[Hardy-l] Folk traditions

[Patrick Roper]

Jacky,

One book that TH may have been familiar with was Robert Hunt (1865)
'Popular Romances of the West of England: Or the Drolls, Traditions, and
Superstitions of Old Cornwall.'  John Camden Hotten, London (a 2nd edition
was published in 1871).  I expect this may have been something that he could
have come across in his visits to Emma at St Juliot as I believe it was
quite a popular title.

I expect he also may have read the book by his friend Sir George Douglas (c.
1895)  who wrote 'Scottish Fairy and Folk Tales' around 1895.  (Walter
Scott, London.)

I have often wondered too what Hardy knew of Lady Charlotte Guest who
translated The Mabinogion and other Welsh folk literature between 1838 and
1849.  Lady Charlotte lived at Canford Manor in Dorset and this is supposed
to be the model for Grebe in TH's story 'Barbara of the House of Grebe'.
This latter tale has many aspects that, to my overheated imagination, may
reflect episodes in The Mabinogion.

I am sure there are many more titles with which TH may have been familiar.

Patrick Roper