The Oxford University Press issues a new collection of the
Border Ballads, selected by Mr. Douglas Percy Bliss, who has illustrated them with his own woodcuts. The ballads seem,' in the pleasant format which the Oxford University Press have given them, to look a little less forbiddingly archaic than in most collections; and to have taken on the readable nature of -fairy talcs -or histories. Most people are only familiar with the first verses of the famous ballads. The Battle of Otterhurn_ is.ineluded; of course, and it is_ interesting to compare: it with Froissart's account, which is given in another book published this week, Bygone England (Harrap). - The ballad writer was obviously Scottish in- his sympathies, - while Froissart was carefully impartial. Frois.sart's-lecard rings truer ; there is more account of the fierce fighting and less of heroic death speeches. iii- his :stoirY.
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