The Book of Old English Songs and Ballads (1915)

Illustrated by Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale

 

 

To the left, we show a rare example of the 1st Edition of

The Book of Old English Songs and Ballads carrying the

illustrations of Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale. That Edition

was published by Hodder & Stoughton (London) in 1915.

 

This copy retains the original red- and green-stamped

decorated green cloth cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the right, we show the Title Page to this Edition

of The Book of Old English Songs and Ballads.

 

The Book of Old English Songs and Ballads is a compilation including more than 50 traditional English songs and ballads

from writers including: William Shakespeare; Ben Jonson; Sir Henry Wotton; John Donne; Abraham Cowley; John Lyly;

Sir Edward Sherburne; John Dowland; Edmund Spenser; William Browne; Robert Herrick; Andrew Marvell;

Thomas Randolph; Katherine Philips; Edmund Waller.

 

The illustrations contributed by Fortescue-Brickdale to the version published in 1915 are decorated in wonderful fashion -

as would be expected given her Pre-Raphaelite influences - and are a wonderful complement to the songs and ballads

they accompany.

 

 

Our Greeting Cards and Reproduction Images

 

 

For connoisseurs of the art of Eleanor Forescue-Brickdale, we have prepared sets of 24 Greeting Cards displaying each of her major colour images for The Book of Old English Songs and Ballads and on the left, we show an example of how these Greeting Cards appear.

 

 

 

 

 

Code: EFB BOESB CS(24)
Price: US$120.00

 

When presented on Greeting Cards, these images are prepared as tipped-on plates - in hommage to the hand-crafted

approach typical of prestige illustrated publications produced in the early decades of the 20th Century. Each card is

hand-finished and the images are presented on Ivory card stock with an accompanying envelope. The rear of each

card carries information about Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale, this wonderful suite and the profiled illustration - we have

left the interior of the cards blank so that you may write your own personal message.

 

To purchase, simply click on the appropriate "Add to Cart" button and you will be taken through to our Shopping Cart

secured through PayPal. Multiple purchases will be consolidated by that feature and shipping and handling costs to any

destination in the world are accommodated by our flat-rate fee of US$20 for every US$200 worth of purchases.

 

Of course, should you wish to discuss some customised options, we welcome your contact on any matter through

ThePeople@SpiritoftheAges.com.

 

In the meantime, enjoy perusing these wonderful images from Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale.

 

 

The colour illustrations

 

On the Lady Elizabeth, and

Count Palatine Being Married

on St Valentine's Day

(John Donne)

Hail, Bishop Valentine, whose day this is!

All the air is thy diocese,

And all the chirping choristers

And other birds are thy parishoners

 

 

A Hue and Cry after Cupid

(Ben Jonson)

A hue and cry after Cupid

Chevy Chase

(William Shakespeare)

With every thing that pretty bin,

My lady sweet, arise:

Arise, arise!

 

Barbara Allen

(Anonymous)

Cruel Barbara Allen

 
       

Passing By

(Anonymous)

I did but see her passing by,

And yet I love her till I die!

 

 

The Character of a Happy Life

(Sir Henry Wotton)

Untied unto the world by care

Of public fame or private breath

The Wish

(Abraham Cowley)

Pride and Ambition here

Only in far-fetcht metaphors appear;

Here nought but the winds can

hurtful murmurs scatter;

And nought but Echo flatter

 

 

The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington

(Anonymous)

The Bailiff's daughter of Islington

 

 
       

Cupid Indicted

(John Lyly)

Is any cozened of a tear

Which as a pearl disdain does wear?

Hear stands the thief; let her but come

Hither, and lay on him her doom

 

 

The Way of Life

(William Shakespeare)

Why so large cost, having so short a lease,

Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?

Cupid and Campaspe

(John Lyly)

O love! has she done this to thee?

What shall, alas! become of me?

A Sweet Lullaby

(Anonymous)

Although a lion in the field,

A lamb in turn thou shalt him find
       

The Surprise

(Sir Edward Sherburne)

Though he be a child and blind

 

 

The Pedlar

(John Dowland)

Fine knacks for ladies, cheap, choice

brave and new

Prothalamion

(Edmund Spenser)

With goodly greenish locks, all untied,

As each had been a bride

The Rose

(William Browne of Tavistock)

A rose as fair as ever saw the North

Grew in a little garden all alone

 

 
       

To His Kinswoman

(Robert Herrick)

Like to those garden-glories which here be

The flowery-sweet resemblances of thee

 

 

The Picture of T C in a

Prospect of Flowers

(Andrew Marvell)

Yet this is she whose chaster laws

The wanton love shall one day fear,

And, under her command severe,

See his bow broke, and ensigns torn

 

 

Ode to Master Anthony Stafford

(Thomas Randolph)

Whose brown hath lovelier grace

Than any painted face

That I do know

Hyde Park can show

 

 

The New Jerusalem

(Anonymous)

Our lady sings Magnificat,

With tones surpassing sweet
       

Death

(Katherine Philips)

And think not on the narrow space

Between a cradle and a grave

 

 

Old Age

(Edmund Waller)

So, calm are we when passions are no more!

Who is Silvia?

(William Shakespeare)

Who is Silvia? What is she,

That all our swains commend her?

To the Virgins, to Make

Much of Time

(Robert Herrick)

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,

Old Time is still a-flying