she were dumb, dumb, dumb." I certainly
never expected to find this favourite "comic
song" among the Popular Music of the Olden
Time, in Mr. Chappell's book. There it stood,
however, accompanied by a vast quantity of
erudition, in the way of explanatory information.
To be sure, this erudition had more
reference to the tune (again Susan's "old
original") than to the story of the poor gentleman
so cruelly cheated of his legitimate hopes
by his wife's unexpected loquacity. But it was
pleasant to be informed even of circumstances
attending the antiquity of the strain. This
tune, it appears, was originally called, "I am
the Duke of Norfolk," and was one of the
greatest favourites of the Elizabethan age: and
I learned that a proof of the long traditional
popularity of this ballad was to be found in the
fact that a curious custom still remains in parts
of Suffolk to sing this song at harvest suppers,
one of the company being crowned with an
inverted pillow or cushion, whilst another presents
him with a jug of ale, which he is bound to
drink, without spilling a drop or allowing the
cushion to fall—a ceremony supposed to have
some allusion to the homage formerly paid to
the Lords of Norfolk, who possessed immense
domains in the sister county. The country
people in Warwickshire, it seems, also use a
cushion for a crown at their harvest-home diversions:
and to this custom Falstaff is supposed
to allude in Henry the Fourth, Part First, when
he says: "This chair shall be my state, this
dagger my sceptre, and this cushion my crown."
To "serve the Duke of Norfolk" seems to have
been also a common expression for making
merry, as to "dine with Duke Humphrey"
meant quite the reverse.

But the dabbling thus in the stream of
archæological information, connected with the
old ballads of my childhood, and revealed to
me by Mr. Chappell's book, would drag me
much too far; it flows in such rapid and
seemingly never-ending flood. There are other
ballads also belonging to my Susan's collection,
and all of undoubted antiquity, which I must
pass over with a sign of regret. How great
was her store! But was it greater, I am induced
again to ask, than that of most of the nursery-maids
of that pleasant, but unpractical once
upon a time? That it was far from
complete, however, is proved by the fact, that one
of the most famous and popular of all old
English ballads, especially in the days of the
gallant and turbulent spirit of 'prenticeship, "The
London Prentice," telling of "his brave adventures
done in Turkey, and by what means he
married the king's daughter," was unfortunately
not in her repertoire. Oh! had it been,
what visions of kings' daughters "pearls of
princely majesty," bestowing their hands on
me at gorgeous altars, might not have been
conjured up!

Nor will I linger longer to discuss the
subject, whether it was to the advantage or
disadvantage of a former generation of children
to have been soothed to sleep by a nursery-maid
rich in ballad-lore. But I will freely
make the admission, that if it had been possible
to have connected information with song, they
might have learned how our old English
ballads are so intimately associated with the
annals of our country, its battles, its triumphs,
its romantic episodes, its festal ceremonies, and
its political changes, that the students of these
ditties may gather from them, in a pleasant form,
a very tolerable compendium of the History of
England.

Now ready, and to be had at all the Libraries,
HARD CASH,
In 3 vols., 31s. 6d.
London: SAMPSON LOW, SON, and Co.

Now ready, Stitched in a Cover, price Fourpence,
MRS. LIRRIPER'S LODGINGS,
FORMING THE
EXTRA DOUBLE NUMBER FOR CHRISTMAS.
CONTENTS:
How Mrs. Lirriper carried on the Business.
How the First Floor went to Crowley Castle.
How the Side-Room was attended by a Doctor.
How the Second Floor kept a Dog.
How the Third Floor knew the Potteries.
How the Best Attic was under a Cloud.
How the Parlours added a Few Words.

Next week will be commenced, to be completed in Six Numbers, a New Story, called
A WHITE HAND AND A BLACK THUMB.

Volume XI. will begin on the 15th of February, 1864, with a New Serial Story, entitled
QUITE ALONE,
BY GEORGE AUGUSTUS SALA.

The Right of Translating Articles from ALL THE YEAR ROUND is reserved by the Authors.