A search for bronson will locate a good number of past discussions.

One of the most useful results of having the shorter "first draft" of Child easily available will be the opportunity to compare the texts; in particular material omitted in the later work; supporting material such as fuller transcriptions of some of the European analogues, and some entire ballads. Child had good reason for cutting those latter, of course, and comparison should help to understand a little more of his methodology.

Oddly, my local University has the 1860 work on the shelves, but you have to go to the City library for the English and Scottish Popular Ballads itself. Now I can drop a major job from the photocopying list. Thanks to Masato for letting us know about this very useful resource; and especially to the University of Michigan for providing it.