Page:Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern.djvu/146

, &c.” Avignon, 1807, containing ninety. “Pastorale sur la Naissance de Jesus Christ, &c. Par Frère Claude Macée, Ermite de la province de Saint-Antoine,” at the end of which are twenty Noëls, called “Noels Nouveaux,” Saint Malo, 1819, l2mo. The same book also contains “La Vie et l’Adoration des trois Rois,” and “Le Massacre des Innocens.” These, with the “Pastorale,” are dramatic performances in the style of the ancient mysteries, and nearly as rude, very probably containing some passages from them in a modernized form. Ruben, one of the shepherds, says, talking of the birth of our Saviour,

In another edition of the “Pastorale,” &c. St. Malo, 1805, there is a collection at the commencement, with a separate paging, called “Noels Vieux et Nouveaux,” of which the titlepage in my copy is torn off.

But it is time to close this introduction, which has imperceptibly almost, extended to a length that the subject will not sanction. We are apt to think that other persons take as much interest in our hobbies as ourselves, and therefore ride them unsparingly. Not that this has been any particular hobby, but rather an occasional amusement during some visits to the West of England, to collect any carols I could meet with. These gradually accumulated, and it was my intention, a few years since, to have printed a few of the most popular, but this was superseded by Mr. D. Gilbert having about the same time published his first edition. My number however still increasing, and the practice appearing to get more neglected every year, which will hereafter increase the difficulty of obtaining specimens, I