Second Issue: 1826

Note.—Each poem to which no reference is attached, appeared for the first time in this volume.

There is at present no copy of the First Issue of the First Edition ofRomantic Ballads, with the original Title-page, in the Library of the British Museum.

Manuscript of the Death Raven

Manuscript of Sir John

Manuscript of Saint Oluf and the Trolds

Manuscript of Svend Vonved—1830

Manuscript of The Tournament, 1854

Manuscript of Vidrik Verlandson—1854

Manuscript of Elvir Hill

Manuscript of Marsk Stig’s Daughter

Romantic Ballads, / Translated from the Danish; / and / Miscellaneous Pieces; / By / George Borrow. /Through gloomy paths unknown—/Paths which untrodden be, /From rock to rock I roam/Along the dashing sea. / Bowring. / London: / John Taylor, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, / 1826.

Collation:—Demy octavo, pp. xii + 187. The details of the collation follow those of the First Issue described above in every particular, save that, naturally, the volume lacks the two concluding leaves carrying the List of Subscribers.

Issued in drab paper boards, with white paper back-label. The published price was Seven Shillings.

“Taylor will undertake to publish the remaining copies.His advice is to make the price seven shillings,and to print a new title-page,and then he will be able to sell some for you I advise the same,”etc.—[Allan Cunningham to George Borrow.]

There is a copy of the Second Issue of the First Edition ofRomantic Balladsin the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 11565. cc. 8.

Collation:—Demy octavo, pp. xii + 187. The details of the collation follow those of the Second Issue described above in every particular.

Issued in drab paper boards, with white paper back-label. The price was again Seven Shillings.

In 1913 a type-facsimile reprint of the Original Edition ofRomantic Balladswas published by Messrs. Jarrold and Sons of Norwich. Three hundred Copies were printed.

Targum. / Or / Metrical Translations / From Thirty Languages / and / Dialects. / By / George Borrow. / “The raven has ascended to the nest of the nightingale.” / Persian Poem. / St. Petersburg. / Printed by Schulz and Beneze. / 1835.

Collation:—Demy octavo, printed in half-sheets, pp. viii + 106; consisting of: Title-page, as above (witha Russian quotation upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i–ii;Prefacepp. iii–v; Table ofContentspp. vi–viii, with a singleErratumat the foot of p. viii; and Text of theTranslationspp. 1–106. There are no head-lines, the pages being numbered centrally in Arabic numerals. Beyond that upon the foot of the title-page, there is no imprint. The signatures are given in large Arabic numerals, each pair of half-sheets dividing one number between them; thus the first half-sheet is signed 1, the second 1*, the third 2, the fourth 2*, &c. The Register is therefore 1 to 7 (thirteen half-sheets, each 4 leaves), followed by a single unsigned leaf (pp. 105–106), the whole preceded by an unsigned half-sheet carrying the Title-page, Preface, and Table of Contents. The book was issued without any half-title.

Issued in plain paper wrappers of a bright green colour, lined with white, and without either lettering or label. The leaves measure 8 11/16 × 5½ inches.

Borrow was happy in the title he selected for his book.Targum, as Mr. Gosse has pointed out, is a Chaldee word meaning an interpretation. The word is said to be the root of ‘dragoman.’

Targumwas written by Borrow during his two years’ residence at St. Petersburg (August, 1833, to August, 1835), and was published in June of the latter year. One hundred copies only were printed. As might naturally be expected the book has now become of very considerable rarity, but a small proportion of the original hundred copies being traceable to-day.

A reduced facsimile of the Title-page is given herewith.

“Just before completing this great work, theManchu New Testament, Mr. Borrow published a small volume in the Englishlanguage, entitledTargum,or Metrical Translations from Thirty Languages and Dialects. The exquisite delicacy with which he has caught and rendered the beauties of his well-chosen originals, is a proof of his learning and genius. The work is a pearl in literature, and, like pearls, it derives value from its scarcity, for the whole edition was limited to about a hundred copies.”—[John P. Hasfeld,in The Athenæum,March5th, 1836.]“Some days ago I was at Kirtof’s bookshop on the Gaternaya Ulitza. I wanted to buy aBible in Spainto send to Simbirsk (on the Volga), where they torment me for it every post-day. The stock was all sold out in a few days after its arrival last autumn. The bookseller asked me if I knew a book by Borrow calledTargum, which was understood to have been written by him and printed at St. Petersburg, but he had never been able to light upon it; and the surprising thing was that the trade abroad and even in England did him the honour to order it. I consoled him by saying that he could hardly hope to see a copy in his shop or to get a peep at it. ‘I have a copy,’ continued I, ‘but if you will offer me a thousand roubles for the bare reading of it I cannot do you the favour.’ The man opened his eyes in astonishment. ‘It must be a wonderful book,’ said he. ‘Yes, in that you are right, my good friend,’ I replied.”—[John P. Hasfeld.]“After he became famous the Russian Government was desirous of procuring a copy of this rare book,Targum, for the Imperial Library, and sent an Envoy to England for the purpose. But the Envoy was refused what he sought, and told that as the book was not worth notice when the author’s name was obscure and they had the opportunity of obtaining it themselves, they should not have it now.”—[A. Egmont Hake,in The Athenæum,August13th, 1881.]

“Some days ago I was at Kirtof’s bookshop on the Gaternaya Ulitza. I wanted to buy aBible in Spainto send to Simbirsk (on the Volga), where they torment me for it every post-day. The stock was all sold out in a few days after its arrival last autumn. The bookseller asked me if I knew a book by Borrow calledTargum, which was understood to have been written by him and printed at St. Petersburg, but he had never been able to light upon it; and the surprising thing was that the trade abroad and even in England did him the honour to order it. I consoled him by saying that he could hardly hope to see a copy in his shop or to get a peep at it. ‘I have a copy,’ continued I, ‘but if you will offer me a thousand roubles for the bare reading of it I cannot do you the favour.’ The man opened his eyes in astonishment. ‘It must be a wonderful book,’ said he. ‘Yes, in that you are right, my good friend,’ I replied.”—[John P. Hasfeld.]

“After he became famous the Russian Government was desirous of procuring a copy of this rare book,Targum, for the Imperial Library, and sent an Envoy to England for the purpose. But the Envoy was refused what he sought, and told that as the book was not worth notice when the author’s name was obscure and they had the opportunity of obtaining it themselves, they should not have it now.”—[A. Egmont Hake,in The Athenæum,August13th, 1881.]

