Cecil James Sharp 
English Folk-Carols [PDF ebook] 
With Pianoforte Accompaniment and an Introduction and Notes

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The folk – carol defies imitation. A skilled musician, saturated in the literature of his country’s folk-music might, conceivably, make a folk-song without betraying himself; but it seems impossible that he could imitate a popular carol and escape detection. There is, then, every reason why we should do all that is possible, while there is yet time, to collect and publish our traditional carols for in them we have a unique possession, a national heritage of inestimable worth.