Minstrelsy of the Scottish border - National Library of Scotland

174 MINSTRELSY OF
It seemed to the editor unpardonable to dismiss a
person so important in Border tradition as the Rhymer,
without some farther notice than a simple commentary
upon the following ballad. It is given from a copy,
obtained from a lady residing not far from Ercildoun,
corrected raid enlarged by one in Mrs Brown's MSS.
The former copyj however, as might be expected, is far
more minute as to local description. To this old tale the
editor has ventured to add a Second Part, consisting of
a kind of Cento, from the printed prophecies vulgarlj'
ascribed to the Rhymer ; and a Third Part, entirely mo-
dem, founded upon the tradition of his having returned,
with the hart and hind, to the Land of Faerie. To
make his peace with the more severe antiquaries, the
editor has prefixed to the second part some remarks on
Learmont's prophecies.