Contents.

page

Ode to God. [Reign’d the Universe’s Master ere were earthly things begun]

Borrow reprinted thisOdeinThe Bible in Spain, 1843, Vol. iii, p. 333.

Prayer. [O Thou who dost know what the heart fain would hide]

Death. [Grim Death in his shroud swatheth mortals each hour]

Stanzas. On a Fountain. [In the fount fell my tears,like rain]

Stanzas. The Pursued. [How wretched roams the weary wight]

Odes. From the Persian:

1. [Boy,hand my friends the cup, ’tis time of roses now]

2. [If shedding lovers’ blood thou deem’st a matter slight]

3. [O thou,whose equal mind knows no vexation]

Stanzas. From the Turkish of Fezouli. [O Fezouli,the hour is near]

Description of Paradise. [Eight Gennets there be,as some relate]

O Lord! I nothing crave but Thee. [O Thou,from whom all love doth flow]

Mystical Poem. Relating to the worship of the Great Foutsa or Buddh. [Should I Foutsa’s force and glory]

Moral Metaphors:

1. [From out the South the genial breezes sigh]

2. [Survey,survey Gi Shoi’s murmuring flood!]

The Mountain-Chase. [Autumn has fled and winter left our bounds]

The Glory of the Cossacks. [Quiet Don!]

The Black Shawl. [On the shawl,the black shawl with distraction I gaze]

Song. From the Russian of Pushkin. [Hoary man,hateful man!]

The Cossack. An ancient Ballad. [O’er the field the snow is flying]

The Three Sons of Budrys. [With his three mighty sons,tall as Ledwin’s were once]

The Banning of the Pest. [Hie away,thou horrid monster!]

Woinomoinen. [Then the ancient Woinomoinen]

The Words of Beowulf, Son of Egtheof. [Every one beneath the heaven]

The Lay of Biarke. [The day in East is glowing]

The title of this Ballad as it appears in the original MS. isThe Biarkemal.

The Hail-storm. [For victory as we bounded]

Previously printed (but with very considerable variations in the text, the first line reading “When from our ships we bounded”) inRomantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 136–138. A final version of the Ballad, written about 1854, was printed inYoung Swaigder or The Force of Runes and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 14–15.

The King and Crown. [The King who well crown’d does govern the land]

Ode To a Mountain Torrent. [O stripling immortal thou forth dost career]

Previously printed (but with an entirely different text, the first line reading “How lovely art thou in thy tresses of foam”) inThe Monthly Magazine, Vol. lvi., 1823, p. 244.

Also printed inRomantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 164–166.

The first stanza of theOdeas printed inTargumdoes not figure in the version given inRomantic Ballads, whilst the third stanza of theRomantic Balladsversion is not to be found inTargum.

Chloe. [O we have a sister on earthly dominions!]

Previously printed inThe Monthly Magazine, Vol. lvi, 1823, p. 437.

National Song. From the Danish of Evald. [King Christian stood beside the mast]

Previously printed (under the titleSea Song;from the Danish of Evald) inThe Monthly Magazine,December, 1823, p. 437.

Also printed inRomantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 146–148; and again inThe Foreign Quarterly Review, Vol. vi,June, 1830, p. 70.

The four versions of thisSong, as printed inThe Monthly Magazine, inRomantic Ballads, inThe Foreign Quarterly Review, and inTargum, are utterly different, the opening line being the only one which has approximately the same reading in all.

Sir Sinclair. [Sir Sinclair sail’d from the Scottish ground]

Previously printed inThe Foreign Quarterly Review, Vol. vi,June, 1830, p. 73.

Hvidfeld. [Our native land has ever teem’d]

Birting. A Fragment. [It was late at evening tide]

This “Fragment” consists of fifteen stanzas from the BalladThe Giant of Berne and Orm Ungerswayne, which was printed complete, for Private Circulation, in 1913. [See post, No. 40.]

Ingeborg’s Lamentation. [Autumn winds howl]

The Delights of Finn Mac Coul. [Finn Mac Coul’mongst his joys did number]

Carolan’s Lament. [The arts of Greece,Rome and of Eirin’s fair earth]

To Icolmcill. [On Icolmcill may blessings pour]

The Dying Bard. [O for to hear the hunter’s tread]

In the original Manuscript of this Poem the title readsThe Wish of the Bard; the text also differs considerably from that which appears inTargum.

The Prophecy of Taliesin. [Within my mind]

The History of Taliesin. [The head Bard’s place I hold]

The original Manuscript ofThe History of Taliesinpossesses many points of interest. In the first place, in addition to sundry variations of text, it enables us to fill up the words in the last line of stanza 3, and the fourth line of stanza 7, which in the pages ofTargumare replaced by asterisks. The full lines read:

Where died the Almighty’s Son,

and

Have seen the Trinity.

In the second place the Manuscript contains a stanza, following upon the first, which does not occur in the printed text. This stanza reads as follows:

I with my Lord and GodOn the highest places trod,When Lucifer down fellWith his army into hell.I know each little starWhich twinkles near and far;And I know the Milky WayWhere I tarried many a day.

A reduced facsimile of the third page of this Manuscript will be found herewith, facing page 54.

Epigram. On a Miser who had built a Stately Mansion. [Of every pleasure is thy mansion void]

The Invitation. [Parry,of all my friends the best]

The Rising of Achilles. [Straightway Achilles arose,the belov’d of Jove,round his shoulders]

The Meeting of Odysses and Achilles. [Tow’rds me came the Shade of Peleidean Achilles]

Hymn To Thetis and Neoptolemus. [Of Thetis I sing with her locks of gold-shine]

The Grave of Demos. [Thus old Demos spoke,as sinking sought the sun the western wave]

The Sorceries of Canidia. [Father of Gods,who rul’st the sky]

The French Cavalier. [The French cavalier shall have my praise]

Address To Sleep. [Sweet death of sense,oblivion of ill]

The Moormen’s March From Granada. [Reduan,I but lately heard]

101

The Forsaken. [Up I rose,O mother,early]

103

Stanzas. From the Portuguese. [A fool is he who in the lap]

104

My Eighteenth Year. [Where is my eighteenth year?far back]

105

Song. From the Rommany. [The strength of the ox]

Another version of thisSong, bearing the title “Our Heart is heavy,Brother,” is printed inMarsk Stig’s Daughters and other Songs and Ballads, 1913, pp. 17–18.

106

Note.—Each poem to which no reference is attached, appeared for the first time in this volume.

