Search just our sites by using our customised search engine

Unique Cottages | Electric Scotland's Classified Directory

Click here to get a Printer Friendly PageSmiley

A History of the Highlands and the Highland Clans
With an extensive selection from the Hitherto inedited Start Papers by James Browne, LL.D., advocate, a new edition wit Numerous Illustrative engravings in 4 volumes (1850)


The Stuart Papers in the possession of the Crown, to which his late Majesty was graciously pleased to allow access for the use of the present Work, and which reach as far back as the Revolution of 1688, consist of a large mass of important documents illustrative of the efforts of James the Second, and of his son and grandson, to recover the crown which the first had lost by his own obstinacy, or the treachery of his advisers; but as the events of the Rebellion of 1745 formed the only subject of inquiry, the commencement of the investigation was limited to the year 1740, and was carried down to the close of the year 1755, in which period the principal events preceding the Rebellion, those of the Rebellion itself, and the occurrences which followed, are embraced. It is believed that the documents examined, amounting to about 15,000 unedited pieces, convey all the information required to complete the history of one of the most remarkable epochs in the British annals. Copious selections have been made from these papers for the present Work, and many entire documents have been copied, all of which have been either partly incorporated with the Work itself, or given in an Appendix. From the information which these Papers afford, the Publishers have no hesitation in stating, that this Work contains the most complete and authentic history yet published of the events of 1745. To give some idea of the historical importance of these documents, which, for the first time, meet the public eye, or are referred to in the present Work, the following general enumeration may suffice:—

1. Eighty-one letters and memorandums written by Charles Edward.

2. Seventy letters of his father, the Chevalier de St. George.

3. Two of Cardinal York.

4. Six of Lochiel.

5. Eleven of old and young Glengary.

6. Three of Lochgary.

7. Eight of Lord Marischal.

8. Three of Robertson of Strovvan.

9. Eight of Drummond of Bochaldy.

10. Six of Lord George Murray.

11. Two of Lord John Drummond.

12. Three of Lord Strathallan.

13. Three of Dr. Cameron, Lochiel’s brother.

14. Three of Mr. John Graham.

In the selection which has been made are also letters of Lord and Lady Balmerino; the Duchess of Perth; Lords Clancarty, Ogilvy, Nairne, and Elcho; Macdonald of Clanranald; Gordon of Glenbucket; Sir Hector Maclean; Sir John Wedderburn; Oliphant of Gask; and James Drummond, or Macgregor, the son of Rob Roy, &c. &c. The correspondence throws considerable light on several matters hitherto little understood or imperfectly known. The embezzlement of the money left by the Prince under the charge of Macpherson of Cluny is referred to, and the conduct of the persons who appear to have appropriated it to their own use is freely animadverted on. The correspondence likewise embraces two most interesting letters from the Chevalier to the Prince on the subject of his marriage, and on the promotion of Prince Henry to the dignity of Cardinal.

Besides the correspondence, the selection comprehends a report of Gordon the Jesuit, on the state of affairs in Scotland in 1745; A treaty entered into at Fountainebleau between the King of France and the Chevalier after the battle of Prestonpans; Instructions from the King of France to Lord John Drummond on the conduct of the expedition intrusted to him; Note from Lord George Murray to the Prince, resigning his command after the battle of Culloden, with his reasons for that step; Notice from the Prince to the Chiefs of the Clans after said battle; List of Charges drawn up by the Prince against Macdonald of Barisdale; State of allowances granted by the French Government to the Highland officers; Memoir presented by the Prince to the King of France on his return from Scotland; Commission by Charles to treat for a marriage with the Princess of Hesse Darmstadt; Charles’s accounts with Waters, his banker at Paris; Account of the Moidart family, presented to the Chevalier de St. George; A curious and interesting Memoir presented to the Prince in 1755 by a deputation of gentlemen, in relation to his conduct during the extraordinary incognito he preserved for several years, with the Prince’s answer; Address by the Chevalier de St. George to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge; Memorandum by the Prince, in which he refers to his visit to England in 1750, &c. &c.

This partial enumeration will serve to convey some idea of the extent of the researches which have been made into this great repository of materials for history, and also of the value of the acquisitions which have been made for the present Work; but it is only from the documents themselves, and the new light which they shed on one of the most interesting and memorable episodes in British history, that their real importance can be fully estimated.

