CAROLAN, TWALOGH, a celebrated poet and musi cal composer, justly stiled the Irish Handel, was born in the year 1670, in the village of Nabber, in the county of Westmeath, on the lands of Carolan's town, which for merly belonged to his ancestors. It is greatly to be re gretted, that so little is known of the early part of the life of this eccentric and surprising genius. His father was only a poor farmer. the proprietor of a few acres, which yielded him a scanty subsistence. The cabin in which our bard was born, is still pointed out to the in quiring traveller. It is now in a ruinous state, and must soon become a prey to all-devou•ing time ; yet the spot where it stood will perhaps be visited at a future day, by the lovers of national music and song, with as much true devotion, as the birth-place of Shakespeare, or the cot tage of Burns. The small-pox deprived him of his eye sight at so early a period, that he retained no recollec tion of colours ; yet, from this misfortune, he felt no un easiness, and was never heard to complain. " My eyes," he used to say, 44 are transplanted to my ears." It was early discovered, that young Carolan had a genius for music, and his friends determined to cultivate it by every means in their power. When about ton years of age, a proper person was engaged to instruct him in the prac tice of the harp ; but, though fond of that instrument, he never struck it with a master's hand. It has been justly remarked, that genius and diligence are seldom united ; and yet it is to practice alone, that we owe perfection in any art. His harp, however, was rarely unstrung ; but, in general, he used it only to assist him in composition; his lingers wandered through the strings in quest of me lody, while his mind was only intent on the musical ex pression of the then vibrating chord. At an early period, our bard became enamoured of a Miss Cruise, of Cruise Town, county of Longford : his harp now, like the lute of Anacreon, would sound only to love. Ills passion for this lady almost exceeds belief; yet she never gave him her hand, though it cannot be doubted, that he held at one time the first place in her breast. The song which bears her name is his master-piece; it came warm from his heart, while his genius was in full vigour, and inspir ed by her whom his soul adored. A very extraordinary instance of the effect of Carolan's passion for this lady is related by one of his biographers: lie went once on a pilgrimage to St Patrick's Purgatory, a cave in the island of Lough Dearg, county or Donegal!. On his re
turn to the shore, he met several pilgrims waiting the arrival of the boat that conveyed him. In assisting some of these to get on board, he chanced to take a lady's hand, and instantly exclaimed—" By the head of my gos sip, this is the hand of Bridget Cruise !" His sense of feeling had not deceived him ; it was the hand of her whom he had once adored. This anecdote is certainly curious, and cannot fail to convey a strong impression of the emotions which he felt, on meeting the object of his early affections. CaroIan had been at this time many years married, and was in the middle of his earthly ca reer. Our hard having at length discovered, that it would be impossible for him to gain the consent of Miss Cruise, made application elsewhere ; and after a long and tedious courtship, obtained the hand of Mary Mg;tiire, a young lady of good family, in the county of Fermanag-li ; and shortly after fixed his residence on a small farm near Mosshill, in the county of Leitrim. Here he built a neat cottage, where he lived for a while com fortably, and gave every friend that called a kind and hearty welcome. His ardent hospitality, however, soon consumed the produce of his little farm ; he ate, drank, and was merry, and imprudently left to-morrow to pro vide for itself. This mode of life soon occasioned em barrassments in his domestic affairs ; hut, like too many others on whom nature has bestowed strong powers of mind, he forgot to reflect in due time, that nothing can supply the want of prudence ; and that negligence and irregularity long continued, will render even genius it self contemptible. Carolan, finding he could not sup port his family in this way, resolved to become an itiner ant harper and bard, (see BAnn,) in which character he continued during the remainder of his life ; travelling through the country, mounted on a good horse, attended by a domestic on another, who carried his harp. Where ever he went, the gates of the nobility and gentry were thrown open to him ; he was received with respect, and a distinguished place assigned him at table. At the house of the late Colonel Archdall he always met the most nattering attention; and he never mentioned this gentleman, hut with the most profound respect.