The Irish standard., 1899-08-12
OF his blindness he learned to think,

"A touching story is tOlQ OF him which
illustrates the wonderful acuteness of the
blind. One day he was tuning mis- harp
by the seashore. Hearing boat ap-
preaching, he stretched out his hand to
help the occupants ashore. y lady placed
her hand in his, whereupon he ex-
claimed: This is the hand O; my gossip,
Bridget Cruise" Miss Cruise was
O'Carolan's first love. The incident in
spired Samuel Lovers beautiful song,
beginning:
True love can ne'er forget,
Fondly as when we met
Dearest, love thee yet,
My own darling one.
After his marriage O'Carolan lived for
some time in the county ,Leitrim. He
kept open house after the old Celtic
custom. No one ever applied to him in
vain for nights shelter or for pass
ing welcome. He contracted the habit
of indulgence in strong drink, a habit
which preyed upon and undermined his
rather frail constitution. He lacked the
moral and the physical stamina to con-
tinue the abstinence which at last he
tried to impose on himself We are told
by charitable apologist OF the bard that
he loved whisky not for its own sake,
but because he felt, or thought he felt,
that it gave him poetic inspiration.
His married life was happy. His de-
voted wife died in 1888 and the grief of
the bard was in proportion 10 his love.
A gloom settled upon him and his harp
rarely thrilled thenceforth save to songs
OF sorrow. He died four years later at
Alderford in the county. Roscommon,
at the house OF Rev. MacDcrmot Roe.
"When his death was known, says
Hardiman, 1T is related that upwards OF
sixty clergymen of different dcnomina-
tions, number of gentlemen from the
surrounding countries, and vast con-
course Of country people assembled to
pay the last mark of respect to their
iavorite bard. All the houses around
Ballyfarum were occupied hy the for
mer, and the people erected tents in the
fields around Alderford House. The
wake lasted four days. o.. each side oI
the hall was placed a key OF whisky
which was replenished as soon as emp
tied. Old Mrs MacDcrmot herself
joined the female mourncrs who attend
ed, to weep, as she expressed herself
over her poor gentleman, the head OF
all Irish music On the fifth day his
remains were brought forth and the fu-
neral was one of the greatest that for
many years had taken place in Con-
naught.' -
O'Carolan was at the time of his death
o8 years of age. His name and fame are
still green in the hearts OF his country
men, but no stone has ever been reared
to mark the spot where he rests.
AS to his music it is SAID that he was
quite ignorant Of its principles OF har-
mony and counterpoint. Still his native
talent was admired by musicians who
had met him. The story is that certain
Geminiani, an Italian master, then re,
siding in Dublin played ior him COM
position Of great excelcncc from which
however, he cut out certain passages anc
phrases in order to try his TASTE The
bard detected the lapscs and said: II,
is beautiful piece, but ii .imps now ant
then" The grandcst and widest of his
pieces is the FAIRY Queen bette,
known as Moore's "By the Hopes With
in us Springing." His concerto, which
has been arranged by Sir John Steven
son, was written to decide wager with
an Italian artist. His dance music "is
calculated to make me feel light about
the feet" His ear was exquisite. He
loved the hexameters oi Virgil and
though he knew no Latj:l, he used tc
invent meaningless verses for the pure
pleasure he derived from listening tc
what Tennyson calls the 'ocean-roll o.
rhythm" OF "the statelics, measure ever
moulded by the lips OF man" There
have been poets and tarpers since
O'Carolan's day. Tom N Noore, the hum.
ming bird OF poets, the 'larling harper
OF the Dublin drawing rooms, is tho
least Irish of Irish bards. and does not
even approach the natural pathos and
humor OF Samuel Lover. The voice oI
his countrymen for century and a
half has declared that Through O'Caro-
Ian was the "last of the Bards.'
D0nahOe's Magazine.
The August issue OF DOnahOe's has