PART II.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO PERIODICAL LITERATURE, Etc.
(1) The New Monthly Magazine, Vol. vii, 1823. Pp. 540–542.
The Diver, A Ballad Translated from the German. [Where is the man who will dive for his King?]
Reprinted in The Song of Deirdra and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 8–17.
(2) The Monthly Magazine, Vol. lvi, 1823.
P. 244.
Ode to a Mountain Torrent. [How lovely thou art in thy tresses of foam]
Reprinted, with the text substantially revised, in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 164–166. Again reprinted in Targum, 1835, pp. 45–46.
The majority of Borrow’s contributions to The Monthly Magazine appeared under the signature ‘George Olaus Borrow.’ Dr. Knapp has recorded that he found in the Corporation Library at Norwich a book on ancient Danish Literature, by Olaus Wormius, carrying several marginal notes in Borrow’s handwriting. The suggestion that it was from this book that Borrow derived the pseudonymous second Christian name which he employed in The Monthly Magazine is not an unreasonable one.
P. 245.
Death. [Perhaps ’tis folly, but still I feel]
Reprinted (under the amended title Thoughts on Death, and with some small textual variations) in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 169–170.
Another version of the same poem was printed (under the title A Survey of Death, the first line reading My blood is freezing, my senses reel) in Mollie Charane and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 11–12.
P. 246.
Mountain Song. [That pathway before ye, so narrow and gray]
Pp. 306–309.
Danish Poetry and Ballad Writing. A Prose Essay, including, inter alia, the following Ballad:
Skion Middel. [The maiden was lacing so tightly her vest]
Reprinted, under the amended title Sir Middel, the first line reading “So tightly was Swanelil lacing her vest,” in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 28–30.
Another, but widely different, version of this Ballad is printed in Child Maidelvold and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 5–10. In this latter version the name of the heroine is Sidselil in place of Swanelil, and that of the hero is Child Maidelvold in place of Sir Middel.
Pp. 334–336.
Lenora. [When morning’s gleam was on the hill]
P. 437.
Chloe. [Oh! we have a sister on earthly dominions]
Reprinted in Targum, 1835, pp. 47–48.
When gathering Chloe into the pages of Targum Borrow very considerably revised the text. Here is the concluding stanza of each of the two versions:—
1823
But God shook his sceptre, and thunder’d appalling,
While winds swept the branches with turbulent sigh;
Then trembled the host, but they heeded his calling,
And bore the sweet maiden, yet praying, on high.
“Ah, we had a sister on earthly dominions!”
All sung, as thro’ heaven they joyously trod,
And bore, with flush’d faces, and fluttering pinions,
The yet-praying maid to the throne of her God.
1835
Then frown’d the dread father; his thunders appalling
To rattle began, and his whirlwinds to roar;
Then trembled the host, but they heeded his calling,
And Chloe up-snatching, to heaven they soar.
O we had a sister on earthly dominions!
They sang as through heaven triumphant they stray’d,
And bore with flush’d faces and fluttering pinions
To God’s throne of brightness the yet praying maid.
P. 437.
Sea-Song. [King Christian stood beside the mast]
In 1826 and 1835 the title was changed to National Song.
Borrow published no less than four versions of this National Song:
1. In The Monthly Magazine, 1823, p. 437,
2. In Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 146–148,
3. In The Foreign Quarterly Review, 1830, pp. 70–71,
4. In Targum, 1835, pp. 49–50.
Upon each occasion he practically rewrote the Song, so that all four versions differ completely. As an illustration of these differences I give the first stanza of each version:
1823.
King Christian stood beside the mast,
In smoke and flame;
His heavy cannon rattled fast
Against the Gothmen, as they pass’d:
Then sunk each hostile sail and mast
In smoke and flame.
“Fly, (said the foe,) fly, all that can,
For who with Denmark’s Christian
Will ply the bloody game?”
1826.
King Christian stood beside the mast
Smoke, mixt with flame,
Hung o’er his guns, that rattled fast
Against the Gothmen, as they passed:
Then sunk each hostile sail and mast
In smoke and flame.
