The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

98 ATHLETIC SPORTS OF SCOTLAND. Mackie, Skene. In the South the last of the hereditary piper of Jedburgh died in the beginningof the present century. Th Jedburgh burgh pipers bore the name of Hastie, and held th. post in direct succession for upwards of 300 years. There i also an improved form of the Northumbrian bagpipe still played This has several keyson the chanter, which give ita chromati scale. The mostelaborate form of the bagpipe is the Irish bag pipe, also a bellows one. This has a full chromatic scale with compass from D below the stave toD above it. The drones ar all fixed on one stock, and have keys, which are played by th wrist of the right hand. The reeds aresoft, and the tones ver) sweet andmelodious. Like the Lowland bagpipe of Scotland, the Irishbagpipe is fast dying out. THE GREAT HIGHLAND BAGPIPE.— The great Highland bag­ pipe, notwithstanding its limited compass and imperfect scale, is the onlyinstrument of its kind that is maintaining its ground. The compassis from G in the treble clef to A above it —nine notes. The notes do not form a distinct scale, 'someof the intervals not being in accurate tune, from which, doubtless, arises much of the distaste for the music of the bagpipes ex­ pressed by those who hear it for the first time. All tunes for the great Highland bagpipe are said to be on the key of A, although they arenot exactly so, but nearly so with the sevenths flat. The music for it used to be taught and written in a nota­ tion of its own, but several large collections have recentlybeen published in the ordinary notation. The musicof the great Highland bagpipe affordsan endless theme formerriment and attempted witticisms on the partof our neighbours South of the Borders. It is considered an indispen­ sable guaranteeof good taste foran English writer who attends a Highland gathering to be partly amused and partly terrified with the dinof the bagpipes, andto express the utmostwonder that any civilised ears can find pleasure in listening to their music. A writer recently in the Graphic, mentioning the fact that Dr. Johnson delighted to stand forsome* time with is ear