Halliwell, James OrchardBiblio.com
HALLIWELL, James OrchardBiblio.com
Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales:
1849136692London: John Russell Smith 1849. First edition of this important little work; scarce in commerce. James Orchard Halliwell later Halliwell-Philipps 1820-1889 antiquary and literary scholar co-founder of both the Percy and Shakespeare Societies is one of the most significant figures in the codification of English nursery rhymes. Popular Rhymes was a sequel to his groundbreaking Nursery Rhymes of England 1842 both of which "would remain standard works on the subject for half a century" Gregory p. 116. Most familiar to modern readers are Halliwell's versions of Tom Thumb and Chicken Licken and his important transcription from chapbook sources of Jack the Giant-Killer see Thomas Green Arthuriana: Early Arthurian Tradition and the Origins of Legend The Lindes Press 2009 p. 148; these are gathered together in the chapter entitled "Fireside Stories". "Much more than a collection the Popular Rhymes offered historical and comparative analysis of its verses and tales. It amplified the scope of the earlier rhyme-book with a section of nineteen folktales obtained both from oral sources and from chapbooks. The chapter rubrics were now much tighter and more definitive: Nursery Antiquities Fireside Nursery Stories Game-Rhymes Alphabet-Rhymes Riddle-Rhymes Nature-Songs Proverb-Rhymes Places and Families Superstition Rhymes Custom-Rhymes and Nursery-Songs. Halliwell conceded his debt to Robert Chalmers's 'elegant work' The Popular Rhymes of Scotland 1826 but also stressed the differences in content. Together the two 'vernacular anthologies' contained nearly all that was worth preserving of 'the natural literature of Great Britain'" Dorson p. 68. Provenance: pencilled ownership inscription to advertisement facing title "H. C. Hart / 89" possibly Henry Chichester Hart 18476-1908 Anglo-Irish botanist and explorer who like Halliwell was also a Shakespearean scholar editing a number of volumes in the Arden edition. Duodecimo in 6s. Original green pebble-grain cloth with blind lateral striations gilt lettered and decorated spine blind panel to sides gilt block of a child reading to front cover all edges gilt slate-green-coated endpapers. Old ink splash to front cover gilt block a little rubbed nick to head of spine. A very good copy. Richard M. Dorson History of British Folklore 2000 volume I Routledge 2000; E. David Gregory Victorian Songhunters: The Recovery and Edition of English Vernacular Ballads and Folk Lyrics 1820-1883 The Scarecrow Press 2006. hardcover
Peter Harrington · Royaume-Uni750,00 £GB≈ 856,35 €