“Fly!” said the foe: “fly! all that can,
Nor wage, with Denmark’s Christian,
The dread, unequal game.”
1830.
King Christian by the main-mast stood
In smoke and mist!
So pour’d his guns their fiery flood
That Gothmen’s heads and helmets bow’d;
Their sterns, their masts fell crashing loud
In smoke and mist.
“Fly,” cried they, “let him fly who can,
For who shall Denmark’s Christian
Resist?”
1835.
King Christian stood beside the mast
In smoke and mist.
His weapons, hammering hard and fast,
Through helms and brains of Gothmen pass’d.
Then sank each hostile sail and mast
In smoke and mist.
“Fly,” said the foe, “fly all that can,
For who can Denmark’s Christian
Resist?”
P. 438.
The Erl King. [Who is it that gallops so lat on the wild!]
(3) The Monthly Magazine, Vol. lvii, 1824.
P. 235.
Bernard’s Address to his Army. [Freshly blew the morning breeze]
P. 335.
The Singing Mariner. [Who will ever have again]
Reprinted in The Expedition to Birting’s Land and Other Ballads, 1914, pp. 16–18.
P. 431.
The French Princess. [Towards France a maiden went]
P. 526.
The Nightingale. [In midnight’s calm hour the Nightingale sings]
Reprinted in The Expedition to Birting’s Land and Other Ballads, 1914, pp. 19–20.
(4) The Universal Review, Vol. i, 1824.
P. 391.
A Review of Fortsetzung des Faust Von Goethe. Von C. C. L. Schone. (Berlin.)
P. 394.
A Review of Œlenschlager’s Samlede digte. (Copenhagen.)
Pp. 491–513.
A Review of Narrative of a Pedestrian Journey through Russia and Siberian Tartary, from the Frontiers of China to the Frozen Sea. By Capt. John Dundas, R.N. (London, 1824.)
(5) The Monthly Magazine, Vol. lviii, 1824–1825.
Pp. 19–22.
Danish Traditions and Superstitions. A Prose Essay. Part i. Including inter alia the following Ballad:
Waldemar’s Chase. [Late at eve they were toiling on Harribee bank]
Reprinted in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 115–116.
P. 47.
War-Song;Written when the French first invaded Spain. [Arise, ye sons of injur’d Spain]
P. 432.
Danish Songs and Ballads. No. 1, Bear Song. [The squirrel that’s sporting]
Reprinted in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 144–145.
Pp. 498–500.
Danish Traditions and Superstitions. A Prose Essay. Part ii.
(6) The Monthly Magazine, Vol. lix, 1825.
Pp. 25–26 and 103–104.
Danish Tra
ditions and Superstitions. A Prose Essay. Parts iii and iv.
Pp. 143–144.
The Deceived Merman. [Fair Agnes left her mother’s door]
Reprinted (with very considerable changes in the text, the first line reading “Fair Agnes alone on the sea-shore stood”) in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 120–123.
In 1854 Borrow rewrote this Ballad, and furnished it with a new title Agnes and the Merman. The following stanzas taken from each, will serve to show the difference between the two versions:—
1826.
The Merman up to the church door came;
His eyes they shone like a yellow flame;
His face was white, and his beard was green—
A fairer demon was never seen.
“Now, Agnes, Agnes, list to me,
Thy babes are longing so after thee.”
“I cannot come yet, here must I stay
Until the priest shall have said his say.”
1854.
In at the door the Merman treads—
Away the images turned their heads.
His face was white, his beard was green,
His eyes were full of love, I ween.
“Hear, Agnes, hear! ’tis time for thee
To come to thy home below the sea.”
“I cannot come yet, I here must stay,
Until the priest has said his say.”
Pp. 308, 411, and 507.
Danish Traditions and Superstitions. A Prose Essay. Parts v, vi, and vii.
(7) The Monthly Magazine, Vol. lx, 1825.
