two volumes can
be ventured on. Well! be it so! The first volume can contain 70
choice _Kaempe Viser_; viz. all the heroic, all the supernatural
ballads (which two classes are by far the most interesting),
and a few of the historic and romantic songs. The sooner the
work is advertised the better, _for I am terribly afraid of
being forestalled in the Kaempe Viser by some of those Scotch
blackguards_ who affect to translate from all languages, of
which they are fully as ignorant as Lockhart is of Spanish. I
am quite ready with the first volume, which might appear by the
middle of February (the best time in the whole season), and if
we unite our strength in the second, I think we can produce
something worthy of fame, for we shall have plenty of matter to
employ talent upon.--Most truly yours,

GEORGE BORROW.

To Dr. John Bowring

17 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, BLOOMSBURY, _Jany. 14, 1830._

MY DEAR SIR,--I approve of the prospectus in every respect; it
is business-like, and there is nothing flashy in it. I do not
wish to suggest one alteration. I am not idle: I translated
yesterday from your volume 3 longish _Kaempe Visers_, among
which is the 'Death of King Hacon at Kirkwall in Orkney,' after
his unsuccessful invasion of Scotland. To-day I translated 'The
Duke's Daughter of Skage,' a noble ballad of 400 lines. When I
call again I will, with your permission, retake Tullin and
attack _The Surveyor_. Allow me, my dear Sir, to direct your
attention to Oelenschlaeger's _St. Hems Aftenspil_, which is the
last in his Digte of 1803. It contains his best lyrics, one or
two of which I have translated. It might, I think, be contained
within 70 pages, and I could translate it in 3 weeks. Were we
to give the whole of it we should gratify Oelenschlaeger's wish
expressed to you, that one of his larger pieces should appear.
But it is for you to decide entirely on what _is_ or what is
_not_ to be done. When you see the _foreign_ editor I should
feel much obliged if you would speak to him about my reviewing
Tegner, and enquire whether a _good_ article on Welsh poetry
would be received. I have the advantage of not being a
Welshman. I would speak the truth, and would give translations
of some of the best Welsh poetry; and I really belie