BAGPIPE, the arxxioos of the Greeks, and the Tibia ntricularis of the Romans, is a well known musical instrument, which has erroneously been sup posed peculiar to Scotland and Ireland. The an cients, both Greeks and Romans, however, were ac quainted with it ; and in many countries it is a fa vourite and popular instrument at this day.
The bagpipe, as constructed at the present perio consists of a large leather bag, inflated by the mouth or by means of bellows. Connected to it is a flute part, or chaunter as it is called, into which is inserted a reed, and the action of the air from the bag on this reed produces the music. The chaunter is perforated with holes like a common flute, for the different notes. The other parts are three drones, also consisting of reeds and tubes, two of which are in unison with D, on the chatinter, or the first note of the German flute, and the third, or long drone, is an octave lower.
The bagpipe is an extremely defective and imper fect instrument in all its different kinds, of which there are four. First, The Irish or soft pipe, in which the chaunter takes a range of ten or twelve notes with tolerable precision, and which is always played with bellows : the reeds are softer, and the tubes longer, whence the Irish pipe is more suitable for performance in an apartment. An improvement has been attempted, by adapting three or four keys like flute keys on one of the drones,. by pressing one of these with the arm, a third or fifth to the note of the chaunter is produced, which forms an interme diate chord with the drone, and has a pleasing effect. The second kind of this instrument is the Scottish or Highland bagpipe, which is played either with the mouth or with bellows, like the Irish pipe ; and excepting that, as far as we know, keys have never been adapted to it, is almost the sane in every re - spect. The principal difference consists in the reeds being constructed to produce a louder sound, and the drones are shorter. Third, The small, or Nor
thumbrian bagpipe, which is the Scottish bagpipe in miniature. Properly speaking, the Scottish bagpipe has but eight or nine good notes : one or two more may be gained by what pipers technically call pinch ing, that is, half covering the thumb bole, which sometimes is attended with the most disagreeable tones. Nothing is so well adapted for the bagpipe as tunes consisting of few notes, and all set on the same key ; for its compass is really very limited, and by means of that extent of which most performers endeavour to persuade themselves. From the limited compass of the instrument, and its imperfections, we 'find but little music written for it ; to which may be added another reason, those in general who can play cannot write. The favourite and peculiar mu sic is the Highland Pibrach, which we confess has always appeared to us utterly unintelligible. It is .supposed to be a battle piece, a march, a lamentation, or the like ; and sometimes occupies a complete half hour or more in performance.
Of the progressive history and improvement of the bagpipe to its present state, we know very little. It is supposed that there are allusions to an instrument of similar construction in sacred writ ; and there is no doubt that it is the origin of the organ. Perhaps it first consisted of an inflated bag alone, with the pipe and reed ; and in such a form it seems to have been used by the Greeks, and also at a later period by less civilized nations. By the .Romans it was called tibia utricularia, and, as certain authors have con ceived, chorus, or choraulus, and it was probably played in the same way as the modern Highlanders play it. .
Et cum mullffitri tonius cui tibia bract Tandem post epulas d pocula multicelorem Yentriculum sumpsit, buccasquc itylare rubentel Incipiens oculos aperit, ciliisque levatis Afultotiesque alto flatu e puimonibus hausto Utrem implet, cubit° vocem dot tibia press° Nana huc 727112C satiente.