A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 



is much decayed. The whole bears 

 evidence of an expert artift. 



In early times the harp had only a 

 fingle row of firings, it was made fmall 

 and portable, and confequently much 

 confined in the compafs of it's notes. 

 It was neceflary to tune it afrefh, when- 

 ever the performer wiflied to change the 

 key ; but when any accidental fharp 

 Was requifite, in the middle of a tune, 

 he ran up his hand clofe to the upper- 

 moft bar, and flopped the firing dexte- 

 roufly with his thumb, whilft he played 

 the note with his finger. This trick 

 was preferved by fome of the old harp- 

 ers, of the laft century, but I believe it 

 is now quite loft. 



By the ancient Welfh laws, the under- 

 graduates were only permitted to ufe 

 harps ftrung with horfes hair, which 

 they had curioufly plaited. Some harps 

 of this kind were remaining, amongft 

 them, fo lately as the beginning of the 

 fifteenth century. The bodies of fome 

 4, of 



