Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-18
OLD ENGLISH BALLADS
THE BRTToN AND HIS cosMoPoLI-
TAN MUSICAL TASTES.
Scotch and Irish Airs - Foreign
Songs - Tunes of Long
Ago.
From the London Globe.

From the London Globe.
To certain extent the English are cos
mopolitan in their musical tastes. That is
to say, they are always ready to adopt the
songs and tunes of other nations. provided
only the melody be pleasing In their ears.
Hence possibly the varied and heterogene-
Gus types of many of our best-known bal
lads. Most of these, it is true, took their
rise in other parts of the kingdom; still.
the difference between Celtic, Cymric and
Saxon temperamentS is enough to account
for much that is otherwise inexplicable in
some of the so-called national songs. Yet
even among these we find exceptions. The
British Grenadiers,' for instance, like it's
name. is English to the backbone, and is,
Furthermore. one of the oldest popular
songs we have. The words. it is evident.
were written somewhere between 1873
when the Grenadier Company was first
formed, and the time of Queen Anne, in
hand grenades. The tune, from all ac-
counts, Is considerably older, and may
even belong to Good Queen Bess' days,
though this, of course, Is merely surmise.
Robin Adair.
Another melody supposed to date from
that period is Robin Adair" Though, for
some mysterious reason generally included
in collections of Scotch airs, the tune origi-
nally came from Ireland-where it was
called Eileen Aroon'-the Scotch snap"
on the words Robin Adair being a nine
teenth century addition. Tradition has 1t
that chieftafn of the clan Q.Daly like
Romeo, fell in love with the daughter of his
races hereditary foe. AS is customary In
romances, the lady was compelled to marry
an unweicome wooer, but this only made
her lovers opportunity. Disguised as a
harper, he appeared at the wedding feast,
where he sang dolefuI Law of love and
Woe Then, suspicion being lulled, he sud
1eniy swung the bride on his horse and.
leaping the castle moat, carried her Off he.
fore the eyes of his rival In remembra nee
OF this the pseudo minstrefs melody was
treasured by his descendants At least the
ar Eileen Aroon" Is known to have been
the work OF one Gerald O'Daly, harper
of later times, who probably utilized the an.
cestral tune.
Story Of the Song.
To the modern verses is attached a ro-
nance emanating from the days of hoops
and patches. The hero OF this. Robin
Adair, good-looking young Irish surgeon,
once CHANGED to be of service to an elderly
Titled dame who had met with an accident
near Holyhead. More frightened than hurt.
the iady, when matters were adjusted,
presented her delyerer with a fee Of
hundred guineas and insisted on his es-
corting her back to London. Arrived there
he was forthwith made free of his pa
tronesS' house, and, sad to saw so far
forgot his position as to set his affections
On one of the visitors, who was by no
means backward in responding Without
further ado the fascinating medico was
banished, but the mischief was done his
high-born inamorata refusing to even look
at h-r other suitors. AS a last eXpedient
she was taken to Bath to try what
course of gayety combined with unpleas-
ant mineral waters, could effect. Here.
however. instead of forgetting her lover
of low degree, the enamored maiden wrote
or induced some one to write the lines
eulogizing her adored Robin Adair To
timately married, but their happiness was
of brief duration, for the young wife speed
lily fell a victim to consumption, leaving
her husband bound by VOW to wear per-
petual mourning in memory of their love.
He's Jolly Good Fellow.
Turning to more convivial lays, the first