A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans

00 TMSTorvV OK tiip: mighlands
vliether she is tlio riiotlior or daughter of poetry, or, in other words,
whether music or poetry he the older art. Such a discussion appears to
be neither instructive nor amusing, and may therefore be passed over
with this simple remark, that the kindred and sister arts of poetry and
music, are undoubtedly almost coeval in their origin. Among tli(>
Celts the science of music was cultivated with great care, and formed
a branch of the education of the Bards. Some remains of the songs
of the Druids ai-e said still to exist,* and it is alleged that the chaunl-
ing of the Druidical precepts in times of paganism, was imitated by the
early Christians. This is indeed extremely probable. The primitive
Christians did not, for many ages, devote their attention to the improvement
of the melody of the church, and in tl)e east they are supposed to
have long followed the music of the synagogue. Tlie Gregorian
chaunt, as used in the Catholic churches at Vespers, is conjectured to
be nearly the same as that used by the Jews, with some trifling variations,
made by St. Ambrose, Archbishop of jMilan, and afterwards still far-
ther improved by Pope Gregory the Great, from whom the music de
rives its present name.f
The great characteristics of the Gaelic music, are, its simplicity, ten-
derness, and expression. All the ancient music is distinguished by the
first quality; for the complex movements and intricate notes of modern
composers were unknown to antiquity: but the latter qualities, which may
be termed iiational, in as much as they are dependant upon the genius
and character of a people, and the structure of language, are peculiar
attributes of the music of the Highlanders. " The Welsh, the Scots,
and the Irish, have all melodies of a simple sort, which, as they are
connected together by cognate marks, evince at once their relationsliii)
and antiquity."!
The ancient Scottish scale consists of six notes, as shown in the annexed
exemplification, No. 1. The lowest note. A, Avas afterwards
added to admit of the minor key in wind instruments. The notes in
tlic Diatonic scale, No. 2, were added about the beginning of the fif-
teenth century, and when music arrived at its present state of perfection,
the notes in tlie Chromatic scale. No. 3, were further added. Althougii
many of the Scottish airs liave h.ad the notes last mentioned introduced
into them, to please modern taste, they can be played without them,
and without altering the character of the melody. Any person who
understands the ancient scale can at once detect the later additions.
iT^E±^-i^-i
• Lngrji.'s Scottish Gaul. Vol. II,
+ Thfi Gregorian song consists of eight tones, of which four are called authentic, antl
four are said to he plagal. The former arc coiilintd to an octave; the plagal descends
from the iov.cr oi:tave (o the fourth belo-.v.
1 Cah-(!cnia I. 476.