In 1892Targumwas reprinted, together withThe Talisman, by Messrs. Jarrold & Sons, of Norwich, in an edition of 250 copies.

There is a copy of the First Edition ofTargumin the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is C.57.i.6.

Title page of Targum, 1835

Manuscript of The Miarkemal

Manuscript of The History of Taliesin

The / Talisman. / From the Russian / of / Alexander Pushkin. / With other Pieces. / St. Petersburg. / Printed by Schulz and Beneze, / 1835.

Collation:—Royal octavo, pp. 14; consisting of: Title-page, as above (with a Russian quotation upon the centre of the reverse) pp. 1–2; and Text ofThe Talismanand other Poems pp. 3–14. There are no head-lines, the pages being numbered centrally in Arabic numerals. Beyond that upon the title-page there is no imprint. There are also no signatures, the pamphlet being composed of a single sheet, folded to form sixteen pages. The last leaf is a blank. The book was issued without any half-title.

Issued stitched, and without wrappers. The leaves measure 9¾ × 6¼ inches.

One Hundred Copies only were printed.

A reduced facsimile of the Title-page ofThe Talismanis given herewith. It will be observed that the heavy letterpress upon the reverse of the title shows through the paper, and is reproduced in the photograph.

Contents.

page

The Talisman. [Where fierce the surge with awful bellow]

The Mermaid. [Close by a lake,begirt with forest]

Ancient Russian Songs:

1. [The windel-straw nor grass so shook and trembled]

2. [O rustle not,ye verdant oaken branches!]

3. [O thou field of my delight so fair and verdant!]

Ancient Ballad. [From the wood a sound is gliding]

The Renegade. [Now pay ye the heed that is fitting]

Note.—The whole of the poems printed inThe Talismanappeared there for the first time.

In 1892 Messrs. Jarrold & Sons published page for page reprints ofTargumandThe Talisman. They were issued together in one volume, bound in light drab-coloured paper boards, with white paper back-label, and were accompanied by the following collective title-page:

Targum: /or, /Metrical Translations from Thirty Languages/and Dialects. /And/The Talisman, /from the Russian of Alexander Pushkin. /With Other Pieces. /By/George Borrow. /Author of“The Bible in Spain”&c./London: /Jarrold & Sons, 3,Paternoster Buildings.

In 1912 a small ‘remainder’ ofThe Talismancame to light. The ‘find’ consisted of about Five Copies, which were sold in the first instance for an equal number of Pence. The buyer appears to have resold them at progressive prices, commencing at Four Pounds and concluding at Ten Guineas.

There is a copy of the First Edition ofThe Talismanin the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is C.57.e.33.

Title page of The Talisman, 1835

Embéo / e Majaró Lucas. / Brotoboro / randado andré la chipe griega, acána / chibado andré o Romanó, ó chipe es / Zincales de Sesé. / El Evangelio segun S. Lucas, / traducido al Romaní, / ó dialecto de los Gitanos de España. / 1837.

Collation:—Foolscap octavo, pp. 177, consisting of: Title-page, as above (with Borrow’s Colophon upon the reverse, followed by a quotation from theEpistle to the Romans, Chap. XV. v. XXIV.) pp. 1–2; and Text of the Gospel pp. 3–177. The reverse of p. 177 is blank. There are no head-lines, the pages being numbered centrally in Arabic numerals. There is no printer’s imprint. The signatures are A to L (11 sheets, each 8 leaves), plus L repeated (two leaves, the second a blank). The book was issued without any half-title.

I have never seen a copy of the First Edition of Borrow’s translation into the dialect of the Spanish Gypsies of the Gospel of St. Luke in the original binding. No doubt the book (which was printed in Madrid) was put up in paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges, in accordance with the usual Continental custom.

Most of the copies now extant are either in a modern binding, or in contemporary brown calf, with marbled edges and endpapers. The latter are doubtless the copies sent home by Borrow, and bound in leather for that purpose. The leaves of these measure 6 × 4 inches.

As will be seen from the following extracts, it is probable that the First Edition consisted of 250 copies, and that 50 of these were forwarded to London:

“In response to Borrow’s letter of February 27th, the Committee resolved ‘to authorise Mr. Borrow to print 250 copies of the Gospel of St. Luke, without the Vocabulary, in the Rummanee dialect, and to engage the services of a competent person to translate the Gospel of St. Luke by way of trial in the dialect of the Spanish Basque.’”—[Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1911, pp. 205–206.]“A small impression of the Gospel of St. Luke, in the Rommany, or Gitano, or Gipsy language, has been printed at Madrid, under the superintendence of this same gentleman, who himself made the translation for the benefit of the interesting, singular, degraded race of people whose name it bears, and who are very numerous in some parts of Spain. He has likewise taken charge of the printing of the Gospel of St. Luke, in the Cantabrian, or Spanish Basque language, a translation of which had fallen into his hands.”—[Thirty-Fourth Annual Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1838, p. xliii.]“All the Testaments were stopped at the custom house, they were contained in two large chests. . . . The chests, therefore, with the hundred Gospels in Gitano and Basque [probably 50 copies of each] for the Library of the Bible Society are at present at San Lucar in the custom house, from which I expect to receive to-morrow the receipt which the authorities here demand.”—[Borrow’s letter to the Rev. A. Brandram,Seville,May2nd, 1839.]

“A small impression of the Gospel of St. Luke, in the Rommany, or Gitano, or Gipsy language, has been printed at Madrid, under the superintendence of this same gentleman, who himself made the translation for the benefit of the interesting, singular, degraded race of people whose name it bears, and who are very numerous in some parts of Spain. He has likewise taken charge of the printing of the Gospel of St. Luke, in the Cantabrian, or Spanish Basque language, a translation of which had fallen into his hands.”—[Thirty-Fourth Annual Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1838, p. xliii.]

“All the Testaments were stopped at the custom house, they were contained in two large chests. . . . The chests, therefore, with the hundred Gospels in Gitano and Basque [probably 50 copies of each] for the Library of the Bible Society are at present at San Lucar in the custom house, from which I expect to receive to-morrow the receipt which the authorities here demand.”—[Borrow’s letter to the Rev. A. Brandram,Seville,May2nd, 1839.]

A Second Edition of the Gospel was printed in London in 1871. The collation is Duodecimo, pp. 117. This was followed by a Third Edition, London, 1872, the collation of which is also Duodecimo, pp. 117. Both bear the same imprint: “London: /Printed by William Clowes and Sons,Stamford Street, /and Charing Cross.”

