The following song on the harp of our country has been sent to us
by our friend Samuel Lover, the painter, poet, musician, dramatist,
story-writer, and novelist of Ireland, for it is his pride to be in every
thing Irish; and for this, no less than for his manly independence of
character and sterling qualities of heart, we honour him. It cannot be
said of him as of some of our countrymen at the other side of the water,
that he is ashamed of us; and we are not, and we feel assured never shall
be, ashamed of him.
We may remark that these verses owe their origin to an examination of
Bunting’s delightful “Ancient Music of Ireland”--a work of which we
have already expressed our opinion in our first number--and are adapted
to be sung to the first melody in that collection, “Sit down under my
protection.” We may also add, that it is the intention of the poet, when
he prints the music and words together, to dedicate them to Mr Bunting,
as a memorial of his gratitude for the services rendered to Ireland in
the preservation of her national music--services which, as the author
says, “will make his name be remembered amongst our bards.”