acted the fervant very well, fitting at a respectful diftance, with his bonnet off. Malcolm then faid to him, "Mir Caw, you have as much need of this as I have; there is enough for us both you had better draw nearer and fhare with me."-Upon which he rofe, made a profound bow, fat down at table with his fuppofed mafter, and eat very heartily. After this there came in an old woman, who, after the mode of ancient hofpitality, brought warm water, and

wafhed Malcolm's feet. He defired her to wash the feet of the poor man who attended him. She at firft feemed averse to this, from pride, as thinking him beneath her, and in the periphraftic language of the Highlanders and the Irish, faid warmly, Though I wash your father's fon's feet, why fhould I wafh his father's fon's feet?". She was, however, per fuaded to do it.

They then went to bed, and flept for fome time; and when Malcolm awaked, he was told that Mr John McKinnon his brother-in-law was in fight. He fprang out to talk to him before he fhould fee Prince Charles. After faluting him, Malcolm, pointing to the fea, faid, "What, John, if the Prince fhould be prifoner on board one of thofe tenders?"—God forbid !" replied John.

"What if we had him here?" faid Malcolm." I wish we had," an fwered John; "we should take care of him."" Well, John," faid Malcolm-" he is in your house.”— John, in a tranfport of joy, wanted to run directly in, and pay his obeifance; but Malcolm flopped him, faying, "Now is your time to be have well, and do nothing that can difcover him."-John compofed himfelf; and having fent away all his fervants upon different errands, he was introduced into the prefence of his gueft, and was then defired to go and get ready a boat lying near his

houfe, which, though but a fmall leaky one, they refolved to take, rather than go to the Laird of M'Kinnon. John McKinnon, however, thought otherwife; and upon his return told them, that his Chief and Lady McKinnon were coming in the laird's boat. Prince Charles faid to his trufty Malcolm, "I am forry for this, but must make the best of it." -M'Kinnon then walked up from the fhore, and did homage to the Wanderer. His lady waited in a cave, to which they all repaired, and were entertained with cold meat and wine. Mr Malcom M'Leod being now fuperfeded by the Laird of McKinnon, defired leave to return, which was granted him; and Prince Charles wrote a fhort note, which he fubfcribed James Thomson, informing his friends that he had got away from Sky, and thanking them for their kindness and he defired this might be fpeedily conveyed to young Rafay and Dr M'Leod, that they might not wait longer in expectation of feeing him again. He bid a cordial adieu to Malcolm, and infifted on his accepting of a filver ftockbuckle, and ten guineas from his purfe; though, as Malcolm told me, it did not appear to contain above forty. Malcolm at first begged to be excufed; faying, that he had a few guineas at his fervice: but Prince Charles anfwered, "You will have need of money. I fhall get enough when I come upon the main land.".

The Laird of M'Kinnon then conveyed him to the oppofite coaft of Knoidart. Old Rafay, to whom intelligence had been fent, was croffing at the fame time to Sky; but as they did not know of each other, and each had apprehenfions, the two boats kept aloof.

was often in imminent danger. The troops traced him from the Long Ifland, acrofs Sky, to Portree; but there loft him.

Here I stop,—having received no farther authentic information of his fatigues and perils before he escaped

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to France.-Kings and fubjects may both take a leffon of moderation from the melancholy fate of the Houfe of Stuart; that Kings may not fuffer degradation and exile, and fubjects may not be harraffed by the evils of a difputed fucceffion.

ERIC, by the grace of God King of Sweden, of the Goths, and the Vandals,

To the most Illuftrious and very powerful Lady ELIZABETH Queen of England, France, and Ireland, our well-beloved Coufin; health, profperity, and every kind of happiness.

MOST

OST ferene, moft illuftrious, and very powerful Queen! I was extremely diftreft, when I recei ved, about a year ago, by my envoy Benedict Trite, your Highnefs's letters, which feem to deprive me of all hopes of fharing your friendship and good will. In them your Highnefs has rejected, not only every propofal refpecting the affair of our marriage, but also others tending to eftablish a correfpondence that would have been highly beneficial to both parties.

