Page:The Cambridge History of American Literature, v4.djvu/92

 504 Oral Literature or broadsides popular in the mother country. These he would like to see replaced by religious and moralizing songs. Most songs, of either type, in the period before the Revolution, were probably imported, either orally or in broadside versions ; but there were also historical pieces that were indigenous. Profes- sor Tyler, writing in 1878, mentions as ballads popular in New England The Gallant Church, Smith's Affair at Sidelong Hill, and The Godless French Soldier. These pieces do not appear in printed collections, however, and, in general, little has been done in the way of an attempt to recover songs from the period before the Revolution. The oldest remaining historical ballad composed in America of which texts are available is Lovewell's Fight, recording a struggle with the Indians in Maine, 8 May, 1725. It was composed not long after the event, and was long popular in New England. A text reduced to print almost a century later begins : What time the noble Lovewell came. With fifty men from Dunstable, The cruel Pequa'tt tribe to tame With arms and bloodshed terrible. Longfellow chose the same subject for his early poem The Battle of Lovell's Pond. Greater effort has been made toward collecting songs and ballads of the Revolution, though the work should be done again more exhaustively and more critically. Frank Moore printed in 1 856 a collection of verse, brought together from newspapers, periodicals, broadsides, and from the memory of surviving soldiers. Most of these pieces are semi-literary in character, to be sung to familiar tunes imported from England. That oftenest quoted as having the best poetical quality is Nathan Hale. ^ Many express the discontent of the colonists, and many are burlesques. Sometimes they were based on older pieces, as Major Andre's The Cow Chace, which is built on The Chevy Chase. Of better quality is A Song for the Red-coats, on the defeat of Burgoyne. Give ear unto my story. And I the truth will tell Concerning many a soldier Who for his country fell. ' See Book I, Chap. ix.