Shrill Nightingales? Shill, Shrill, and Sh’ill in the Dialect Poems of William Barnes

Appendix 1

The following extracts (substantial when the extended context is necessary to the argument above, and with marginal glosses added) are arranged in the chronological order of the first appearance in print of the poems from which they are taken, with shill, shrill, sh’ill or their derivatives printed in bold type. The equivalent wording for these forms, in every version in which the poem appears, is given beneath each extract and tabulated for convenient comparison in Appendix 2, with dates supplied individually for each poem printed in DCC or MM, and an approximate date for any poems printed from manuscript. Quotations, sigla for manuscripts, and approximate dates for undated poems are taken from WBCP.

1. “THE WOODY HOLLER”, 9–16 (1844 version) hollow

When evemen’s rīsèn moon did peep evening’s rising

Down droo the holler dark an’ deep, through10

[...]

[...] mothers wi’ ther thin^[7]

Shrill vâices cal’d ther dāters in, daughters15

Vrom wā’kèn in the holler. walking

15 shrillDCC (29 Apr. 1841) 1844 1847a 1862c 1866 1879

2. “THE MUSIC O’ THE DEAD”, 17–24 (1844 version)

Lāste night, as I wer gwâin along going

The brook, I heärd the milkmâid’s zong

A-ringèn out so clear an’ shill

Along the meäds, an’ roun’ the hill, 20

I catch’d the tuen, an’ stood still tune

To hear ’t; ’twer oon that Jeän did zing

A-vield a-milkèn in the spring;

Sweet music o’ the dead, John.

19 shillDCC (17 Mar. 1842) 1844 1847a; shrill1862c 1866 1879

3. “THE BLACKBIRD”, 1–24 (1844 version)

Ov al the birds upon the wing

Between the zunny show’rs o’ spring

Var al the lark, a-swingèn high,

Mid zing sweet ditties to the sky,

[...]

The blackbird, hoppèn down along

The hedge, da zing the gâyest zong.

’Tis sweet, wi’ yerly-wakèn eyes early-waking

To zee the zun when vust da rise it first rises10

[...]

But ther’s noo time the whol dā long day15

Lik’ evemen wi’ the blackbird’s zong. evening

Var when my work is al a-done

Avore the zettèn o’ the zun,

Then blushèn Jian da wā’k along walk

The hedge to mit me in the drong, meet me in the lane20

An’ stây till al is dim an’ dark

Bezides the ashen tree’s white bark. ash

An al bezides the blackbird’s shill

An’ runnèn evemen-whissle’s still.

23 shillDCC (7 Apr. 1842) 1844 1847a; shrill1862c 1866 1879

4. “THE WOODLANDS”, 17–24 (1844 version)

My vust shill skylark whiver’d high, first, hovered

Luonesome woodlands, zunny woodlands,

To zing below your deep-blue sky

An’ white spring-clouds, O zunny woodlands. 20

An’ boughs o’ trees that oonce stood here,

Were glossy green the happy year

That gi’ed me oon I lov’d so dear gave

An’ now ha’ lost, O zunny woodlands.

17 shillDCC (20 Apr. 1843) 1844 1847a; shrill1862c 1866 1879

5. “EVEMEN IN THE VILLAGE”, 9–16 (1847a version) evening

[...] the flickerèn light droo the winder-piane through, window-

From the candle’s dull fliame da shoot, 10

An’ young Jemmy the smith is a-gone down liane,

A-plâyèn his shill-vâiced flute.^[8]

An’ the miller’s man

Da zit down at his ēase

On the seat that is under the cluster o’ trees, 15

Wi’ his pipe an’ his cider can.

12 jarman DCC (7 Mar. 1839); jarman- 1844; shill-vâiced 1847a; shrill-vaïced 1862c 1866 1879

6. “PENTRIDGE BY THE RIVER”, 25–32 (1879 version)

When the western zun’s a vallèn, falling25

What sh’ill vaïce is now a-callèn

Hwome the deäiry to the païls; dairy-cows

Who do dreve em on, a-flingèn drives them

Wide-bow’d horns, or slowly zwingèn

Right an’ left their tufty taïls? 30

As they do goo a-huddled drough

The geäte a-leäden up vrom river.

26 shillDCC (4 Dec. 1856) 1859a; shrill1863e; sh’ill1879

7. “HALLOWED PLEÄCES”, 49–60 (1879 version)

There at the geäte that woonce wer blue

Hallow’d by times o’ passèn drough, 50

Light strawmotes rose in flaggèn flight,

A-floated by the winds o’ night,

Where leafy ivy-stems did crawl

In moonlight on the windblown wall,

An’ merry maïdens’ vaïces vled 55

In echoes sh’ill, vrom wall to shed,

As shiv’rèn in their frocks o’ white

They come to bid us there “Good night,”

Vrom hall, a-hung wi’ holm, that rung holly

Wi’ many a tongue o’ wold an’ young. old60

56 shillDCC (1 Jan. 1857); sh’ill1859a 1863e 1879

8. “OUT AT PLOUGH”, 23–33, 45–55 (1879 version) ploughing

[...] there the zunny land do lie

Below the hangèn, in the lew, slope, shelter

Wi’ vurrows now a-crumblèn dry, 25

Below the plowman’s dousty shoe;

An’ there the bwoy do whissel sh’ill,

Below the skylark’s merry bill,

Where primrwose beds do deck the zides

O’ banks below the meäple wrides. stalks30

As trees be bright

Wi’ bees in flight,

An’ weather’s bright, abroad, O.

