Broadside ballad entitled 'The Poet's Return'

Commentary

Verse 1 begins: 'To view the scenes of Nature, I / Have travelled far and wide'. The text preceding this reads: 'BY JOHN MACMILLAN, / PROFESSOR OF POETRY, ORATORY, AND TEACHER OF ELOCUTION. / DEDICATED / TO THE GENTLEMAN, THE LAND PROPRIETORS ON THE / BANKS OF GIRVAN WATER. / TUNE - "The Traveller's Return."'

Although a lot of contextual information has been included here, unfortunately without a date and location, it is still a little difficult to place the author and his ballad into its historical background. The tune mentioned here is also not so well known as its reference here would suggest. This, however, is not at all unusual for broadside ballad publications. On the whole there is a lot more information included here than is normally attached to sheets.

Early ballads were dramatic or humorous narrative songs derived from folk culture that predated printing. Originally perpetuated by word of mouth, many ballads survive because they were recorded on broadsides. Musical notation was rarely printed, as tunes were usually established favourites. The term 'ballad' eventually applied more broadly to any kind of topical or popular verse.

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