two versions.” Ballads, VI, 3.
Earl Richard [68, J]: “This gloomy and impressive romance.” Ballads, III, 3.
Chevy-Chace [162, A]: “Addison’s papers in the Spectator ... evince so true a perception of the merits of this ballad [162, B], shorn as it is of the most striking beauties of the grand original, that we cannot but deeply regret his never having seen the ancient and genuine copy (‘The noble ballad,’ 162, A; Ballads, VII, 27), which was published by Hearne only a few days after Addison died.” Ballads, VII, 43.
Sir Andrew Barton [167, A]: “This noble ballad.” Ballads, VII, 56.