48 
Ordinary Meeting, January 21st, 1879. 
J. P. Joule, D.C.L., LL.D, F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 
“On an Old Letter of the late Sir Walter Scott.” 
E. W. Blnney, Y.P., F.R.S., F.G.S., said that on March the 
16th, 1868, he exhibited at the Society’s meeting an original 
letter of the late Sir Walter Scott, dated the 4th June, 1802, 
on the subject of an old Scotch Ballad called Jock o’ Milk. 
Since that time he had come into possession of another 
letter of the baronet’s, as well as one from Mr. Liddesdale. 
They are as follow : — 
“Sir, — I am honored with your very obliging favour, and 
beg leave to express my best thanks for the information 
which it so handsomely communicates. In the late Mr. 
Riddell of Glenriddle’s MS., which I have frequently re- 
ferred to in the late compilation, there is a copy of the 
Ballad called Jock of Milk , which I examined very atten- 
tively. I was only deterred from publishing it by the 
strong doubts I entertained of its authenticity, as it appeared 
to me to bear more the character of an imitation than of a 
real ancient ballad. It is very possible, however, that I 
may be mistaken, or that the copy I have seen may be 
interpolated, and I shall be very much gratified indeed by 
your furnishing me with the copies which you have so 
handsomely offered to send me, with as much of the tra- 
ditionary history as you recollect. I should be also much 
interested to know whether the verses were taken down 
from recitation or from a MS., ancient or modern. I have 
been very desirous as far as possible to ascertain the 
authenticity of the old poems which I have given to the 
world, as literary forgeries have been but too often and too 
justly imputed to the Scottish antiquaries. The Galliard 
Proceedings — Lit, & Phil. Soc. — Vol. XYIII. — No. 6. — Session 187S-9 