For these London Editions the text was considerably revised.

The Gospel of St. Luke in the Basque dialect, referred to in the above paragraphs, is a small octavo volume bearing the following title-page:

Evangelioa/San Lucasen Guissan/El Evangelio segun S. Lucas. /Traducido al vascuence. /Madrid: /Imprenta de la Campañia Tipografica/ 1838.

The translation was the work of a Basque physician named Oteiza, and Borrow did little more than see it through the press. The book has, therefore, no claim to rank as a Borrowprinceps.

The measure of success which attended his efforts to reproduce the Gospel of St. Luke in these two dialects is best told in Borrow’s own words:

“I subsequently published the Gospel of St. Luke in the Rommany and Biscayan languages. With respect to the first, I beg leave to observe that no work printed in Spain ever caused so great and so general a sensation, not so much amongst the Gypsies, for whom it was intended, as amongst the Spaniards themselves, who, though they look upon the Roma with some degree of contempt, nevertheless take a strange interest in all that concerns them. . . . Respecting the Gospel in Basque I have less to say. It was originally translated into the dialect of Guipuscoa by Dr. Oteiza, and subsequently received corrections and alterations from myself. It can scarcely be said to have been published, it having been prohibited and copies of it seized on the second day of its appearance. But it is in my power to state that it is anxiously expected in the Basque provinces, where books in the aboriginal tongue are both scarce and dear.”—[Borrow’s Survey of his last two years in Spain,printed in his Letters to the Bible Society, 1911, pp. 360–361.]

There is a copy of the First Edition ofThe Gospel of St. Luke in the dialect of the Spanish Gypsiesin the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is C.51.aa.12. The Museum also possesses a copy of the Gospel in the Basque dialect; the Pressmark is C.51.aa.13.

Title page of Embéo e Majaró Lucas

The Zincali; / Or, / An Account / of the / Gypsies of Spain. / With / An Original Collection of their /Songs and Poetry, / and / A Copious Dictionary of their Language. / By / George Borrow, / Late Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society / in Spain. / “For that,which is unclean by nature,thou canst entertain no hope:no/washing will turn the Gypsy white.”—Ferdousi. / In Two Volumes. / Vol. I. [Vol. II] / London: / John Murray, Albemarle Street. / 1841.

Vol. I.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. xvi + 362; consisting of: Half-title (with imprint “G. Woodfall and Son,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London” upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. iii–iv; DedicationTo the Right Honourable the Earl of Clarendon,G.C.B.(with blank reverse) pp. v–vi;Prefacepp. vii–xii; Table ofContentspp. xiii–xvi; and Text pp. 1–362, including a separate Fly-title (with blank reverse) toThe Zincali,Part II. There are headlines throughout, each verso being headedThe Zincali, whilst each recto carries at its head a note of the particular subject occupying it. The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 362. The signatures are a (six leaves), b (two leaves), B to Q (15 sheets, each 12 leaves), plus R (two leaves). Sig. R 2 is a blank.

Vol. II.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. vi + 156 + vi + *135; consisting of: Half-title (with imprint “G. Woodfall and Son,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London” uponthe centre of the reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. iii–iv; Table ofContentspp. v–vi; Fly-title toThe Zincali,Part III(with blank reverse) pp. 1–2; Text ofPart III(including separate Fly-titles, each with blank reverse, toThe Praise of Buddh,On the Language of the Gitanos, andRobber Language) pp. 3–156; Fly-title (with blank reverse) toThe Zincali.Vocabulary of their Languagepp. i–ii;Advertisement to the Vocabularypp. iii–v; p. vi is blank; Text of theVocabularypp. *1–*113; p. *114 is blank; Fly-title (with blank reverse) toMiscellanies in the Gitano Languagepp. *115–*116;Advertisementto theMiscellaniesp. *117; and Text of theMiscellaniespp. *118–*135. The reverse of p. *135 is blank. There are head-lines throughout, each verso being headedThe Zincali, whilst each recto carries at its head a note of the particular subject occupying it. The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. *135. The signatures are a (2 leaves), b (one leaf), B to G (6 sheets, each 12 leaves), H (6 leaves),a(3 leaves),btoe(4 sheets, each 12 leaves),f(9 leaves), andg(12 leaves).b6,b8, andb12 are cancel-leaves. The last leaf of Sig.gis occupied by a series of Advertisements ofWorks just Publishedby John Murray.

Issued (inApril, 1841) in dark blue cloth boards, with white paper back-label, lettered “Borrow’s/Gypsies/of/Spain. /Two Volumes. /Vol. I. [Vol. II.].” The leaves measure 7⅞ × 4¾ inches. The published price was 18s.

Of the First Edition ofThe ZincaliSeven Hundred and Fifty Copies only were printed. A Second Edition, to which a newPreface was added, was published inMarch, 1843, and a Third inSeptember, 1843, each of which was restricted to the same number of copies. The Fourth Edition appeared in 1846, the Fifth in 1870, the Sixth in 1882, the Seventh in 1888, and the Eighth in 1893. The book has since been included in various popular editions, and translated into several foreign languages.

Examples ofThe Zincalimay sometimes be met with bearing dates other than those noted above. These are merely copies of the editions specified, furnished with new title-pages.

Included in the second volume ofThe Zincaliis a considerable amount of verse, as follows:

page

Rhymes of the Gitanos. [Unto a refuge me they led]

The Deluge.Part I. [I with fear and terror quake]

The Deluge.Part II. [When I last did bid farewell]

The Pestilence. [I’m resolved now to tell]

The whole of the above pieces are accompanied on the opposite pages by the original texts from which Borrow translated them.

Poem,Relating to the Worship of the great Foutsa or Buddh. [Should I Foutsa’s force and glory]

Previously printed inTargum, 1835, p. 13.

There is a copy of the First Edition ofThe Zincaliin the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 1429.g.14.

The / Bible in Spain; / Or, the / Journeys, Adventures, and Imprisonments / Of an Englishman, / in / An Attempt to Circulate the Scriptures / in / The Peninsula. / By George Borrow, / Author of “The Gypsies of Spain.” / In three volumes. /Vol. I. [Vol. II, etc.] / London: / John Murray, Albemarle Street. / 1843.

Vol. I.

