publicly made to Dr. Johnson . . . so long since as in the year 1765, and
never once contradicted by him."

In spite of these amenities, the doctor had a low opinion of ballads and
ballad collectors. In the _Rambler_ (No. 177) he made merry over one
Cantilenus, who "turned all his thoughts upon old ballads, for he
considered them as the genuine records of the natural taste. He offered
to show me a copy of 'The Children in the Wood,' which he firmly believed
to be of the first edition, and by the help of which the text might be
freed from several corruptions, if this age of barbarity had any claim to
such favors from him." "The conversation," says Boswell, "having turned
on modern imitations of ancient ballads, and someone having praised their
simplicity, he treated them with that ridicule which he always displayed
when that subject was mentioned." Johnson wrote several stanzas in
parody of the ballads; _e.g._,

"The tender infant, meek and mild,
Fell down upon a stone:
The nurse took up the squealing child,
But still the child squealed on."

And again:

"I put my hat upon my head
And walked into the Strand;
And there I met another man
Whose hat was in his hand."

This is quoted by Wordsworth,[36] who compares it with a stanza from "The
Children in the Wood":