A Book of Scattered Leaves: Poetry of Poverty in Broadside Ballads of Nineteenth-Century England

The eight sections of this volume, comprising 66 ballads, focus individually on beggars and paupers; street children; the criminal poor; poor people in and out of work; poor young men and women finding betrayal, corruption, or casual or true love; poor husbands and wives making the best or worst of their situations; poor broadside poets describing their lives; and miscellaneous poor people enjoying themselves. Among the most substanital commentaires are a literary history showing the paring down and improving of ‘The Virtuous Milk-Maid, c1760,’ to make a broadside printing of ‘Squire and Milkmaid, c1860,’ and a comparison of ‘The Dreadful Murder of a Wife and Six Children’ with inquest documents and several broadsheet reports. Only the broadside ballad spoke significantly of social blame in the tragedy. Father and mother saw themselves facing starvation on the street or enforced separation from their children in the workhouse.