CHAPTER II.—HARPERS, BARDS, AND PIPERS, 18

Ancient musical instruments—Priestly harpers—Hereditary harpers—Irish _versus_ Scottish harpers—Royal harpers—Use of harp universal—Welsh sarcasm—Mary Queen of Scots’ harp—The last of the harpers—“The Harper of Mull”—From harp to pipes—The _clarsach_—Pipes supplanting bards— The last clan bard—Bardic customs—Bards’ jealousy of pipes—The bard in battle—Duncan Ban Mac Intyre—Two pipers scared—When the pipes became paramount—The fiery cross—The coronach.