gentlemen. A large space was reserved
in the middle of the room and occupied by gentlemen only, who, Smith
said, were the judges of the performances that were to take place, and
who were all inhabitants of the Highlands or Islands. The prize was
for the best execution of some favourite piece of Highland music, and
the same air was to be played successively by all the competitors. In
about half an hour a folding door opened at the bottom of the hall,
and the Professor was surprised to see a Highlander advance playing on
a bagpipe, and dressed in the ancient kilt and plaid of his country.
"He walked up and down the vacant space in the middle of the hall with
rapid steps and a martial air playing his noisy instrument, the
discordant sounds of which were sufficient to rend the ear. The tune
was a kind of sonata divided into three periods. Smith requested me to
pay my whole attention to the music, and to explain to him afterwards
the impression it made upon me. But I confess that at first I could
not distinguish either air or design in the music. I was only struck
with a piper marching backward and forward with great rapidity, and
still presenting the same warlike countenance, he made incredible
efforts with his body and his fingers to bring into play the different
reeds of his instrument, which emitted sounds that were to me almost
insupportable. He received, however, great praise." Then came a second
piper, who seemed to excel the first, judging from the clapping of
hands and cries of bravo that greeted him from every side; and then a
third and a fourth, till eight were heard successively; and the
Professor began at length to realise that the first part of the music
was meant to represent the clash and din and fury of war, and the last
part the wailing for the slain,--and this last part, he observed,
always drew tears from the eyes of a number of "the beautiful Scotch
ladies" in the audience. After the music came a "lively and animated
dance," in which some of the pipers engaged, and the rest all played
together "suitable airs possessing expression and character, though
the union of so many bagpipes produced a most hideous noise." He does
not say whether his verdict was satisfactory to Smith, but the verdict
was that it seemed to him like a bear's dancing, and that "the
impression the wild instrument made on the greater part of the
audience was so different from the impression it made on himself, that
he could not help thin