[...]

But still, vor all the weather’s feäir, 45

Below a cloudless sky o’ blue,

The bwoy at plough do little ceäre

How vast the brightest day mid goo; fast, may

Vor he’d be glad to zee the zun

A-zettèn, wi’ his work a-done, 50

That he, at hwome, mid still injaÿ enjoy

His happy bit ov evenèn plaÿ, evening

So light’s a lark

Till night is dark,

While dogs do bark, at hwome, O. 55

27 shill B254 DCC (26 Mar. 1857) 1859a; sh’ill1863e 1879

9. “HAŸ MEÄKÈN – NUNCHEN TIME”, 1–6 (1879 version) snack

Back here, but now, the jobber John odd-job man

Come by, an’ cried, “Well done, zing on,

I thought as I come down the hill,

An’ heärd your zongs a-ringèn sh’ill,

Who woudden like to come, an’ fling 5

A peäir o’ prongs where you did zing?”

4 shill B254 DCC (25 June 1857); sh’ill1859a 1863e 1879

10. “WHEN BIRDS BE STILL”, 17–24 (1879 version)

Vor when the night do lull the sound

O’ cows a-bleärèn out in ground, bellowing, field

The sh’ill-vaïc’d dog do stan’ an’ bark

’Ithin the dark, bezide the road; 20

An’ when noo cracklèn waggon’s lwoad

Is in the leäne, the wind do bring

The merry peals that bells do ring

O ding-dong-ding, when birds be still.

19 shill- DCC (16 July 1857) 1859a; sh’ill- 1863e 1879

11. “IVY HALL”, 9–16 (1879 version)

I voun’ the wind upon the hill, found

Last night, a-roarèn loud, 10

An’ rubbèn boughs a-creakèn sh’ill

Upon the ashes’ sh’oud; top

But oh! the reelèn copse mid groan; may

An’ timber’s lofty tops mid groan;

The hufflèn winds be music all, gusting15

Bezide my road to Ivy Hall.

11 shillDCC (4 Feb. 1858) 1859a; shrill1863e; sh’ill1879

12. “THE LINDEN ON THE LAWN”, 21–32 (1879 version)

[...] while the carter rod’ along

A-zingèn, down the dusky drong, lane

There you did zing a sweeter zong

Below the linden on the lawn.

An’ while your warbled ditty wound 25

Drough plaÿsome flights o’ mellow sound,

The nightèngeäle’s sh’ill zong, that broke

The stillness ov the dewy woak,

Rung clear along the grove, an’ smote

To sudden stillness ev’ry droat; throat30

As we did zit, an’ hear it float

Below the linden on the lawn.

27 sh’íll [? error for sh’ill] DCC (11 Mar. 1858); sh’ill1859a 1863e 1879

13. “THE THORNS IN THE GEÄTE”, 9–16 (1879 version)

The zull, wi’ iron zide awry, plough

Had long a-vurrow’d up the vield; 10

The heavy roller had a-wheel’d

It smooth vor showers vrom the sky;

The bird-bwoy’s cry, a-risèn sh’ill,

An’ clacker, had a-left the hill,

All bright but still, vor time alwone 15

To speed the work that we’d a-done.

13 shill B179 DCC (22 Apr. 1858) 1859a; shrill1863e; sh’ill1879

14. “OUR BE’THPLACE”, 21–30 (1879 version) birthplace

By river banks, wi’ reeds a-bound,

An’ sheenèn pools, wi’ weeds a-bound, shining

The long-neck’d gander’s ruddy bill

To snow-white geese did cackle sh’ill;

An’ stridèn peewits heästen’d by, 25

O’ tiptooe wi’ their screamèn cry;

An’ stalkèn cows a-lowèn loud,

An’ struttèn cocks a-crowèn loud,

Did rouse the echoes up to mock

Their mingled sounds by hill an’ rock. 30

24 shillDCC (6 May 1858); sh’ill1859a 1863e 1879

15. “THE BLACKBIRD [II]”, 1–16, 25–32 (1879 version)

’Twer out at Penley I’d a-past

A zummer day that went too vast, fast

An’ when the zettèn zun did spread

On western clouds a vi’ry red; fiery

The elems’ leafy limbs wer still 5

Above the gravel-bedded rill,

An’ under en did warble sh’ill, it

Avore the dusk, the blackbird.