Collation:—Large duodecimo pp. xxiv + 370; consisting of: Half-title (with imprint “G. Woodfall and Son,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London” upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. iii–iv;Contents of Vol. ipp. v–viii;Prefacepp. ix–xxiv; and Text pp. 1–370. There are head-lines throughout, each verso being headedThe Bible in Spaintogether with the number of the Chapter, whilst each recto carries at its head a note of the particular subject occupying it, with the Chapter number repeated. The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 370. The signatures are A to Q (sixteen sheets, each 12 leaves), plus R (a half-sheet of 6 leaves). The last leaf of sig. R carries a series of Advertisements of books published by John Murray.

Vol. II.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. viii + 398; consisting of Half-title (with imprint “G. Woodfall and Son,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London” upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. iii–iv;Contents of Vol. ii.pp. v–viii; andTextpp. 1–398. There are headlines throughout, as in the first volume. The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 398. The signatures are A (four leaves), B to R (sixteen sheets, each 12 leaves), plus S (8 leaves). The last leaf of Sig. R carries a series of Advertisements of books published by John Murray.

Vol. III.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. viii + 391; consisting of: Half-title (with imprint “G. Woodfall and Son,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London” upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. iii–iv;Contents of Vol iiipp. v–viii; and Text pp. 1–391. There are headlines throughout, as in the two preceding volumes. The reverse of p. 391 is occupied by Advertisements ofRomantic Ballads,Targum, andThe Zincali. The imprint is repeated at the foot of p. 391. The signatures are a (2 leaves), b (2 leaves), B to R (sixteen sheets, each 12 leaves), plus S (4 leaves).

Issued (inDecember, 1842) in deep claret-coloured cloth boards, with white paper back-label, lettered “The|Bible|in|Spain|Vol. I. [Vol. II, &c.].” The leaves measure 7¾ × 4¾ inches. The published price was 27s.

Although the title page of the First Edition ofThe Bible in Spainis dated 1843, there can be no doubt that the book was ready early in the preceding December. I have in my own library a copy, still in the original cloth boards, with the following inscription in Borrow’s handwriting upon the flyleaf:

Borrow’s inscription

Autographed presentation copies of Borrow’s books are remarkably few in number, I only know of four, in addition to the above. One of these is preserved in the Borrow Museum, at Norwich.

Of the First Edition ofThe Bible in SpainOne Thousand Copies were printed. The Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Editions were all published in 1843. By 1896 eighteen authorised editions had made their appearance. Since that date the book has been re-issued in numberless popular editions, and has been translated into various foreign languages.

The following verses made their first appearance inThe Bible in Spain:

vol. i.,page

Fragment of a Spanish Hymn. [Once of old upon a mountain,shepherds overcome with sleep]

Lines from an Eastern Poet. [I’ll weary myself each night and each day]

149

A Gachapla. [I stole a plump and bonny fowl]

175

vol. ii.,page

Fragment of a Patriotic Song. [Don Carlos is a hoary churl]

141

Saint James. [Thou shield of that faith which in Spain we revere]

A reduced facsimile of the first page of the Manuscript ofSaint Jameswill be found facing the present page.

176

Lines. [May the Lord God preserve us from evil birds three]

310

Lines. [A handless man a letter did write]

312

There is a copy of the First Edition ofThe Bible in Spainin the Library of the British Museum. The press-mark is 1369.f 23.

Manuscript of The Hymn to St. James

Art.—Hand-book for Travellers in Spain. London: 2 Vols. / post 8vo. 1845.

Collation:—Folio, pp. 12. There is no Title-page proper, the title, as above, being imposed upon the upper portion of the first page, after the manner of a ‘dropped head.’ The head-line isSpanish Hand-bookthroughout, upon both sides of the page. There is no printer’s imprint. There are also no signatures; but the pamphlet is composed of three sheets, each two leaves, making twelve pages in all.

Issued stitched, and without wrappers. The leaves measure 13½ × 8½ inches. The pamphlet is undated. It was printed in 1845.

ThisReviewis unquestionably the rarest of the First Editions of Borrow’s Works. No more than two copies would appear to have been struck off, and both are fortunately extant to-day. One of these was formerly in the possession of Dr. William I. Knapp, and is now the property of the Hispanic Society, of New York. The second example is in my own library. This was Borrow’s own copy, and is freely corrected in his characteristic handwriting. A greatly reduced facsimile of the last page of the pamphlet is given herewith.

In 1845 Richard Ford published hisHand-Book for Travellers in Spain and Readers at Home[2 Vols. 8vo.], a work, the compilation of which is said to have occupied its author for more than sixteen years. In conformity with the wish of Ford (who had himself favourably reviewedThe Bible in Spain) Borrow undertook to produce a study of theHand-BookforThe Quarterly Review. The above Essay was the result.

But the Essay, brilliant though it is, was not a ‘Review.’ Not until page 6 is theHand-Bookeven mentioned, and but little concerning it appears thereafter. Lockhart, then editing theQuarterly, proposed to render it more suitable for the purpose for which it had been intended by himself interpolating a seriesof extracts from Ford’s volumes. But Borrow would tolerate no interference with his work, and promptly withdrew the Essay, which had meanwhile been set up in type. The following letter, addressed by Lockhart to Ford, sufficiently explains the position:

London,June13th, 1845.Dear Ford,‘El Gitano’sent me a paper on the“Hand-Book”which I read with delight.It seemed just another capital chapter of his“Bible in Spain”and I thought,as there was hardly a word of‘review,’and no extract giving the least notion of the peculiar merits and style of the“Hand-Book,”that I could easily(as is my constant custom)supply the humbler part myself,and so present at once a fair review of the work,and a lively specimen of our friend’s vein of eloquence in exordio.But,behold!he will not allow any tampering. . . .I now write to condole with you;for I am very sensible,after all,that you run a great risk in having your book committed to hands far less competent for treating it or any other book of Spanish interest than Borrow’s would have been. . .and I consider that,after all,in the case of a new author,it is the first duty of the“Quarterly Review”to introduce that author fully and fairly to the public.Ever Yours Truly,J. G. Lockhart.“Our author pictures Gibraltar as a human entity thus addressing Spain:Accursed land!I hate thee,and far from being a defence,will invariably prove a thorn in thy side.And so on through many sentences of excited rhetoric. Borrow forgot while he wrote that he had a book to review—a book, moreover, issued by the publishing house which issued the periodical in which his review was to appear.”—[George Borrow and his Circle, 1913, p. 257].

London,June13th, 1845.

