them to his music? Evidently the musical modulation X (the tune) was an accomplished fact in this case, originating elsewhere, before the composition of the poem began. 1 In Australia many of the natives cannot even give an interpretation of the songs of their own districts-not to say of others—and most of the explanations they give are very imperfect, as "the measures or quantities of the syllables appear to be more attended to than the sense ".1 If negroes sing they keep strict time and do not allow themselves to be hindered by any obstacle in the use of words. The most obstinate Scripture texts and well-known passages in hymns must be adapted to any melody.2 Now, even in Bach's, Handel's, Haydn's, and Mozart's time the Bible text had to undergo similar treatment. As a rule savages do not understand how to invent and to compose a long connected story or a complete poem; they simply take up any current event, put it into two or three strophes and repeat this several times. Mr. Lumholtz relates this of the natives on Herbert River in Australia,3 and it is elucidated by many examples of Grey's. Europeans, and their whole behaviour and appearance, are frequently the subject of these songs. They are usually performed in the form of question and answer, the chorus being a mere repetition of one or two words.5 Music in Samoa was a monotonous chant of a line or two repeated over and over again, with no variety beyond two or three notes. "They sought varięty rather in time. The singers began slow and gradually increased until, at the end of ten or twenty minutes, they were full of excitement, the perspiration streaming down, and their tongues galloping over the rhyme at breathless speed." " Speaking of the Ainu, Mr. Siebold says he heard them 1 1 Eyre, l. c., ii. p. 229; Catlin, i. p. 216; Dieffenbach, l. c., 2 Allen, War, etc., l. c., p. iv. 4 Grey, Austr., p. 310. 6 Turner, Samoa, p. 125; Poly., p. 211. ii. p. 57. 3 Lumholtz, l. c., pp. 156, 238. 5 Eyre, l. c., ii. pp. 239-240. singing in a hoarse voice while they were paddling, or at night on horseback. Their songs were of a plaintive character, very short, and repeated several times.1 Mr. Lesseps tells us of a Kamchadales song whose words were: “Daria (a Russian female name) sings and dances still". The eight bars of which it consisted were repeated almost without ceasing.2 Mr. Burckhart heard a national song of the Arabian women whose first line was repeated five or six times by the leading chorus and then echoed by the other parties. In the same manner the second line was sung; but the third, which always contained the name of some distinguished warrior, was repeated as often as fifty times. The ladies, however, pronounced that name in such a manner as to render it difficult for the men, who listened, to know who was the happy mortal.3 The most of the Kafirs' songs consist of only a few words which they repeat over and over again, with such musical variation as their national task or individual fancy may dictate.* The songs in Kamerun are but a constant repetition of the same sentence, provided they have an actual text with some meaning in it.5 Mr. Poole heard on Queen Charlotte Islands (the northern of the two groups in the Pacific Ocean) two favourite songs, of which the first-kept within the compass of five tones-was repeated four times and ended in a chorus; the second was a mere repetition of the tone "B," while the words of both had no meaning.6 If we ask for the reasons of these constant repetitions. in primitive poetry and music, we shall have to answer that primitive man lacks the power of elaborating the outcome of his fancy to a complete work of art. The circle of ideas he has is too limited in comparison with 1 Siebold, l. c., p. 48. 2 Lesseps, l. c., i. p. 104. a river. 3 Burckhart, l. c., p. 47. 5 Buchner, Kamer., p. 29. Daria is also the usual Central Asian term for Grout, l. c., p. 193, with examples. 6 F. Poole, l. c., p. 322. the abundance of feelings. The child is in precisely the same position; as soon as it produces a rhyme on the spur of the moment, it begins to repeat it several times; by this it works itself up to the necessary mood or disposition of mind which its limited intelligence cannot supply with sufficient variety of ideas. After all, every lyric poet gives us one idea only, but always repeating it in other words and new combinations. Still, even savages attain the higher forms of poetry at times, and this quite apart from dramatic representations, which are to them, from the very beginning, the natural example of a complete work of art. Thus some songs of the Australians have texts of a comparatively advanced kind, and although monotonous repetitions are not at all avoided, there is still a definite idea clearly expressed.1 Topinard