An’ there, in sheädes o’ darksome yews,

Did vlee the maïdens on their tooes, 10

A-laughèn sh’ill wi’ merry feäce

When we did vind their hidèn pleäce,

’Ithin the loose-bough’d ivy’s gloom,

Or lofty lilac, vull in bloom,

Or hazzle-wrides that gi’ed em room hazel-stems, gave15

Below the zingèn blackbird.

[...]

An’ there the sh’illy-bubblèn brook 25

Did leäve behind his rocky nook,

To run drough meäds a-chill’d wi’ dew,

Vrom hour to hour the whole night drough;

But still his murmurs wer a-drown’d

By vaïces that mid never sound 30

Ageän together on that ground,

Wi’ whislèns o’ the blackbird.

a 7 shillDCC (3 June 1858) 1859a; sh’ill1863e 1879

b 11 shillDCC (3 June 1858) 1859a; sh’ill1863e 1879

c 25 shillyDCC (3 June 1858); shilly- 1859a; sh’illy- 1863e 1879

16. “LEEBURN MILL”, 17–24 (1879 version)

[...] when they let the stream goo free,

Bezide the drippèn wheel at rest,

An’ leaves upon the poplar-tree

Wer dark avore the glowèn west; 20

An’ when the clock, a-ringèn sh’ill,

Did slowly beät zome evenèn hour, evening

Oh! then ’ithin the leafy bow’r

Our tongues did run at Leeburn Mill.

21 sh’illDCC (2 Sept. 1858) 1859a 1863e 1879

17. “JOHN BLOOM IN LON’ON”, 45–8 (1879 version)

Then up the guard did whissle sh’ill, 45

An’ then the engine pank’d a-blast, panted

An’ rottled on so loud’s a mill,

Avore the traïn, vrom slow to vast.

45 shill B179 DCC (16 Dec. 1858); shrill1862a 1869; sh’ill1879

18. “GRAMMER A-CRIPPLED”, 47–50 (1879 version)

“The woaken chair’s vor you to vill, oak

For you shall glow the coal,

An’ when the win’ do whissle sh’ill

We’ll screen it vrom your poll.” 50

49 shill B192 DCC (3 Mar. 1859); sh’ill1862a 1879; shrill1869

19. “ZUMMER THOUGHTS IN WINTER TIME”, 11–20 (1879 version)

I there did think o’ days that dried

The new-mow’d grass o’ zummer-tide,

When white-sleev’d mowers’ whetted bleädes

Rung sh’ill along the green-bough’d gleädes,

An’ maïdens gaÿ, wi’ plaÿsome chaps, 15

A-zot wi’ dinners in their laps, sitting

Did talk wi’ merry words that rung

Around the ring, vrom tongue to tongue;

An’ welcome, when the leaves ha’ died,

Be zummer thoughts in winter-tide. 20

14 sh’illDCC (10 Mar. 1859) 1862a 1869 1879

20. “WOONE SMILE MWORE”, 21–30 (1879 version)

[...] while your mother bustled sprack, briskly

A-gettèn supper out in hall,

An’ cast her sheäde, a-whiv’rèn black hovering

Avore the vier, upon the wall; fire

Your brother come, wi’ easy peäce, 25

In drough the slammèn geäte, along

The path, wi’ healthy-bloomèn feäce,

A-whis’lèn shrill his last new zong;

An’ when he come avore the door,

He met vrom you his woone smile mwore. 30

28 shill B188; sh’illDCC (12 Dec. 1861) 1862a; shrill1869 1879

21. “AT THE DOOR”, 10–18 (MM version)

Wi’ iron bound, 10

The wheels, a-rollèn round,

Do crunch the cracklèn vlint below their lwoad;

The stwones a-trod

By horses iron-shod

Do shockle shrill along the trotted road, rattle15

Where chaps do come to seek, in our wold pleäce,

Wi’ stip-step light, an’ tip-tap slight,

The maïdens’ feäce.

15 shrill B190 MM (Sept. 1864)

22. “WELL TO DO”, 1–9 (MS version, B193)

When win’ did blow athirt the snow, across

By lewer nooks an’ hollow caves, more sheltered

By icy oves an’ white-treed groves, eaves

On streams too hard to run in weäves,

Noo sign-bwoard then, a-swingèn slack 5

An’ creakèn shrill, did keep me back,

Did keep me back, a-creakèn shrill,

Vrom hwome an’ you beyond the hill,

Though I wer well to do.

6–7 shrill [...] shrill B193 (a19 Dec. 1867)

23. “THE WOLD CLOCK”, 1–12 (MS version, B193) old

The wold clock’s feäce is still in pleäce,

Wi’ hands a-stealèn round;

His bob do swing an’ bell do ring, pendulum-weight

As when I heärd his sound,

A-leävèn hwome, so long agone, 5

An’ left en there, a-ticken on. him (it)

Noo doust do clog, noo rust uncog

His wheels to keep em still;

Noo blow ha’ vell to crack his bell fallen

That still do ringle shrill. 10

I wish that I’d a-gone so well

’S the clock’s wold bob, an’ wheels, an’ bell.

10 shrill B193 (a19 Dec. 1867)

Appendix 2