The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-24 00:00:00

COMPETITION OF PIPERS.

The Triennial Competition of Pipers for Prizes given
by the Highland Society of London, took place on Sa-
turday last, the 17th inst., in the Theatre Royal. The
house was crowded, every seat appearing to be occupied,
and the proceedings of the day seemed to excite the most
lively interest on the part of all present. We do not recol-
lect ever to have been present at a competition in which
so many excellent pipers appeared as competitors. The
performance throughout was of an unusually high cha-
racter, and we have no doubt that this circumstance
must have materially added to the difficult duty imposed
upon the judges. Although the performance, from the
number of competitors, entitled from their playing to
appear in public, was very long, lasting from twelve
o'clock until near six, the lively attention of the audi-
ence did not appear at any time to flag, and we were de-
lighted to see the kind and good-humoured plaudits with
which all the efforts of the performers were met on the
part of the audience.
Few of the peculiar and characteristic customs, of the
Highlanders now remain to us, except their national
music, national dancing, nationafdress, and national lan-
guage—we may say none,—and of all these, except the
latter, a very favourable specimen was exhibited on Sa-
turday. When the curtain drew up, the martial tones of
the bagpipes were heard, and the whole competitors, to
the number of sixty, of as fine looking men as we ever
saw marched on the stage, dressed in their national cos-
tume, with three pipers at their head. After performing
a few evolutions, they ranged themselves round the
stage, and the exhibition commenced, consisting of the
various Pibrochs played by the different competitors, in-
terspersed with reel and strathspey dancing, and the cha-
racteristic sword dance. Notwithstanding the deprecia-
tory remarks of most antiquaries and musical historians,
we consider the bagpipe, or rather the great Highland
pipe, to be the ancient and the peculiar instrument of the
Highlanders. There is no doubt that the bagpipe was
common to almost all the ancient inhabitants of Europe,
and especially to the Celtic tribes, but by them it was
and still is by those who retain it, merely used for pur-
poses of festivity and recreation. By the Highlanders
alone it was at an early period adopted as an instrument
of music in war. Its power was increased by them
until it assumed the shape of the great Highland pipe,
and in this sense it is an instrument of music altogether
peculiar to them, while the music composed for that in-
strument is absolutely so. The various kinds of martial
music played on this instrument—the " Plobaireachd,"
or battle-piece; the " Spaidearachd," or march; the
"Cruinneachadh," or gathering ; the "Failte," or sa-
lute ; and the " Cumha," or lament—form their charac-
teristic music of a kind quite peculiar to themselves, and
differing from all others ; and comparing their history
with other mountain people, we shall not say but what it
has had its effect upon their character as a warlike peo-
ple. The last generation saw the Highlanders animated
by its heart-stirring strains penetrate into the very heart
of England to place the last of the Stuarts on the throne
of his fathers, and, in our own time, the wild glens and
mountains of Spain have re-echoed its tones in the march
of victory through the Peninsula, while the plains of
Waterloo can tell of its influence there.

There is another point of view in which the preserva-
tion of this ancient music is of importance. We know
that there is nothing which gives a higher tone to the
character than the spirit of nationality, and the conduct
of every one will be regulated by a different spirit when
he feels that he belongs to a country or a nation to which
his own individual acts will do honour or dishonour. The
character of the Highlanders, as a people, is deservedly
very high, and we feel certain that there was no High-.
lander present who did not feel, when he heard the mar-
tial tones of the pibroch, that he belonged to a people
whose high reputation he was bound by his own con-
duct to maintain.

At the conclusion of the performances, the prizes were
delivered to the successful competitors by a Highland
chieftain present, viz., Clanranald, who accompanied
each by.a few appropriate remarks.
The prize pipe, which is the first prize, was, by a con-
siderable majority, awarded to Donald IVlnnes, from
Lochaber, and in giving this prize it was explained that
the judges considered him and Donald Cameron, piper
to J. E. Mackenzie, Esq., of Scatwell, the two estb
pipers present, but as both had previously obtained se-
cond prizes before, they could only now compete for the
prize pipe. The prize pipe having been awarded to
M'lnnes, there was no other prize for which Cameron
could compete.—Edinburgh Advertiser.

_----__-_,
GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S FAST.--We beg to
warn Dissenters against lending any countenance to the
General Assembly's fast to-morrow. Persons who feel
alarm about the Church, or have been instrumental in
leading her into her present difficulties, have a right to
fix any day they think proper for fasting and humilia-
tion ; but these are matters with which the community
at large have no concern. It is intolerable that any body
of ecclesiastics should have power to interrupt business
during a whole day, whenever it suits their purpose ;
and it is clearly the duty of the public to abstain from
flattering their pretensions by seeming to obey their
mandates. Many persons, we are aware, are apt tc•embe
em-
brace occasions when they think little business willdone,
_to enjoy themselves in the countrir; orl s°Meoftlie
holi-
day amusement ; but, at a time when t e 0
Kirk are displaying unusual arrogance, 4.
Churchmen, to
on Dissenters, as well as on all liberal
by pursuing their
isefngcyumbent
show that they despise their authority,nfrm
0 our Town
customary avocations,
Council_ proceedings, thlattllthilel
g We are also glad
the Police and Bailie Courts usual.a_s_rEdwa _
rd Lees, that the
to observe, by a letter freom Si
Z seen
are to sit in
Post-office will suffer no in-
delivery of letters by
postpone
Edinburgh Paper.
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Mr. Noel, Mr.
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.—Thursday morning
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