says of these songs: "Les paroles en roulent sur des sentiments doux, plus souvent sur des idées de vengeance et de représailles, et se transmettent de père en fils et de tribus en tribus verbalement ".2 Many of the original Maori songs, too, contain very beautiful ideas; the metre is difficult to describe, there being no regular measure of verse; the chief object is to make the lines suit their tunes. They have songs on every subject, love, war, as well as incantations, laments, traditions,3 nursery and boat songs. Night is the favourite time for the Maori orator to make speeches; he waits until all is still in the "pa," and then stepping forth from his house and marching in front of it sings in a loud, shrill tone some old song which bears on the subject he is going to speak upon. His speeches are generally answered by another, and thus the discussion is kept up during the best part of the night.5 Among the Hottentots the mother praises her child in 4 1 The best collection of Australian songs (words) by Grey, Austr., p. 310 seq. 2 Topinard, L'Austr., p. 72. 3 R. Taylor, l. c., p. 306. a song, touching and kissing all the parts she is going to sing about.1 Bushmen, Hottentots, and Waganda have animal fables that betray no little talent for close observation.2 Mr. Gardiner mentions some hunting- and war-songs of the Kafirs. Every song, he says, has a different air; a few are humorous and colloquial, the women being asked questions to which they respond. Others are danced by the men and directed by the king himself, while the women in the centre raise their voices to the highest pitch. At the end of a song the king's heralds run along the lines always shouting 0, 0, 0, to indicate its conclusion.3 So simple, not to say vulgar, are the words to the songs of many tribes that one might doubt how from so primitive a beginning our highest poetical ideals could have arisen. And yet they did so arise, although even so natural a subject as love seems to indicate a higher state of progress in poetry. At all events we have not found sufficient examples for Mr. Engel's assertion that love-songs should be found all over the world is only what might be expected". For, contrary to all expectations, we find some tribes which do not know this kind of poetry; those on the Lower Congo have it, but they sing equally frequently on war, hunting, and palm-wine.5 The songs of the Hassanyeh tribes on the White Nile are sung in praise of a favourite member of the tribe, or they are narrations of a love adventure, or they praise one of the present European visitors. The Haussa have songs with beautiful texts, recited "extempore" by a singer, the burden being sung by the chorus. When the Joruba of the Sudan are beaten in battle by the Haussa, they at once make a poem in which they sing of their own power, the dread of the enemy, and their victory, while in reality 66 1 Hahn, l. c., p. 2; Ploss, Das Kind, ii. p. 76. 2 Ratzel, l. C., i. p. 466. 4 Engel, Nat. Mus., p. 304. 6 Petherick, l. c., p. 139. 3 A. Gardiner, l. c., p. 59. 5 Tuckey, l. c., p. 373. 7 Lander, Rec. Clapp., i. p. 296. the Haussa were the victors.1 The Badagrians sing during the human sacrifices. The victim is given a bottle of rum, and while he drinks it he is slain from behind. Then his heart is cut out of the body, and while still warm and bleeding is presented to the king, who, as well as his chief wives, bite into it. Then it is carried about in the village and the following song sung by the people : As we gaze upon the slain Courage mounts in every vein : The songs of the Murzuk (Sahara), played by women on the erbab, or by young Arabs, are all pretty and of plaintive character; the language of the Sudanese, on the whole, sounds very musical, while the words are long connected stories.3 Among the Sioux Indians of North America lullabies are in use. On Nukahiva Mr. Langsdorf heard a typical representation of a warlike scene. One of the people saw at night a fire upon an enemy's island and asked, Where is the fire? The others answered, Upon Tanata. This excited the idea of battle and revenge on one hand, and of pity and melancholy on the other, ending with the thought of the time they would be able to feed on human flesh.5 On Samoa, too, some songs have the form of question and answer sung by two parties; and thus they go on singing as they walk along the road, or paddle the canoe, or do any other piece of work. These songs often contain sarcastic remarks, and in passing the house or village of parties with whom they are displeased they strike up a chant embodying some offensive ideas. "Their bitter, 1 Lander, Rec. Clapp., i. pp. 289-290. 2 Ibid., ii. pp. 260-263. 3 Lyon, l. c., p. 173. 4 Greenwood, l. c., p. 17; Ploss, Das Kind, ii. p. 76. 5 Langsdorf, l. c., i. p. 164 seq. |