Old Friends, Epistolary Parody by Andrew Lang
page 40 of 119 (33%)
page 40 of 119 (33%)
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Pray let me know, at your leisure, what you think of this
trouvaille. It is, of course, entirely at your service, if you think it worthy of a place in a new edition of the "Minstrelsy." I have no room to inflict more ballads or legends on you; and remain, most faithfully yours, R. SURTEES. LETTER: From Jonathan Oldbuck, Esq., of Monkbarns, to Robert Surtees, Esq., Mainsforth. Monkbarns, June 1. My Dear Sir,--How kind hath Fortune been to you, and, in a secondary degree, to myself. Your letter must dispel the unreasoning and I fear envious scepticism of MacCribb, who has put forth a plaunflet (I love that old spelling) in which he derides the history of Aldobrand Oldenbuck as a fable. The Ballad shall, indeed, have an honoured place in my poor Collection whenever the public taste calls for a new edition. But the original, what would I not give to have it in my hands, to touch the very parchment which came from the press of my revered ancestor, and, gloating on the crabbed letters, confute MacCribb to his face ipso visu et tactu of so inestimable a rarity. Exchanges--or "swaps," as the vulgar call them--are not unknown among our fraternity. Ask what you will for this treasure, to the half of my kingdom: my gold |
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