Dear Ford,

‘El Gitano’sent me a paper on the“Hand-Book”which I read with delight.It seemed just another capital chapter of his“Bible in Spain”and I thought,as there was hardly a word of‘review,’and no extract giving the least notion of the peculiar merits and style of the“Hand-Book,”that I could easily(as is my constant custom)supply the humbler part myself,and so present at once a fair review of the work,and a lively specimen of our friend’s vein of eloquence in exordio.

But,behold!he will not allow any tampering. . . .I now write to condole with you;for I am very sensible,after all,that you run a great risk in having your book committed to hands far less competent for treating it or any other book of Spanish interest than Borrow’s would have been. . .and I consider that,after all,in the case of a new author,it is the first duty of the“Quarterly Review”to introduce that author fully and fairly to the public.

Ever Yours Truly,J. G. Lockhart.

“Our author pictures Gibraltar as a human entity thus addressing Spain:

Accursed land!I hate thee,and far from being a defence,will invariably prove a thorn in thy side.

And so on through many sentences of excited rhetoric. Borrow forgot while he wrote that he had a book to review—a book, moreover, issued by the publishing house which issued the periodical in which his review was to appear.”—[George Borrow and his Circle, 1913, p. 257].

In 1913 Borrow’sReviewwas reprinted in the following Pamphlet:

A/Supplementary Chapter/to/The Bible in Spain/Inspired by/Ford’s“Handbook for Travellers in Spain.” /By/George Borrow/London: /Printed for Private Circulation/ 1913.—Square demy 8vo, pp. 46. [Seepost, No. 10.]

Printed extract from the Review with hand-written notes

Title page of Supplementary Chapter to The Bible in Spain, 1913

A / Supplementary Chapter / to / The Bible in Spain / Inspired by / Ford’s “Handbook for Travellers in Spain.” / By / George Borrow / London: / Printed for Private Circulation / 1913.

Collation:—Square demy octavo, pp. 46; consisting of: Half-title (with blank reverse) pp. 1–2; Frontispiece (with blank recto) pp. 3–4; Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. 5–6;Prefatory Note(signed ‘T. J. W.’) pp. 7–10; and text of theChapter pp.11–46. There are head-lines throughout, each verso being headedA Supplementary Chapter, and each rectoTo the Bible in Spain. Following p. 46 is a leaf, with blank recto, and with the following imprint upon the reverse, “London: /Printed for Thomas J. Wise,Hampstead,N. W./Edition limited to Thirty Copies.” The signatures are A to C (3 sheets, each 8 leaves), inset within each other.

Issued in bright green paper wrappers, with untrimmededges, and with the title-page reproduced upon the front. The leaves measure 8¾ × 6⅞ inches.

Thirty Copies only were printed.

The Frontispiece consists of a greatly reduced facsimile of the last page, bearing Borrow’s corrections, of the original edition of hisReview of Ford’s‘Hand-Book.’

ThisSupplementary Chapter to“The Bible in Spain” is a reprint of the Review of Ford’sHand-book for Travellers in Spainwritten by Borrow in 1845 for insertion inThe Quarterly Review, but withdrawn by him in consequence of the proposal made by the Editor, John Gibson Lockhart, that he should himself introduce into Borrow’s Essay a series of extracts from theHandbook. [Seeante, No. 9.]

Included in thePrefatory Noteis the following amusing squib, written by Borrow in 1845, but never printed by him. I chanced to light upon the Manuscript in a packet of his still unpublished verse:

Would it not be more dignifiedTo run up debts on every side,And then to pay your debts refuse,Than write for rascally Reviews?And lectures give to great and small,In pot-house,theatre,and town-hall,Wearing your brains by night and dayTo win the means to pay your way?I vow by him who reigns in[hell],It would be more respectable!

There is a copy ofA Supplementary Chapter to“The Bible in Spain” in the Library of the British Museum. The press-mark is C. 57. d. 19 (2).

Manuscript of verse on reviewing

Lavengro; / The Scholar—The Gypsy—The Priest. / By George Borrow, / Author of “The Bible in Spain,” and “The Gypsies of Spain” / In Three Volumes.—Vol. I. [Vol. II.,&c.] / London: / John Murray, Albemarle Street. / 1851.

Vol. I.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. xviii[85]+ 360; consisting of: Half-title (with imprint “London: /George Woodfall and Son, /Angel Court,Skinner Street” upon the centre of the reverse). Pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with Advertisements ofThe Bible in SpainandThe Zincaliupon the reverse) pp. iii–iv;Prefacepp. v–xii; and Text pp. 1–360. At the foot of p. 360 the imprint is repeated thus, “G. Woodfall and Son,Printers,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London.” There are head-lines throughout, each page being headed with the number of the chapter, together with the title of the individual subject occupying it. The signatures are A (nine leaves, a single leaf being inserted between A 6 and A 7), and B to Q (fifteen sheets, each 12 leaves).

A Portrait of Borrow, engraved by W. Holl from a painting by H. W. Phillips, serves as Frontispiece.

Vol. II.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. xii + 366; consisting of: Half-title (with imprint “London: /George Woodfall and Son, /Angel Court,Skinner Street” upon thecentre of the reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with Advertisements ofThe Bible in SpainandThe Zincaliupon the reverse) pp. iii–iv;Contentsof Vol. II pp. v–xi; p. xii is blank; and Text pp. 1–366. At the foot of p. 366 the imprint is repeated thus, “G. Woodfall and Son,Printers,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London.” There are head-lines throughout, as in the first volume. The signatures area(2 leaves),b(4 leaves), B to Q (fifteen sheets, each 12 leaves), plus R (3 leaves).

Vol. III.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. xii + 426; consisting of: Half-title (with imprint “London: /George Woodfall and Son, /Angel Court,Skinner Street” upon the centre of the reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with Advertisements ofThe Bible in SpainandThe Zincaliupon the reverse) pp. iii–iv;Contentsof Vol. III pp. v–xi; p. xii is blank; and Text pp. 1–426. At the foot of p. 426 the imprint is repeated thus, “G. Woodfall and Son,Printers,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London.” There are head-lines throughout, as in the first volume. The signatures area(2 leaves),b(4 leaves), B to S (seventeen sheets, each 12 leaves), T (6 leaves), and U (3 leaves).

Issued in dark blue cloth boards, with white paper back-labels, lettered “Lavengro; /the/Scholar, /the Gypsy, /and/the Priest. /By George Borrow/Vol. i. [Vol. ii.,&c.]” The leaves measure 7¾ × 4⅞ inches. The edition consisted of 3,000 Copies. The published price was 30s.

