to France.-Kings and subjects may both take a lesson of moderation from the melancholy fate of the House of Stuart; that Kings may not suffer degradation and exile, and subjects may not be harrassed by the evils of a disputed succession.

Let me close the scene on that unfortunate House with the elegant and pathetick reflections of Voltaire, in his Histoire Generale.-"Que les hommes privés (says "that brilliant writer, speaking of Prince Charles) qui "se croyent malheureux jettent les yeux sur ce prince et 66 ses ancêtres."

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In another place he thus sums up the sad story of the family in general :-" Il n'y a aucun exemple dans l'his"toire d'une maison si longtems infortunée. Le pre"mier des Rois d'Ecosse, qui eut le nom de Jacques, 66 apres avoir êtê dix-huit ans prisonnier en Angleterre, "mourut assassiné, avec sa femme, par la main de ses sujets. Jacques II. son fils, fut tué à vingt-neuf ans "en combattant contre les Anglois. Jacques III. mis un prison par son peuple, fut tué ensuite par les revoltés, dane une battaille. Jacques IV. perit dans un "combat qui'l perdit. Marie Stuart, sa petite fille, chassee, de son trone, fugitivê en Angleterre, ayant langui dix-huit ans en prison, se vit condamnée à "mort par des juges Anglais, et eut la téte tranchée. "Charles I. petit fils de Marie, Roi d'Ecosse et d'An'gleterre, vendu par les Ecossois, et jugé à mort par "les Anglais, mourut sur un échaffaut dans la place 'publique. Jacques, son fils, septiéme du nom, et "deuxieme en Angleterre, fut chassé de ses trois roy<< aumes; et pour comble de malheur on contesta à son "fils sa naissance; le fils ne tenta de remonter sur le "trone de ces peres, que pour faire périr ses amis par "des bourreaux; et nous avons vu le Prince Charles

"Edouard, reunuissant en vain les vertus de ses peres, et "le courage du Roi Jean Sobieski, son ayeul maternel, "executer les exploits et essuyer les malheurs les plus "incroyables. Si quelque chose justifie ceux qui croy

ent une fatalité à laquelle rien ne peut se soustraire, "c'est cette suite continuelle de malheurs qui a perse"cuté la maison de Stuart, pendant plus de trois-cent "années."

The gallant Malcolm was apprehended in about ten days after they separated, put aboard a ship, and carried prisoner to London. He said, the prisoners in general were very ill treated in their passage; but there were soldiers on board who lived well, and sometimes invited him to share with them that he had the good fortune not to be thrown into jail, but was confined in the house of a messenger, of the name of Dick. To his astonishment, only one witness could be found against him, though he had been so openly engaged; and therefore, for want of sufficient evidence, he was set at liberty. He added, that he thought himself in such danger, that he would gladly have compounded for banishment. Yet, he said, "he should never be so ready for death as he then was."-There is philosophical truth in this. A man will meet death much more firmly at one time than another. The enthusiasm even of a mistaken principle warms the mind, and sets it above the fear of death; which in our cooler moments, if we really think of it, cannot but be terrible, or at least very awful.,

Miss Flora Macdonald being then also in London, under the protection of Lady Primrose, that lady provided a post-chaise to convey her to Scotland, and desired she might choose any friend she pleased to accompany her. She chose Malcolm. "So (said he, with a tri

umphant air) I went to London to be hanged, and returned in a post-chaise with Miss Flora Macdonald."

Mr. Macleod of Muiravenside, whom we saw at Rasay assured us that Prince Charles was in London in 1759, and that there was then a plan in agitation for restoring his family. Dr. Johnson could scarcely credit this story, and said, "There could be no probable plan at that time. Such an attempt could not have succeeded, unless the King of Prussia had stopped the army in Germany; for both the army and the fleet would, even without orders, have fought for the King, to whom they had engaged themselves."

Having related so many particulars concerning the grandson of the unfortunate King James the Second; having given due praise to fidelity and generous attachment, which, however erroneous the judgment may be, are honourable for the heart; I must do the Highlanders the justice to attest, that I found every where amongst them a high opinion of the virtues of the King now upon the throne, and an honest disposition to be faithful subjects to his majesty, whose family has possessed the sovereignty of this country so long, that a change, even for the abdicated family, would now hurt the best feelings of all his subjects.

