CHAPTER II.
Harpers, Bards, and Pipers.
“O’er all this hazy realm is spread
A halo of sad memories of the dead,
Of mournful love tales, of old tragedies;
Filling the heart with pity, and the eyes
With tears at bare remembrance; and old songs
Of Love’s endurance, Love’s despair, Love’s wrongs
And triumphs o’er all obstacles at last,
And all the grief and passion of the past.”
Ancient musical instruments—Priestly harpers—Hereditary harpers—Irish versus Scottish harpers—Royal harpers—Use of harp universal—Welsh sarcasm—Mary Queen of Scots’ harp—The last of the harpers—“The Harper of Mull”—From harp to pipes—The Clarsach—Pipes supplanting bards—The last clan bard—Bardic customs—Bards’ jealousy of pipes—The bard in battle—Duncan Ban Mac Intyre—Two pipers scared—When the pipes became paramount—The fiery cross—The coronach.