“‘All these were from Connaught, which was,’ he added, ‘the best part of the kingdom for Irish music and for harpers.’ At eighteen years of age he began to play for himself, and was taken into the house of Counseller Canning, at Garvah, for half a year; his host, with Squire Gage and Doctor Bacon, bought him a harp. He travelled nine or ten years through Ireland and Scotland, and tells facetious stories of gentlemen in both countries: among others, that in passing near the place of Sir J. Campbell, at Aghanbrack, he learn- ed that this gentleman had spent a great deal, and was living on so much per week of allowance. Hampson through delicacy would not call, but some of the domestics were sent after him; on coming into the castle, Sir J. asked him why he had not called, adding, ‘Sir, there was never a harper but yourself that passed the door of my father’s house to which Hampson answered that ‘he had heard in the _nighbourhood_ that his honor was not often at home.’ with which delicate evasion Sir J. was satisfied. He adds, ‘that this was the highest bred and stateliest man he ever knew; if he were putting on a new pair of gloves, and one of them dropped on the floor, (though ever so clean) he would order the servant to bring him another pair.’ He says that in that time he never met with but one laird that had a harp, and that was a very small one, played on formerly by the laird’s father; that when he had tuned it with new strings, the laird and his lady both were so pleased with his music that they invited him back in these words: ‘Hampson, as soon as you think this child of ours (a boy of three years of age) is fit to learn on his grandfather’s harp, come back to teach him, and you shall not repent it:’--but this he never accomplished. “He told me a story of the laird of Strone with a great deal of comic relish. When he was playing at the house, a message came that a large party of gentlemen were coming to grouse, and would spend some days with _him_ (the laird;) the lady being in great distress turned to her husband, saying ‘what shall we do, my dear, for so many in the way of beds?’ ‘Give yourself no vexation,’ replied the laird, ‘give us enough to eat, and I will supply the rest; and as to beds, believe me, _every man shall find one for himself_;’ (meaning that his guests would fall under the table.) In his second trip to Scotland, in the year 1745, being at Edinburgh when _Charley_ the Pretender, was there, he was called into the great hall to play; at first he was alone, afterwards four fiddlers joined: the tune called for was, ‘The king shall enjoy his own again;’--he sung here part of the words following:-- ‘I hope to see the day When the whigs shall run away,