A Second Edition (miscalledThird Edition) was issued in 1872; a Third (miscalledFourth) in 1888; and a Fourth (miscalledFifth) in 1896. To the edition of 1872 was prefixed a newPreface, in which Borrow replied to his critics in a somewhat angry and irritable manner. Copies of the First Edition ofLavengroare to be met with, the three volumes bound in one, in original publishers’ cloth, bearing the name of the firm of Chapman and Hall upon the back. These copies are ‘remainders.’ They were made up in 1870. It is by no means unlikely that in 1872 some confusion prevailed as to the nature of this subsidiary issue, and that it was mistaken for a Second Edition of the book. If so the incorrect numbering of the edition of that date, the actual Second Edition, may be readily accounted for.

An important edition ofLavengrois:

Lavengro/By George Borrow/A New Edition/Containing the unaltered Text of the Original Issue; /some Suppressed Passages now printed for the/first time;MS. Variorum,Vocabulary and Notes/By the Author of/The Life of George Borrow/London/John Murray,Albemarle Street/ 1900.—Crown 8vo, pp. xxviii + 569.

The book was reprinted in 1911. The Editor was Dr. William Knapp.

An edition ofLavengro, with a valuable Introduction by Mr. Theodore Watts-Dunton, was published by Messrs. Ward, Lock & Co., in 1893. The work is also included inEveryman’s Library, and in other series of popular reprints.

When put to press in February, 1849, the first volume ofLavengrowas set up with the title-page reading as follows:—

Life,A Drama. /By/George Borrow,Esq., /Author of“The Bible in Spain,”etc./In Three Volumes. /Vol. i. /London: /John Murray,Albemarle Street. / 1849.

Only two examples of the volume with this interesting early title-page are known to have survived. One of these is now in the possession of the Hispanic Society, of New York. The other is the property of Mr. Otto Kyllmann.

Later in the same year Murray advertised the work under the following title:—

Lavengro,An Autobiography.By George Borrow,Esq.,&c.

The same title was employed in the advertisements of 1850.

Mr. Clement Shorter possesses the original draft of the first portion ofLavengro. In this draft the title-page appears in its earliest form, and describes the book asSome Account of the Life,Pursuits,and Adventures of a Norfolk Man. A facsimile of this tentative title was given by Mr. Shorter inGeorge Borrow and his Circle, 1913, p. 280.

“Borrow took many years to writeLavengro. ‘I am writing the work,’ he told Dawson Turner, ‘in precisely the same manner asThe Bible in Spain, viz. on blank sheets of old account-books, backs of letters,’ &c., and he recalls Mahomet writing the Koran on mutton bones as an analogy to his own ‘slovenliness of manuscript.’ I have had plenty of opportunity of testing this slovenliness in the collection of manuscripts of portions ofLavengrothat have come into my possession. These are written upon pieces of paper of all shapes and sizes, although at least a third of the book in Borrow’s very neat handwriting is contained in a leather notebook. The title-page demonstrates the earliest form of Borrow’s conception. Not only did he then contemplate an undisguised autobiography, but even described himself as ‘a Norfolk man.’ Before the book was finished, however, he repudiated the autobiographical note, and we find him fiercely denouncing his critics for coming to such a conclusion. ‘The writer,’ he declares, ‘never said it was an autobiography; never authorised any person to say it was one.’ Which was doubtless true, in a measure.”—[George Borrow and his Circle, 1913, pp. 279–281].

There is a copy of the First Edition ofLavengroin the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 12622. f. 7.

The / Romany Rye; / A Sequel to “Lavengro.” / By George Borrow, / Author of / “The Bible inSpain,” “The Gypsies of Spain,” etc. / “Fear God,and take your own part.” / In Two Volumes.—Vol. I. [Vol. II.] / London: John Murray, Albemarle Street. / 1857. / [The Right of Translation is reserved.]

Vol. I.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. xii + 372; consisting of: Half-title (with blank reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with imprint “London:Woodfall and Kinder,Printers, /Angel Court,Skinner Street” at the foot of the reverse) pp. iii–iv; Preface (styledAdvertisement) pp. v–vi; Table ofContentspp. vii–xi; Extract fromPleasantries of the Cogia Nasr Eddin Efendip. xii; and Text pp. 1–372. The head-line isThe Romany Ryethroughout, upon both sides of the page; each page also bears at its head the number of the particular Chapter occupying it. At the foot of p. 372 the imprint is repeated thus, “Woodfall and Kinder,Printers,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London.” The signatures are A (a half-sheet of 6 leaves), B to Q (15 sheets, each 12 leaves), plus R (a half-sheet of 6 leaves).

Vol. II.

Collation:—Large duodecimo, pp. viii + 375 + ix; consisting of: Half-title (with blank reverse) pp. i–ii; Title-page, as above (with imprint “London:Woodfall and Kinder,Printers, /Angel Court,Skinner Street” at the foot of the reverse) pp. iii–iv; Table ofContentspp. v–vii; p. viii isblank; and Text pp. 1–375. The reverse of p. 375 is blank. The volume is completed by eight unnumbered pages of Advertisements ofWorks by the Author of“The Bible in Spain”ready for the Press. There are head-lines throughout; up to, and including, p. 244 the head-line isThe Romany Rye, together with the numbers of the Chapters, pp. 245–375 are headedAppendix, accompanied by the numbers of the Chapters. At the foot of the last of the eight unnumbered pages carrying the Advertisements (Sig. R 12 verso) the imprint is repeated thus, “Woodfall and Kinder,Printers,Angel Court,Skinner Street,London.” The signatures are A (four leaves), plus B to R (16 sheets, each 12 leaves).

Issued (onApril30th, 1857) in dark blue cloth boards, with white paper back-labels, lettered “The/Romany Rye. /By/George Borrow. /Vol. I. [Vol. II.]” The leaves measure 7⅞ × 5 inches.

Of the First Edition ofThe Romany RyeOne Thousand Copies were printed. The published price was 21s.A Second Edition was published in 1858, a Third in 1872, a Fourth in 1888, and a Fifth in 1896. The book is included inEveryman’s Library, and in other series of popular reprints.

