CHAPTER LIX. 



PIPING COMPETITIONS. 



The Society superintended for many years, by Committees 

 of its members, the competitions for the premiums given by 

 the Highland Society of London to the best performers on 

 the ancient musical instrument of the Highlands, the Bag- 

 pipe. 



The first trial under the Society's auspices was to have 

 come oft- at Falkirk on Wednesday the I2th of October 

 1784. * Mr Clerk of Elden was appointed to direct, regu- 

 late, and judge of the performance, along with such gentle- 

 men skilled in Highland music as should happen to be at 

 Falkirk. The Depute Secretary and the Clerk were ap- 

 pointed to accompany Mr Clerk, and the Society's officer 

 and piper were also to be in attendance. The party accord- 

 ingly repaired to Falkirk, but on arrival there found that 

 the Trj'st was not to be held till the 14th. A good 

 number of competitors had also arrived at Falkirk, 

 but it was found exceedingly inconvenient to proceed in 

 or to determine the competition, in respect that the gentle- 

 men who could have assisted in judging of the performers 

 were so engaged in the disposal of their cattle and manag- 

 ing their affairs during the market that they could not have 

 time or leisure so as to give their judgment on the merits of 

 the different performers. For these reasons, therefore, and 

 particularly at the desire of the pipers themselves, it was 

 considered necessar}'' to adjourn the competition and per- 

 formance, to be carried on at Edinburgh. Besides, the 



* The Highland Society of London was instituted in 1778, and held its 

 first piping competition (which was of three days' duration) at Falkirk in 1781. 

 By a mutual resolution of the Highland Society of London and of the High- 

 land Society of Edinburgh, in 1786, it was agreed that the members of either 

 should be admitted to the pri\-ilege of honorary members of the other. 



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