339 



than either the Highlanders or the Irish, who were the most eminent 

 harpers then known," Le Comte de Hoghenski speaks thus of the 

 practical knowledge of the Irish harpers at a later day. " Les Ire- 

 landois sont entre tous les peuples ceux qui passent pour jouer le 

 mieux de cet instrument," (the harp.) John Clynn, the annalist, in 

 extolling the merits of O'Carrol the harper and his pupils, not only 

 shews the flourishing state of music in this kingdom at the time he 

 wrote, (A. D. 1340,) but gives grounds to believe the existence of a 

 school of harpers.* Stanihurst subsequently celebrates the praises of 

 Crusius, an eminent harper of the sixteenth century, residing within ' 

 the pale.-f* Vicentio Gallilei, in his " Dialogo della musica antica e 

 moderna," says, that according to Dante, that most ancient instru- 

 ment the harp was brought to Italy /row Ireland, where, he adds, 

 harps are excellently made, and in great numbers, the inhabitants of 

 that island having practised on them for many ages : and he concludes 

 by describing the Irish harp and the mode of playing on it. Fuller, 

 in his Account of the Holy Wars, says "Ireland also putteth in for 

 her portion of honour in this service ; * * * * witness many houses 

 for templars, and the stately priory of Kilmainham, nigh Dublin; yea, 

 we may well think that all the concert of Christendom in this war 

 would have made no music, if the Irish harp had been wanting. *':{: 



• " Camum O'Carvill famosum fuisse tympanistam et citharistam, in arte sua phoenicem ; 

 ea pollens praerogativa et virtute cum aliis tympanistis discipulis ejus circiter viginti, qui etsi 

 non fuerit artis musicae chordalis primus inventor, omnium tamen praedecessorum et praeceden- 

 tium ipse ac contemporaneorum corrector, doctor et director extitit." — Walker's Irish Bards, 

 pp. 121-2 



•f " Vivit hac nostra aetata Crusius, ad lyram post hominum memoriam quam maxime in- 

 sis^iS : is ab illo incondite strepitu, qui incontinentis secumque discordantibus fidibus sit, 

 plurimum abhorrel : contraque eo modorum ordine, sonorum compositione, musicum observat 

 concentum, quo auditorum aures mirabiliter ferit, ut enim citius solum quam summum cytha- 

 ristam judicare, ex quo intelligi potest non musicis lyram, sed lyrae musicos hactenus defu- 

 isise." — Walker's Irish Bards, p. 145. 

 + Fuller's Holy Wars, b. 5. c. 23. 



X X 2 