The series of Advertisements ofWorksby Borrow, announced as “Ready for the Press,” which occupy the last eight pages of the second volume ofThe Romany Ryeare of especial interest. No less than twelve distinct works are included in these advertisements. Of these twelveThe Bible in Spainwas already in the hands of the public,Wild Walesduly appeared in 1862, andThe Sleeping Bardin 1860. These three were all that Borrow lived to see in print. Two others,The Turkish JesterandThe Death ofBalder, were published posthumously in 1884 and 1889 respectively; but the remaining seven,Celtic Bards,Chiefs,and Kings,Songs of Europe,Kœmpe Viser,Penquite and Pentyre,Russian Popular Tales,Northern Skalds,Kings,and Earls, andBayr Jairgey and Glion Doo:The Red Path and the Black Valley, were never destined to see the light. However, practically the whole of the verse prepared for them was included in the series of Pamphlets which have been printed for private circulation during the past twelve months.

As was the case withLavengro, Borrow delayed the completion ofThe Romany Ryeto an extent that much disconcerted his publisher, John Murray. The correspondence which passed between author and publisher is given at some length by Dr. Knapp, in whose pages the whole question is fully discussed.

Mr. Shorter presents the matter clearly and fairly in the paragraphs he devotes to the subject:

“The most distinctly English book—at least in a certain absence of cosmopolitanism—that Victorian literature produced was to a great extent written on scraps of paper during a prolonged Continental tour which included Constantinople and Budapest. InLavengrowe have only half a book, the whole work, which included what came to be published asThe Romany Rye, having been intended to appear in four volumes. The first volume was written in 1843, the second in 1845, and the third volume in the years between 1845 and 1848. Then in 1852 Borrow wrote out an advertisement of a fourth volume, which runs as follows:Shortly will be published in one volume.Price10s.The Rommany Rye,Being the fourth volume of Lavengro.By George Borrow,author of The Bible in Spain.But this volume did not make an appearance ‘shortly.’ Its author was far too much offended with the critics, too disheartened it may be, to care to offer himself again for their gibes. The years rolled on, and not until 1857 didThe Romany Ryeappear. The book was now in two volumes, and we see that the wordRomanyhad dropped anm. . . .The incidents ofLavengroare supposed to have taken placebetween the 24thofMay1825, and the 18th of Julyof that year. InThe Romany Ryethe incidents apparently occur between the 19thofJulyand the 3rdofAugust1825. In the opinion of Mr. John Sampson, the whole of the episodes in the five volumes occurred in seventy-two days.”—[George Borrow and his Circle, 1913, pp. 341–343.]

Shortly will be published in one volume.Price10s.The Rommany Rye,Being the fourth volume of Lavengro.By George Borrow,author of The Bible in Spain.

But this volume did not make an appearance ‘shortly.’ Its author was far too much offended with the critics, too disheartened it may be, to care to offer himself again for their gibes. The years rolled on, and not until 1857 didThe Romany Ryeappear. The book was now in two volumes, and we see that the wordRomanyhad dropped anm. . . .

The incidents ofLavengroare supposed to have taken placebetween the 24thofMay1825, and the 18th of Julyof that year. InThe Romany Ryethe incidents apparently occur between the 19thofJulyand the 3rdofAugust1825. In the opinion of Mr. John Sampson, the whole of the episodes in the five volumes occurred in seventy-two days.”—[George Borrow and his Circle, 1913, pp. 341–343.]

A useful edition ofThe Romany Ryeis:

The Romany Rye/A Sequel to“Lavengro” /By George Borrow/A New Edition/Containing the unaltered text of the Original/Issue,with Notes,etc.,by the Author of/ “The Life of George Borrow” /London/John Murray,Albemarle Street/ 1900.—Crown 8vo. pp. xvi + 403.

The book was edited by Dr. William Knapp.

There is a copy of the First Edition ofThe Romany Ryein the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 12622. f. 8.

The Sleeping Bard; / Or / Visions of the World, Death, and Hell, / By / Elis Wyn. / Translated from the Cambrian British / By / George Borrow, / Author of/ “The Bible in Spain,” “The Gypsies of Spain,” etc. / London: / John Murray, Albemarle Street. / 1860.

Collation:—Crown octavo, pp. x + 128; consisting of: Title-page, as above (with blank reverse) pp. i–ii;Prefacepp. iii–vii; p. viii is blank; Fly-title toA Vision of the Course of the World(with blank reverse) pp. ix-x; and Text of the threeVisionspp.1–128. There are head-lines throughout, each double-page being headed with the title of the particularVisionoccupying it.A Vision of Hellis preceded by a separate Fly-title (pp. 67–68) with blank reverse. At the foot of p. 128 is the following imprint, “James M. Denew,Printer, 72,Hall Plain,Great Yarmouth.” The sheets carry no register. The book was issued without any Half-title. In some copies the Christian name of the printer is misprintedJamms.

Issued (inJune, 1860) in magenta coloured cloth boards, lettered in gold along the back, “The Sleeping Bard,” and “London/John Murray” across the foot. The published price was 5s.; 250 copies were printed. Murray’s connection with the work was nominal. The book was actually issued at Yarmouth by J. M. Denew, the printer by whom it was produced. The cost was borne by the author himself, to whom the majority of the copies were ultimately delivered.

Some few copies ofThe Sleeping Bardwould appear to have been put up in yellowish-brown plain paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges. One such example is in the possession of Mr. Paul Lemperley, of Cleveland, Ohio; a second is in the library of Mr. Clement Shorter. The leaves of both these copies measure 8¾ × 5¾ inches. The leaves of ordinary copies in cloth measure 7½ × 4¾ inches. The translation was made in 1830.

The text ofThe Sleeping Bardis divided into three sections. Each of these sections closes with a poem of some length, as follows:—

page

1. The Perishing World. [O man,upon this building gaze]

2. Death the Great. [Leave land and house we must some day]

In the printed text the seventh stanza ofDeath the Greatreads thus:

The song and dance afford,I ween,Relief from spleen,and sorrows grave;How very strange there is no dance,Nor tune of France,from Death can save!

About the year 1871 Borrow re-wrote this stanza, as follows:

The song and dance can drive,they say,The spleen away,and humour’s grave;Why hast thou not devised,O France!Some tune and dance,from Death to save?

As was invariably the case with Borrow, his revision was a vast improvement upon the original version.

3. The Heavy Heart. [Heavy’s the heart with wandering below]

The Manuscript ofThe Sleeping Bardwas formerly in the possession of Dr. Knapp. It is now the property of the Hispanic Society, of New York. It extends to 74 pages 4to.

124

There is a copy of the First Edition ofThe Sleeping Bardin the Library of the British Museum. The Press-mark is 12355. c. 17.

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