Pp. 296–297 [291] and 424–425.
Danish Traditions and Superstitions. A Prose Essay. Parts viii and ix.
(8) The Universal Review, Vol. ii, 1825.
Pp. 315–331.
A Review of The Devil’s Elixir; from the German of Hoffman. (London, Cadell, 2 vols.)
Pp. 550–566.
A Review of Danske Folkesagn, Samlede af J. M. Thiele. (Copenhagen, 1818–1823.)
(9) The Foreign Quarterly Review, Vol. vi, No. xi, June, 1830, pp. 48–87.
A Review of Dansk-norsk Litteraturlexicon, 1818, and Den Danske Digtekunsts Middelalder fra Arrebo til Tullin fremstillet i Academiske Forelœsinger holdne i Aarene, 1798–1800.
A long critical prose article by John Bowring, including, inter alia, the following Ballads by George Borrow:—
1. King Oluf the Saint. [King Oluf and his brother bold]
Reprinted in Queen Berngerd, The Bard and the Dreams, and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 23–29.
This is an entirely different Ballad from that which had appeared, under the title Saint Oluf, in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 53–57.
2. The Brother Avenged. [I stood before my master’s board]
Reprinted, with some textual variations, in The Brother Avenged and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 5–8.
3. Aager and Eliza. [’Twas the valiant knight, Sir Aager]
Previously printed, but with endless variations in the text, in Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 47–52, where the first line reads, “Have ye heard of bold Sir Aager.”
As an example of the differences of text to be observed in the two versions, I give three stanzas of each:
1826.
Up his mighty limbs he gather’d,
Took the coffin on his back;
And to fair Eliza’s bower
Hasten’d, by the well-known track.
On her chamber’s lowly portal,
With his fingers long and thin,
Thrice he tapp’d, and bade Eliza
Straightway let her bridegroom in!
Straightway answer’d fair Eliza,
“I will not undo my door
Till I hear thee name sweet Jesus,
As thou oft hast done before.”
1830.
Up Sir Aager rose, his coffin
Bore he on his bended back.
Tow’ds the bower of sweet Eliza
Was his sad and silent track.
He the door tapp’d with his coffin,
For his fingers had no skin;
“Rise, O rise, my sweet Eliza!
Rise, and let thy bridegroom in.”
Straightway answer’d fair Eliza:
“I will not undo my door
’Till thou name the name of Jesus,
Even as thou could’st before.”
4. Morning Song. [From eastern quarters now]
Reprinted in The Expedition to Birting’s Land, and Other Ballads, 1914, pp. 21–22.
5. Danish National Song. [King Christian by the main-mast stood]
Previously printed:
1. In The Monthly Magazine, Vol. lvi, 1823, p. 437.
2. In Romantic Ballads, 1826, pp. 146–148.
Afterwards reprinted in Targum, 1835, pp. 49–50.
6. The Seaman. [A seaman with a bosom light]
7. Sir Sinclair. [Sir Sinclair sail’d from the Scottish ground]
Reprinted in Targum, 1835, pp. 51–55.
8. Thorvald. [Swayne Tveskieg did a man possess]
Reprinted in Tord of Hafsborough and Other Ballads, 1914, pp. 11–15.
9. When I was Little. [There was a time when I was very tiny]
10. Birth of Christ. [Each spring,—when the mists have abandon’d the earth]
11. Time’s Perspective. [Through the city sped a youth]
12. The Morning Walk. [To the beach grove with so sweet an air]
Reprinted in The Expedition to Birting’s Land and Other Ballads, 1914, pp. 23–27.
13. The Aspen. [What whispers so strange at the hour of midnight]
14. Dame Martha’s Fountain. [Dame Martha dwelt at Karisegaard]
Reprinted in Queen Berngerd, The Bard and the Dreams, and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 13–15.
15. Peter Colbiornsen. [’Fore Fredereksteen King Carl he lay]
Reprinted in Tord of Hafsborough and Other Ballads, 1914, pp. 16–20.