The abstract point of right would involve us in a discussion of remote and perplexed questions; and after all, we should have no clear principle of decision. That establishment, which, from political necessity, took place in 1688, by a breach in the succession of our kings, and which, whatever benefits may have accrued from it, certainly gave a shock to our monarchy,-the able and constitutional Blackstone, wisely rests on the solid footing of authority.-"Our ancestors having most indisputably a competent jurisdiction to decide this great

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and important question, and having, in fact, decided it, it is now become our duty, at this distance of time, to acquiesce in their determination."*

Mr. Paley, the present Archdeacon of Carlisle, in his Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, having with much clearness of argument, shewn the duty of submission to civil government to be founded neither on an indefeasible jus divinum, nor on compact, but on expediency, lays down this rational position :-" Irregularity in the first foundation of a state, or subsequent violence, fraud, or injustice, in getting possession of the supreme power, are not sufficient reasons for resistance, after the government is once peaceably settled. No subject of the British empire conceives himself engaged to vindicate the justice of the Norman claim or conquest, or apprehends that his duty in any manner depends upon that controversy. So likewise, if the house of Lancaster, or even the posterity of Cromwell, had been at this day seated upon the throne of England, we should have been as little concerned to inquire how the founder of the family came there."+

COMMENTARIES on the Laws of England, Book I. chap. 3.

† B. VI. chap. 3. Since I have quoted Mr. Archdeacon Paley upon one subject, I cannot but transcribe, from his excellent work, a distinguished passage in support of the Christian Revelation After shewing, in decent but strong terms, the unfairness of the indirect attempts of modern infidels to unsettle and perplex religious principles, and particularly the irony, banter, and sneer, of one whom he politely calls "an eloquent historian," the archdeacon thus expresses himself:

"Seriousness is not constraint of thought; nor levity, freedom. Every mind which wishes the advancement of truth and knowledge, in the most important of all human researches, must abhor this licentiousness, as violating no less the laws of reasoning than the rights of decency. There is but one description of men to whose principles it ought to be tolerable. I mean that class of reasoners who can see little in christianity, even supposing it to be true. To such adversaries we address this reflection.-Had Jesus Christ delivered no other declaration than the following, The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth,-they that have done well unto

In conformity with this doctrine, I myself, though fully persuaded that the House of Stuart had originally no right to the crown of Scotland; for that Baliol, and not Bruce, was the lawful heir; should yet have thought it very culpable to have rebelled, on that account, against Charles the First, or even a prince of that house much nearer the time, in order to assert the claim of the posterity of Baliol.

However convinced I am of the justice of that principle, which holds allegiance and protection to be reciprocal, I do however acknowledge, that I am not satisfied with the cold sentiment which would confine the exertions of the subject within the strict line of duty. I would have every breast animated with the fervour of loyalty; with that generous attachment which delights in doing somewhat more than is required, and makes "service perfect freedom." And, therefore, as our most gracious Sovereign, on his accession to the throne, gloried in being born a Briton; so, in my more private sphere, Ego me nunc denique natum, gratulor. I am happy that a disputed succession no longer distracts our minds; and that a monarchy, established by law, is now so sanctioned by time, that we can fully indulge those

the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of dam. nation,' he had pronounced a message of inestimable importance, and well worthy of that splendid apparatus of prophecy and miracles with which his mission was introduced and attested :- -a message in which the wisest of mankind would rejoice to find an answer to their doubts, and rest to their inquiries. It is idle to say that a future state had been discovered already.-It had been discovered as the Copernican System was;—it was one guess amongst many. He alone discovers who proves; and no man can prove this point but the teacher who testifies by miracles that his doctrine comes from God."-Book V. chap. 9

If infidelity be disengenuously dispersed in every shape that is likely to allure, surprise, or beguile the imagination,—in a fable, a tale, a novel, a poem,-in books of travels, of philosophy, of natural history,—as Mr. Paley has well observed,— I hope it is fair in me thus to meet such poison with an unexpected antidote, which I cannot doubt will be found powerful.