Thanks for that contribution, Jim, and indeed to all who are contributing here. Echoing Richie's thanks, there are few of us around who have any depth of knowledge of the ballads, and a lively, reasoned discussion like this is always welcome. I ought to add that many of my contributions are my own opinions, often presented without absolute proof, but I have done much of the spadework and I devour any literature that at all relates to the ballads, including manuscripts when I can get at them. My opinions on PB in particular are based on reading all available literature about him and all of his extant output. I am very grateful to Richie for following up this particular production as it is typical of PB's work. Anyone wishing to delve further into this matter would do well to start with reading through all of Child's headnotes as they pertain to all of the collectors, particularly in the first 2 vols of ESPB. In the later volumes he suddenly stops giving opinions on the veracity of the ballads caused I think by having his knuckles rapped by the publishers. Who would want to buy a book full of forgeries?