ABSTRACT
The antiquary and bibliographer Ritson (1752-1803) found little place for Donne in his A Select Collection o.fEnglish Songs, 1783, an anthology of older poetry which was intended to rival or supplant Percy's Reliques. In 'A Historical Essay on the Origin and Progress of National Song', prefixed to the collection, Ritson gave Donne's poetry no more than a passing mention (i, p.lix). But he did print a prettified version of 'The Message', untitled and without author's name, in a section of 'Songs Omitted' appended to volume i (i, pp. 257-8). This version, which is given below, seems to have become popular for it appears in several subsequent anthologies of lyric verse.
