the habits, humours, and every-day life of the Scottish commonalty during that period.

§ 3. Motherwell, the Paisley poet, writing forty-eight years ago, says, “in truth it is no exaggeration when we state, that he who desires to acquire a thorough knowledge of low Scottish life, vulgar manners, national characteristics, and popular jokes, must devote his days and nights to the study of John Cheap, the chapman; Leper, the tailor; Paddy from Cork; the Whole Proceedings of Jockie and Maggie's Courtship; Janet Clinker's Orations; Simple John and his twelve Misfortunes, etc." Yet how few modern readers, even in Scotland, are familiar with so much as the titles of the tracts just enumerated? But a few years ago, John Cheap and his brethren were distributed broadcast over Scotland by countless flying stationers, and sold in thousands at every fair, hamlet and country gathering north of the Tweed; yet at this hour their very names are forgotten, and the original or unexpurgated editions are to be found only on the shelves of antiquarians and old-booksellers

As early as 1824, Motherwell was unable to make a complete collection of them; and in his eloquent introduction to "Scottish Songs," published in 1825, Allan Cunningham laments "that those little copies have vanished before the influence of a more fleeting literature." Abridged versions of most of them are still in circulation, but the veritable narratives, which formed the intellectual food and amusement of the common people for nearly a hundred years, are now all but passed away and forgotten. There are many reasons why this is to be regretted; not the least cogent being that no record of the history and character of this kind of literature remains, to throw light upon the manners and tastes of a bygone age. More attention is paid to the subject in France. In 1852 the Imperial Government of that country appointed a Commission to examine into the character and influence of French chap-books; and two years later the secretary to the Commissioners published a semi-official work, in two handsome and beautifully illustrated volumes, entitled, "Histoire des Livres Pop

ulaires ou de la Littérature du Colportage, depuis le XVe siècle jusqu'à l'établissement de la Commission d'examen des livres du colportage, (30 novembre, 1852,) par M. Charles Nisard, Secrétaire-adjoint de la Commission. Paris, Librairie D'Amyot, Editeur, 8, rue de la Paix, mdcccliv." In England, again, Dr. J. O. HalliwellPhillips, to whom students of literature are so deeply indebted, has done something to rescue from oblivion the littérature du colportage' of that country, and more than one antiquarian has performed a like service for that of Ireland. But Scottish chapbooks, superior in every respect to kindred productions in England, Ireland, and France, have been altogether ignored. This is the more to be wondered at when it is remembered, that Sir Walter Scott was so impressed with the importance of the subject, that he entertained serious intentions of undertaking some such work as that here desiderated. Motherwell, too, cherished a like design, and went so far as to make a fair collection of the necessary material; but all that he has left is a few brief notes in a

local journal of which he was editor-the "Paisley Magazine for 1824." In the article referred to, Motherwell reveals one secret of his failure. After explaining, with a groan, that he had at one time possessed a fair assortment of the original editions of many popular penny histories, the enraged editor goes on to say, "but some unprincipled scoundrel has relieved us of that treasure. There are a number of infamous creatures, who acquire large libraries and curious things by borrowing books they never mean to return, and some not unfrequently slide a volume into their pocket at the very moment you are fool enough to . busy yourself in showing them some nice typographic gem, or bibliographic rarity. These dishonest and heartless villains ought to be cut above the breath whenever they cross the threshold. They deserve no more courtesy than was of old vouchsafed to witches, under bond and indenture to the devil." This failure on the part both of Scott and Motherwell, undoubtedly the two most competent men of their age for the task, is the more unfortunate because they

have left so few behind them able and willing to undertake the duty. With the exception of Dr. Laing, of Edinburgh, whose hands are already full, and to whom Scotland owes so much for his splendid and unselfish labours in the cause of her early literature, there is no well-known writer from whom we should naturally expect a work of the kind. It was mainly the consciousness of this fact, and the knowledge that each fresh delay but made more difficult the task of investigation and research, that impelled the writer to move in the matter, and throw together such facts as he succeeded in gleaning, in connection with a subject of which so little is, and so much ought to be, known.

Besides the brief and not quite accurate paper in the Paisley Magazine, above mentionet, and a few lines in Chambers's Journal and Encyclopædia there is absolutely nothing in the language on the subject of Scottish chap-books. The late Dr. Strang of Glasgow, in his entertaining gossip about Glasgow clubs, remarks, in a foot-note to a brief notice of Dougal Graham,—“ A his