ANTIQUITY OF THE BALLAD OF AULD MAITLAND 141 



not tell either way as to the genuineness of Sir Walter's 

 copy, for this might have suggested it. 



I find there was a well-known Dr Carruthers at Langholm ; 

 and the one who was one of the party at Blackhouse might 

 not improbably be his father. 



The late Dr Anderson or his sister would probably have 

 known who they were. 



It may be noted that those who suppose Sir Walter Scott 

 wrote the Border Minstrelsy are not aware — and, indeed, it 

 might have no significance for them — that everything he 

 wrote in his own character in the ballad measure, no great 

 quantity, is marked by the first and third lines rhyming 

 as well as the second and fourth. This is of the rarest 

 occurrence in the first and second parts of the Minstrelsy, 

 and in old ballad literature generally. The difference may 

 be seen in the very well-known " Jock of Hazeldean," of 

 which the first eight lines are said to be old, while the 

 rest was written by Sir Walter. 



