Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Illustrated book of Scottish songs from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century

4 INTEODUCTION.
themselves tlie little that is good in Celtic music and song, in
order that with it they may swell the triumphs of a land that,
not being geographically English, is considered to be Scotch.
The English public, believing what it has been told, that Eng-
land has not, and never had any music, join their loud voices
to the chorus of acclamation, and make no attempt to claim
any portion of the merit which belongs to the Scotch, not be-
cause they are Celts, but because, like the English, they are
Saxon and Scandinavian.
It was recently remarked by a musical professor, who formed
one of the numerous audience at a lecture on the writings and
genius of Chaucer, that the allusions to music and singing in
that writer were frequent; and that all, or nearly all of his
characters were represented as being able to sing or play. This
fact also seems to have struck other persons. In the valuable
and interesting introduction to a collection of national English
airs, consisting of ancient song, ballad, and dance tunes, edited
by Mr. W. Chappell, F.S.A., and published in 1840, we find
the following passage:
" It were useless to quote all the niimerous and respectful
allusions made to the music of his time by Chaucer, ' the most
illustrious ornament of the reign of Edward III. , and of his
successor Eichard II.,' or by his friend and contemporary John
Gower; a reference to their works passim will satisfactorily
prove how highly the love of song was held in this country at
the time. A few, however, of the more interesting ones wiU
probably prove acceptable to the reader. In Chaucer's de-
scrijDtion of the Squire, he tells us not only that
' Singing lie was or floy ting (fluting) all the day,'
But
' He coudfe song&s make, and wel endite,
Juste and eke dance, and wel pourtraie and write.'