Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Composite volume > Ballad poetry of Ireland

BALLAD POETRY XXVll
like kindred metals. In some of Callanan's ballads
this cordial union is felicitously illustrated ; and
recently in the verses of Mr. Ferguson, Mr.
Davis, and Mr. Walsh.
The ordinary effect of native poetry is to che-
rish love of home and homely associations, which,
elevated and spiritualized, becomes love of coun-
try. Here it may have another, more restricted
but not less important influence. If the belief be
well founded, that a national school of poetry is
about to spring up among us, such models will
be of countless value to our young writers, in form-
ing their taste and attracting their studies in a
profitable direction.
The rudest snatch of native song may give a
higher impulse to the mind of the young poet,
than the most faultless specimen of English verse.
To reach the heart of his nation he must borrow
the tones that naturally and habitually speak its
feelings.
•' Thy voice I'll steal to woo thyself,
That voice that none can match."
Burns recognised this truth, or by one of the
happy intuitions that belong to genius, fell
naturally into the practice of it. It was among
the old Scotch song- writers, men inferior to him-
self in everything but a knowledge of the strong,