ere long, most likely cease to be a peculiar people, and sink to rise no more. But to return to our comic dance. The farmer of the wren's-croft comes in, and says:

*Here he draws his sword or stick commonly, and strikes at the legs and

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An deigh sin, bha Crait an Dreathan abaigh; agus bhuain mii; agus bha cearamh eorna inn te, agus rinn mi cearamh brudhaist dheth, agus ma bha mi buidheach, bha; 's mar robh, leig dha-cha robh tulle agam re faighinn.

Seid suas!

After that the Wren's Croft was ripe; and I cut down the crop; and I had a quarter of barley on it; of which I made a quarter of brose; and if I was satisfied-well—if I were not-I had no more to get.

Blow up!

The imperative "seid suas," (blow up) is addressed to the musical performer, who is frequently a bag-piper, but oftener, (especially in the Braes of Athole) a fidler, who generally plays his native airs with peculiar expression and effect; witness Niel Gow, to whose performance every one delights to dance, that has the good fortune to be of the party where he is invited to be presiding minstrel for the night.

The violin, as well as the highland-bagpipe, as it is improperly called, are, comparatively speaking, but of recent introduction among the Gael. For the harp is the true instrument of Gaelic song, which we had of old in common with our brethren the Gael of Ireland, among whom the great bagpipe was never known. It often struck me, that neither Macpherson's Ossian, nor the fragments which I have so frequently heard sung and rehearsed, make any mention at all of that noisy instrument the bag-pipe; but of the harp uniformly; and it is certain that the melodies which I have heard sung to the

my

songs of Ossian in the original, are by no means such as could be adapted to the bagpipe, but are perfectly fitted for the harp; and are of a character peculiarly plaintive, sometimes irregularly wild, yet still preserving a just and measured rythmus, very unlike the bagpipe pieces, or the melodies of modern invention. This circumstance may startle some of the unbelievers in the authenticity of Ossian; but what is here stated is truth; and I believe veracity was never called in question by any one. I had often heard it said, that the great bagpipe, noisy, harsh, dissonant, and unfit for accompanying the voice of the bard, supplanted in latter ages the harp, which lives only in our fragments of ancient poetry, now hastening into total neglect. It has been supposed, and I think with good reason, that the pipe is of Scandinavian importation; and might have been brought either by the Norwegians, or Danes into the Western Islands, (or Sudr-eyiar as they called them) sometime after the year 900. Now what confirms in my mind the certainty of the large bagpipe being of Scandinavian origin, is, that in STRUT'S " Sports and "Pastimes of the English," chap. v. there is the representation of a sword-dance, and therein is represented a figure playing on the bagpipe, precisely similar to that which our modern highland pipers play on, at that grand annual exhibition of ancient music in Edinburgh, under the auspices of the Highland Society of Scotland. And in addition to this singular fact, I shall mention another equally strong as the former, and it is, that I have in my possession an original engraving by ALBERT DURER, of a figure playing on what is called the great highland bagpipe, which figure' has what is called a highlandman's

purse on, and a dirk by his side, the very accompaniments of a full dressed piper, the pride and glory of our high- · land chieftains at this day! Now as the ANGLO-SAXONS had their pipers, and the FLEMINGS also their pipers, who played on a bagpipe exactly similar to that played on by our highland pipers ;-pray, Whether did the Anglo-Saxons, and Flemings, borrow that instrument of music from the highlanders; or the highlanders from the Flemings and Anglo-Saxons ?

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Maintained inviolate with an upright zeal.-P. 130. WHEN civil and political liberty preserve steadily the balance of public welfare; then the fruits or produce of well-directed industry are guaranteed by the prudent administration of mild, salutary laws, and each individual may then rest assured of quietly enjoying the conveniencies and comforts that his agricultural, or mercantile speculations were reasonably calculated to place within his reach; and thus will be maintained inviolate the lawful property of private persons, and at the same time, the commercial prosperity of the community at large will be supported with that upright zeal, which is truly characteristic of good government, and a wise just code of laws, the spirit of which gives vital energy to a sound constitution.

* I shall present this etching to the Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh, in whose possession it will hereafter be found, in order that any one desirous to see it, may be thus satisfied concerning the truth of the fact.