I am just honoured with your obliging favour of 30th ultimo. It would make me truly happy to promote in any way your elegant undertakings. Any assistance I can afford you may freely command.
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With Mr. Burton’s publication, I am but slightly acquainted. I think, however, with you, that the Preface was contributed by the Bishop of Clonfurt. It was his Lordship who first mentioned the publication to me. He spoke with approbation of the Collection of Airs.
The compass of the Irish harp is certainly confined. It is a very imperfect instrument. The Welsh have improved considerably upon it. Their instrument is much superior to our’s. Our harp, however, answered perhaps sufficiently the purpose for which I believe it was usually employed—I mean as an accompaniment to the voice. On many occasions, I presume, the bard did little more than sweep his hand over the strings of his harp while he recited the “Tale of other Times.”
I am rejoiced to find that Carolan’s harp is preserved.
You are now in a part of the island where many of the
Finian tales are familiarly known. You will, of course, collect some of them,
and, perhaps, interweave them with the work on which you are at present
employed. If you could obtain faithful descriptions of some of the scenes of
those tales, you would heighten the interest of your romance by occasionally
introducing them. On the summit of Slieve Guillen, lies the scene of The Chase, which has been so
admirably translated by Miss Brooke. As
it does not appear from your letter, that you are acquainted with her Reliques, permit me to recommend that inestimable work to your
particular attention. Benham, the printer, in Great George’s Street,
South, is in possession
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With the plan of your work I am unacquainted. Perhaps you have taken for a model, the prose romance of the Irish, which was, I believe, generally interspersed with poetical pieces, like the Spanish romance (see Percy’s Reliques for an account of the History of the Civil Wars of Granada) or, to refer to a modern production, The Mysteries of Udolpho.
If I might presume to offer any advice in regard to style, I would beg leave to recommend the familiar in the narrative parts. In the impassioned parts, it might rise sometimes to the lofty. In real life, the language of the passions is various and always appropriate. This, the writer of fictitious history should always keep in mind. The language of simple narration, where the passions are unconcerned, should be easy, elegant, and familiar. Such, I am sure, madam, is the language you will employ. And I am equally certain, that in the impassioned parts of your work, you will employ the words that burn, or melt, as the occasion may require. But I am, I fear, taking an unwarrantable liberty with you. My motive must be my apology.
I am happy to find that you still enjoy the protection of your father. He must be a comfort to you, while you are a blessing to him. Be so good as to remember me to him with great kindness; and believe me,
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If Dr. Gamble, of your town, should have a small packet for me, might I beg of you to take charge of it.
I hope you will be able to draw from the Bard of the Maygelligans, a complete history of his life. It would make a very interesting memoir. He is, perhaps, able to supply many anecdotes of the Bards of the North during the last century.
