FrazEr—On an Early Irish Harp. i) 
TY.—On an Earty Intsh Harp. By Wm. Frazer, F.R.C.S.1., M.R.1A. 
With an Illustration. 
[Read May 26, 1879.} 
Tue Irish harp which I now exhibit to the Royal Irish Academy 
came, through chance, into my possession a few years ago. I regret it 
is impossible to trace its previous history beyond the statement of the 
erson from whom I procured it, that it was purchased at a sale in 
»me gentleman’s house in the country, where it was kept as an orna- 
ment in the hall, and that he was told it had been so preserved for 
several years. 
When Herr Sjoden, the distinguished professor of harp music, 
lately visited Dublin, to perform on his favourite instrument during 
the celebration of the ‘“‘ Moore Centenary,” I had an opportunity of 
showing this harp to him, and it was from the special interest he took 
in it that I am induced to exhibit it thisevening. He was attracted by 
its classic shape and the elegance of its construction, and at once di- 
rected my notice to a peculiarity in the number of its strings, which I 
will mention afterwards. He considered it possibly an unique ex- 
ample of the harp in common use about the time of Elizabeth or early 
in the reign of James I., that is ascribing to it at least an antiquity of 
250 years. At all events it deserves notice from its state of preser- 
vation, and is a good example of the small portable variety of Irish 
harp, such as we would suppose a native harper to carry with him in 
his travels through the country from castle to cottage; and it is to 
the employment of instruments like this that the traditional know- 
ledge of our ancient Irish airs must have owed their transmission 
from distant ages. 
The striking and handsome shape of this harp is well exhibited in 
the accompanying woodcut from a drawing, made for me through the 
kindness of my friend Mr. Thomas Longfield. The instrument rises 
from an oblong pediment serving as a base, and which measures 114 
inches broad by rather more than 6 inches wide. It varies in depth from 
21 inches at the front to 2 inches behind, sinking gradually from the 
front backwards. The harp itself reaches to a further elevation of 
28 inches above this pediment or base, measured to the loftiest point 
of its upper arm, which forms a graceful double curve. The main 
pillar of the instrument is 27 inches high; on its posterior surface 
are two sounding-holes of rather large size and of heart shape: the 
oles on the sound-board are protected from injury, by overstretching 
of the harp-string, by the simple device of a curved piece of metal 
wire inserted at the upper edge of each sound-hole. There are 
twenty-six of these holes, and on the upper arm are twenty-six 
keyholes, and a similar number of metal pins or pegs for straining 
the wires and keeping them in tension: the keys themselves are 
wanting. The front pillar, which presents a curve of pleasing out- 
SER. II., VOL. II,, POL. LIT. AND ANTIQ. C 
