The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-27


antiquities.
In the times of the n,onarchs Hugony, Logar,
and Cobthach, full six centuries before the Chris
tan ezra, the harp is Frequently spoken of; and
there is no doubt but the model of it was intro
diced by the Phenician ancestry, from whom it
enccs.s The harp of the great monarch BRYAN
Baroomy had % strings and during long sue
eession or ages,itS powers have undergone lit
tie Improvement or variety. Two stlings have
been added of later years bat its principles and
form remain the same Irish, Martial, and Anna
tory duans or songs of the second century have
descended 20 our times of Fergus, Ossian and
other bards consecrated by history, and of exoui.
site fancy, richness, sweetness, and simplicity.
The evidence in support of these. facts, indc-
pendent of the consistent relations of Irish bards
and historians is as complete and satisfactory as
any, which has ever been submitted to the human
mind on questions of history. We shall begin
with Giraldus Cambrensis, Il learned prelate
native of Britain and "a determined enemy
of Ireland, vino passed over into that Kingdom
IN the reign of Henry ID. Invested BY that mo.
march with authority to enquire into and correct
abuses civil and ecclesiastical On his return he
published an Itinerary, which contains the follow
nS remarkable passage =" The attention of this
people to musical instruments find worthy o.
" commentator, in which their skill is beyond
all comparison superior to that of any nation
have seen for in these it IL not slow and so.
Tenn as IN the instruments IF Britain, 80 which
p" we are accustomed but the sounds are rapid
and preclp.tate, yet at the same time sweet and
" pleasing 1t is wonderful, how in such pre-
cipitate rapidity OF the fingers, the musical pro-
PORTIONS are, preserved And nv their fault
less throughout, IN tine midst Of their complicat-
cd modGl'tions and most intricate arrange
" mcnt OF no les, by u rapidity SO sweet, a regu-
iaity so irregular, concord 50 discortlant the
melody is rendered harmonious and perfect,
" whether the chords of the Dsalesseror or De-
apente arc struck together, yet they always De-
- GIN IN soft Tnode and end in the same, that I'LL
. may be perfected in the sweetness of delirious
sounds. They enter on and again leave their
moduiations with so much subtiltv, and the
:" tnglings of the small strings snort with so
&C much freedom under the deep tones of the
BASS delight with so much delicacy and
soothe so softly, that the excellence OF their art
'' seems 10 &c in coacca.ing IT.
Bat such was the celebrity Of the Irish music
acenttry preceding the arrival Of Cambrensis,
that the Welsh bards so celebrated for their
knowledge IN this art, CondcsceBded to seek for
and receive instructions from those of Ireland of
which this passage of Powell their own histo-
ran, IN the sixth century is evidence. (Grifydh
APP Conan) says Powell, brought with him from
ireland divers cunning musicians into Wales,
who, Che boldly atfrms) devised in a manner all
the Instrumental music that is now there used as
appeareth as we'll by the books written of the
same, as also by the names OF the tunes (c) and
measures used among them to this date. On This
assertion OF Powell received support from the
learned Seltlen. Tncir musique" (says he,
speaking OF the Welsh)" for the most part came
tir''n Ireland with Gritiydh ap Conan, Prince of
Wales, about king Stephens time (e) Careloc,
Welsliman, in the twelfth century without any
OF that iiiiberal spirit 50 common with national
WRITER'S assures Us that the Irish devised al the
instruments, tunes and measures amongst the
Welsh"
Of the antient poetry of Ireland, even in its de-
generate state, and after it had been corrupted by
false ornaments, Spencer pronounced of IL, that
1t savoured OF sweet wit and good invention ~
The MORA Bona OF Fergus, is not surpassed
oy any thing III is kind, either of Pindar or Ho-
mer.
The amatory ballads and tunes are equally an.
ticnt and equally beautiful. Several compositions
OF O'Rlgar, Patrick Linden, Fitzgerald and o.
TIERS OF genuine merit, were published in the
reign of Elizabeth. The exquisite music OF Qua
TN and Kaun Dubh Deilish were known in the
reign OF Henry the Sth Very modern period
compared with dlat ia which tie airs were com
posed Scar faintna Campanaeh, or the parting
OF friends, is considered very antent. 1t is
very often played by harpcrs when the audience
arc about to separate, and it is a popular opinion
that it was composed whilst the Irish groaned UNI
der the oppression of the Danes and were forced
TO conceal themselves in caverns and sequcstered
places
The tune 1Hgontar fem q Sanl5rdin is pro
baby extremely autient. 1t was sung by the band
OF Virgins that went out OF Dublin to welcome
the Duke Of OrInond when he landed in Ire
land
The antient air, TIA ia Sanu adj 6atcht, or the
summer IS coming, is used upon the opening of
summer in the different parts of the kingdom.
Strange as it may appear, this proves to be the
same song in essence, both as to poetry and mu-
sic; which DIR. BuT1ey has written and published
80 voluminous a crtique on, as the first piece of
music ever set in score in Great Britain.
The air of, II to foreign cline you go, pro-
cured in the county Of Mayo, we have reason to
believe the oldest extant. At the national meet
ing OF harpers at Belfast in 1872, it was sung BY
only one person, and although numbers were pre-
sent, few knew it even by name but they all APP
pearcd greatly delighted with the composition.
Most OF the performers convened at the above
mentioned meeting were advanced in life,
and tbeyall concufred in one opinion respecting
the rePuted antiquity of those airs. which they
called antient. they smiled on being interrogs-
ted Concerning the ara OF such compositions
saying that they were more antent than any to
S9hich 0pr Popular traditions extended.
VIII Is the musical corruscations of Ireland
were thus chearing her sunny slopes and Area
dian vaes whilst they extorted the reluctant
admiration of her enemies, and the reveren-
tiai homage of the Wesll, who repaired to her
for Instruction as the CYBELE or greet mother
Of European melody, the music Of Scotland had