16. The Ruins of Uranienborg. [Thou by the strand dost wander]
Reprinted, but with much textual variation, in Ellen of Villenskov and Other Ballads, 1913, pp. 13–18.
(10.) The Norfolk Chronicle, August 18th, 1832.
A Note on “The Origin of the Word ‘Tory’.”
A short prose article, signed “George Borrow,” and dated “Norwich, August 6.”
(11) The Athenæum, August 20, 1836, pp. 587–588.
The Gypsies in Russia and in Spain.
Two letters from Borrow, giving an account of his experiences of the gypsies in Russia and in Spain.
“All the episodes that he relates he incorporated in The Bible in Spain. The two letters plainly indicate that all the time Borrow was in Spain his mind was more filled with the subject of the gypsies than with any other question. He did his work well for the Bible Society no doubt . . . but there is a humourous note in the fact that Borrow should have utilised his position as a missionary—for so we must count him—to make himself thoroughly acquainted with gypsy folklore, and gypsy songs and dances.”—[Shorter, George Borrow and his Circle, p. 240.]
(12) The Illustrated London News, December 8th, 1855, p. 685.
Ancient Runic Stone, Recently Found in the Isle of Man.
Reprinted in George Borrow and his Circle, by Clement King Shorter, 1913, pp. 301–303.
(13.) A Practical Grammar of the Antient Gaelic. By the Rev. John Kelly, LL.D. Edited by the Rev. William Gill, 8vo, 1859.
p. xi.
Translation from the Manx. [And what is glory, but the radiance of a name,—]
Borrow’s statement in the closing paragraph (printed post, p. 299) of his Essay on The Welsh and their Literature renders it possible to place this Translation to his credit.
p. xix.
A Letter from Borrow to the Editor, regarding Manx Ballads.
(14) The Quarterly Review, January, 1861, pp. 38–63.
The Welsh and Their Literature. A Prose Essay.
This Essay was in fact a review, by Borrow himself, of his own work The Sleeping Bard.
/> “In the autumn [of 1860] Borrow determined to call attention to it [The Sleeping Bard] himself. He revamped an old article he had written in 1830, entitled The Welsh and their Literature, and sent it to Mr. Murray for The Quarterly Review. . . . The modern literature and things of Wales were not introduced into the article . . . and it appeared anonymously in The Quarterly Review for January, 1861. It is in fact Borrow’s own (and the only) review of The Sleeping Bard, which, however, had the decisive result of selling off the whole edition in a month.”—[Knapp’s Life and Correspondence of George Borrow, 1899, vol. ii, pp. 195–196.]
The Manuscript of this Essay, or Review, is not at present forthcoming. But, fortunately, the MS. of certain paragraphs with which Borrow brought the Essay to a conclusion, and which the Editor in the exercise of his editorial function quite properly struck out, have been preserved. The barefaced manner in which Borrow anonymously praised and advertised his own work fully justified the Editor’s action. I print these paragraphs below. My principal reason for doing so is this, that the closing lines afford evidence of Borrow’s authorship of other portions of Gill’s Introduction to his Edition of Kelly’s Manx Grammar, 1859, beyond those which until now have been attributed to his pen:
“Our having mentioned The Romany Rye gives us an opportunity of saying a few words concerning that work, to the merits of which, and likewise to those of Lavengro, of which it is the sequel, adequate justice has never been awarded. It is a truly remarkable book, abounding not only with strange and amusing adventure, but with deep learning communicated in a highly agreeable form. We owe it an amende honorable for not having in our recent essay on Buddhism quoted from it some remarkable passages on that superstition, which are to be found in a conversation between the hero of the tale and the man in black. Never was the subject of Buddhism treated in a manner so masterly and original. But the book exhibits what is infinitely more precious than the deepest learning, more desirable than the most amusing treasury of adventure, a fearless, honest spirit, a resolution to tell the truth however strange the truth may appear to the world.
A Bibliography of the Writings in Prose and Verse of George Henry Borrow Page 15