harp awakens of itself To cry aloud to the grey birds; and dreams, That have had dreams for fathers, live in us.
-- _The Shadowy Waters._ THE MAN CHAPTER I RECORDS AND EVENTS Edward MacDowell, the first Celtic voice that has spoken commandingly out of musical art, achieved that priority through natural if not inevitable processes.

Both his grandfather and grandmother on his father's side were born in Ireland, of Irish-Scotch parents.

To his paternal great-grandfather, Alexander MacDowell, the composer traced the Scottish element in his blood; his paternal great-grandmother, whose maiden name was Ann McMurran, was born near Belfast, Ireland.
Their son, Alexander, born in Belfast, came to America early in the last century and settled in New York, where he married a countrywoman, Sarah Thompson, whom he met after his arrival in the New World.

A son, Thomas (Edward's father), was born to them in New York--where, until his retirement some time ago, he was engaged in business for many years.

He married in 1856 Frances M.Knapp, a young American woman of English antecedents.