HISTORY OF THE BAGPIPES AND THE KILT

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21376, 19 January 1935, Page 11

HISTORY OF THE BAGPIPES AND THE KILT

TO THE XDITOB Or THB PRB33. ! Sir, —Our esteemed friend Mr C. ; Loring has favoured your readers with a short account of bagpipe history. The bagpipes are one of the most primitive musical instruments, and seem indigenous to ma2iy lands. The wandering Scot, evidently, was to it most partial, as he was to the kilt. From (he shores of the Caspian, the Black Sea, Rumania, South Germany, etc.. and the Mediterranean, Carthage, and Spain, this wandering people found a home in our most western European isle, and so the pipes are looked upon to-day as practically belonging to Scotland. Mr Loring doubtless imagines the Picts as barbarous, but at this period they could not be mistaken for Scots. It was the Scots' good fortune to conquer and civilise those barbarians, and finally absorb them. The Scots have a very natural way in such matters. Their peaceful invasion and commercial conquering of their southern neighbour is a point in fact even to-day. The Scots' national dress, the kilt, is mentioned as far back as the days of the shepherd kings of Egypt, and Scotsmen tell us 1 hat: When limn twi.h young, and Adum strung, his leafy garb together, Thorn first wan planned the outlines grand, of bonnet, kilt, and fetlirr; Kor lordly hulls or courtly balls, where alt that/d gland forgather, There's nothing Been, to match tho sheen, of bonnet, kilt, and tether. Culture and civilisation have in each case assisted in the present-day style of both, and on the battlefield the war pipe excels all else in martial music. Anyone familiar with the auld Scottish mountains and glens must admit that it is indeed suited to the country— Yours, etc., DRONE. January 18, 1935.