PREFACE

In offering to the public the following History of the Highlands and Highland Clans, which has so long occupied my attention, I think it right to state, without reserve, that the Work makes no pretensions whatever to original discovery, or novel speculation. Nothing is more easy than to hazard conjectures, invent theories, construct plausible hypotheses, and indulge in shadowy generalizations. In the regions of doubt and obscurity, there is always ample scope for the exercise of that barren ingenuity, which prefers the fanciful to the certain, and aims at the praise of originality by exciting surprise rather than producing conviction. My object has throughout been of a humbler, though, as I conceive, of a much more useful kind. I have sought to embrace, in this Work, the different branches of the subject of which it treats, and to render it a repertory of general information respecting all that relates to the Highlands of Scotland rather than a collection of critical disquisitions on disputed questions of history or tradition. How far I have succeeded in this object, or whether I have succeeded at all, is another and very different question, as to which the public alone are entitled to decide; and I am fully aware that, from their decision, whatever it may be, there lies no appeal. In any event, however, I shall console myself with the reflection that I have done somewhat to facilitate the labours of those who may come after me, by collecting and arranging a body of materials, the importance of which will be best appreciated by those who are the most intimately conversant with the subject.

In reference to the History of the Clans, I have to acknowledge, and I do so with the greatest pleasure, my obligations to the work of the late Mr Donald Gregory, and more particularly to that of Mr W. F. Skene, in as far as it treats of the origin, descent, and affiliations of the different Highland tribes. Many of the opinions and views promulgated by the latter I have ventured to dispute, at the same time assigning the reasons which have led me to differ from him; but it must, nevertheless, be unequivocally admitted, that, without the benefit of his researches and those of his immediate predecessor, Mr Gregory, it would have been a task of no ordinary difficulty to compile even the faintest sketch of the History of the Highland Clans, far less to arrange it in any thing like a systematic form. The labour of half a lifetime would hardly have been sufficient to collect, examine, and digest the materials which still remain buried in the repositories of the principal families of the North ; and it is more than doubtful whether the result of such researches would have, in any degree, repaid the anxiety and toil which the prosecution of them would have imposed. Genealogies afford but meagre food for the historian, and current traditions or family legends fall more within the province of the romancer or the poet, than of him whose business it is to ascertain facts, and to endeavour to fix the natural sequence of events. Both the gentlemen I have named have, each in his own way, treated this subject in a truly inquisitive spirit; and neither, so far as 1 have observed, has permitted himself to supply the deficiency of information by drawing upon the resources of his own fancy or imagination.

I have further to state, that, throughout the whole of this Work, I have endeavoured to exercise that strict impartiality, which is incumbent upon every one who undertakes to write history. If I have any prejudices, I am unconscious of their existence. If I have done injustice to any one, it has been involuntarily and unintentionally. If the opinions I have expressed are erroneous, they have at least been honestly formed. That 1 have an affection for the subject, I freely admit; that I have, in any instance, sought to minister to the vanity of the Highlanders generally, or to that of individual tribes of the Highland people, I decidedly deny. Perhaps I shall be accused of having gone to the opposite extreme, and made admissions, on disputed points, which a larger share of patriotic prudence might have induced me to withhold. Be it so. Truth is of no country. There is enough in the Highland character to sustain its just and reasonable claims to distinction, without having recourse to the absurd exaggerations and embellishments in which too many have chosen to indulge.

Some apology is due to the public for the delay which has occurred in bringing out this Work, more especially as it has been entirely imputable to myself, and in no degree whatever owing to my excellent and indulgent publishers. Non omniapossumus omnes. Circumstances over which I had no control often interrupted my labours, when most anxious to pursue them, and forced me to turn my attention to other and far less attractive avocations. But now when the task is completed, I trust that any temporary feeling of chagrin or disappointment will be forgotten, and that no extrinsic consideration will be allowed to affect the judgment the public may be disposed to pronounce on the Work which is at length respectfully submitted to their decision.

J. B.

Volume 1  |  Volume 2  |  Volume 3  |  Volume 4


Return to our History Index Page


 


This comment system requires you to be logged in through either a Disqus account or an account you already have with Google, Twitter, Facebook or Yahoo. In the event you don't have an account with any of these companies then you can create an account with Disqus. All comments are moderated so they won't display until the moderator has approved your comment.

comments powered by Disqus

Quantcast