The book of British ballads . Ma W I w. s \^^^;i(fjf AIR HELEN OF KIRCONNELL. We take^ this beautiful and deeply-touching ballad fromthe Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, where,however, it is given, without alteration or improve-ment, from the most accurate copy which could be pro-cured. The Editor informs us that it has been handeddown by tradition in its present imperfect state. It consistsof two parts; but there can be little doubt that they are theproductions of different hands, for the second portion is mani-festly superior to the first. Sir Walter considers that the earlierstanzas forme
The book of British ballads . Ma W I w. s \^^^;i(fjf AIR HELEN OF KIRCONNELL. We take^ this beautiful and deeply-touching ballad fromthe Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, where,however, it is given, without alteration or improve-ment, from the most accurate copy which could be pro-cured. The Editor informs us that it has been handeddown by tradition in its present imperfect state. It consistsof two parts; but there can be little doubt that they are theproductions of different hands, for the second portion is mani-festly superior to the first. Sir Walter considers that the earlierstanzas formed no portion of the original poem; but this suspicion beingunwarranted by any copy he has been enabled to obtain, he does notventure to do more than intimate his own opinion. The sad catastropheupon which the ballad was founded is this: — A lady of the name of HelenIrving, or Bell* (for this is disputed by the two clans), daughter of the Lairdof Kirconnell, in Dumfries-shire, and celebrated for her beauty, was belovedby two gentlemen
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, bookidg, bookpublisherlondonjhow
