Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England by Bell and Dixon

Read now or download (free!)

Choose how to read this book Url Size
Read online (web) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/649.html.images 523 kB
EPUB3 (E-readers incl. Send-to-Kindle) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/649.epub3.images 475 kB
EPUB (older E-readers) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/649.epub.images 476 kB
EPUB (no images, older E-readers) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/649.epub.noimages 249 kB
Kindle https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/649.kf8.images 818 kB
older Kindles https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/649.kindle.images 778 kB
Plain Text UTF-8 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/649.txt.utf-8 430 kB
Download HTML (zip) https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/649/pg649-h.zip 460 kB
There may be more files related to this item.

About this eBook

Editor Bell, Robert, 1800-1867
Contributor Dixon, James Henry, 1803-1876
LoC No. 15022311
Title Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England
Credits Transcribed from the 1857 John W. Parker and Son edition by David Price
Summary "Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England" by Bell and Dixon is a collection of traditional poetry, ballads, and songs that preserve the oral culture of England's rural populace, likely compiled in the mid-19th century. This anthology aims to capture the unique voice and perspectives of the English peasantry through various forms of folk literature, reflecting their customs, beliefs, and everyday experiences. The opening of this collection features an introduction that discusses the challenges of gathering these authentic pieces of folk art, emphasizing their historical significance as they capture the sentiments and lifestyle of rural life untouched by the changing tides of modernity. It highlights how these works, often passed down through oral tradition, chronicle the realities of peasant life while resisting the influence of contemporary poetic styles. As the compilation begins, poems such as “The Plain-Dealing Man” and “The Vanities of Life” set the stage for exploring themes like moral integrity, the fleeting nature of life and ambitions, and the rich tapestry of human experiences as perceived by rural communities. This collection serves as a vital historical record, bringing forth the voices of those who have often been overlooked in the broader narrative of English literature. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
Subject Songs, English -- England -- Texts
Subject Ballads, English -- England -- Texts
Category Text
EBook-No. 649
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Oct 5, 2014
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
Downloads 429 downloads in the last 30 days.
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!