I fufpect that your Highnefs has been incenfed against me by certain reports that have been induftrioufly circulated that I had another marriage in view; and that in my letters to you, I did not exprefs myfelf with fincerity, or was not in earnest. But it would be eafy for you, Madam, to afcertain the falfity of these reports, if you have any defire to renew this negociation. The Scots themselves muft acknowledge, that there never was any foundation for the report concerning my marriage with their Queen; for I fought an alliance with

her not for myself, but for my brother.

What has been reported to your Highnefs concerning the daughter of the Landgrave, is equally void of truth. It arofe from the falfe jealoufy of Robert; and my wish has been to undeceive him: But may perdition overtake all those who have been fo bufy in fpreading fuch reports.

I have received, however, more favourable accounts of your Highnefs; and I cannot fufficiently ad mire your conftancy and good wishes for my intereft. Little did I imagine that any woman in the world would have remained fo long unmarried, folely from love of me. I am now fatisfied that you will at lait comply with the earneft intreaties of your fubjects for your marriage, after having given fufficient proofs of your natural averfion to that holy facrament.

When I recollect how long I have continued in fufpence, and without an answer, I am forced to confess, to my fhame, that it in part has been owing to my own credulity, and I certainly have been much in the wrong, ever to imagine that your Highnefs could fo eafily diveft vourself of an affection for me, although my behaviour has been fuch as prevented me. from procuring any proofs of it.

But, as has been obferved. man becomes wifer from misfortune; and 1 fhall take care in future to guard a

gainst every thing that may tend to retard our alliance; and that it fhall not be my fault if it does not succeed to our warmest wishes.

I wait then an anfwer more tender than the laft; and fhall expect your Highness will now confent to this marriage fo earneftly folicited, and fo much defired; and that you will caufe the neceffary paffports to be immediately tranfmitted.

writing to your Hignefs; and I flatter myself, that, far from giving of fence, it will convince you of my fin cerity.

Recommending your Highness to the protection of the Almighty, and wishing you all peace and happiness, I remain always your Highness's most loving brother and coufin. ERIC.

THE

HE Plate I now fend you reprefents the ancient crofs at Mugdrum, as it now appears, fituated on the Tay near the village of Newburgh. The event it is meant to commemorate is buried in oblivion. There are many others of the fame kind in this part of the country: they are generally attributed to be the works of the Danes; but this is merely conjecture. Their frequent vifits to thefe fhores, and the many battles they had with the natives, might give reafon to think that pillars might be raised to commemorate the event of fome of their greateft conflicts: but I fhould imagine that thefe fculptured monuments are not labours of a wandering reftlefs nation like the Danes, who had no permanent abode, and whofe chief aim was to fecure the plunder they had acquired if fuccessful; if otherwife, they furely would not wait for the raising a ftructure fuch as the prefent; which every perfon knows, in a rude barbarousage, would take fome confiderable time to cut. It cannot be fuppofed they brought them in their veffels, ready prepared. Upon the whole, I

am of opinion, this, as well as fome others, are the produce of an earlier age. It confifts of four copartments, and may have been higher, as the top feems to be broken off. On the upper part there is a horse, with a figure of a man, much defaced. Be low is part of two horses; whether there were figures also on them, or if they were attached to a chariot, cannot now be ascertained, as the whole ftone is fo much defaced, as hardly to bear the resemblance of any thing. Of the third co-partment, there are only the faint forms of two men on horfeback, of a much smaller fize than the others. -The under end feems to reprefent the hunting of the boar: that animal is feen run ning with feveral hounds after it. No doubt there were many more fi gures in this pillar; but ftanding much expofed, the weather has worn the furface quite off. There have been fundry figures on the other fide; but fo totally defaced as even to defeat conjecture. The view given is taken from the east.

Oa, 11. 1785.

A. C.

The