Reliques of Ancient English Poetry (Vol. 1-3): Collection of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and Other Pieces of Early Poetry

by Various, Thomas Percy (editor), Henry B. Wheatley (editor)

This work gives a unique opportunity to dive into the world of ancient British poetry and legends. Here, a reader will find the primary sources for the epic stories about Gilderoy, Winifred, Bryan, Sir Cauline, King Estmere, Sir Guy, King Arthur, the Fairy Queen, and many more. A collection in three volumes contains numerous works by famous and anonymous authors adapted to modern English. The significance of this work is apparent. It was the first collection of ballades in English poetry of this size. It influenced the Romantic movement greatly and contributed to the revivals of ballades in England. Robert Burns, Wordsworth, and Coleridge based their lyric poems on this collection. Although, this work could never see the light of the day. Back in the 18th century, Irish Bishop Thomas Percy saved a manuscript almost set afire by a housemaid. It was an ancient collection of ballades, which inspired the Bishop for further research. Today, it's not just an important historical book; it is also a great source of study materials as well as an exciting read for anyone fond of history and British poetry.

1745 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 17, 2021

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.