Scott's Border Minstrelsy Exhibition

“Et hundrede udvalde Danske viser”, 1695, by Anders Sorensen Vedel Originally published in 1591, Vedel’s collection has become the standard text for all subsequent Danish ballad scholars. Scottish ballad collectors were interested in Danish ballads as they had features in common with Scottish and English ballads. Ballad story lines were often international in appeal and travelled along trade routes. These story lines remained remarkably unchanged as they traversed national borders. National characteristics to these ballads were added by the language used and the musical settings. Scott’s interest in Danish ballads is shown by his use of two Danish ballads – ‘The Elphin Gray’ and ‘The Return of the Dead’ – in his poem ‘The Lady of the Lake’ . Scott has inscribed this copy as previously belonging to Henry Weber, Scott’s literary assistant and editor of various plays and romances. The book was presented to Weber by the publisher Blackwood.