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A STORY OF THE FORTY-SIX.

BY THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD.

[FROM THE EDINBURGH LITERARY JOURNAL, NO. 59.J

On the 17th of July, 1746, there was a tall raw-boned Highlander came into the house of Iuch-Croy, the property of Stewart Shaw, Esq., in which there was apparently no person at the time but Mrs. Shaw and her three daughters, for the Laird was in hiding, having joined the Mackintoshes, and lost two sons at Culloden. This Highlander told the lady of the house that his name was Sergeant Campbell, and that he had been commissioned to search the house for her husband, as well as for Cluny, LochGarry, and other proscribed rebels. Mrs. Shaw said, that she would rather the rudest of Cumberland's English officers had entered her house to search for the Prince's friends, than one of the Argyle Campbells-those unnatural ruffians, who had risen against their lawful Prince, to cut their brethren's throats.

The Highlander, without being in the least ruffled, requested her to be patient, and added, that at all events the ladies were safer from insult in a countryman's hands, than in the hands of an English soldier. The lady denied it, and in the haughtiest manner flung him the keys, saying, that she hoped some of hers would yet see the day when the rest of the clans would get their feet on the necks of the Campbells. He lifted the keys, and instantly commenced a regular and strict scrutiny; and just as he was in the act of turning out the whole contents of a wardrobe, the lady in the meanwhile, saying the most cutting things to him that she could invent, he stood straight up, looked her steadily in the face, and pointed to a bed, shaking his hand at the same time. Simple as that motion was, it struck the lady dumb. She grew as pale as death in a moment, and both she and her eldest daughter uttered loud shrieks at the same instant. At that moment there entered an English officer and five dragoons, who hasted to the apartment and, enquired what was the matter.

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O, Sir," said Mrs. Shaw, "here is a ruffian of a sergeant, who has been sent to search the house, and who, out of mere wantonness and despite, is breaking every thing, and turning the whole house topsy-turvy."

"Oho! is that all ?" said the cornet: "I thought he had been more laudably employed with your ladyship or some of the handsome young rebels there. Desist, you vagabond, and go about your business ;-if any of the proscribed rebels are in the house, I'll be accountable for them.” Nay, nay," said the Highlander, "I am first in commission, and I'll hold my privilege. The right of search is mine, and whoever are found in the house, I claim the reward. And moreover, in accordance with the orders issued at head quarters, I order you hence."

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"Show me your commission then, you Scotch dog; your search-warrant, if you so please?"

"Show me your authority for demanding it first."

"My designation is Cornet Letham of Cobham's dragoons, who is ready to answer every charge against him. Now, pray tell me, Sir, under whom you hold your commission ?"

"Under a better gentleman than you, or any who ever commanded you."

A better gentleman than me, or any who ever commanded me ?—The first expression is an insult not to be borne. The other is a high treason, and on this spot I seize you for a Scotch rebel, and a traitor knave." With that he seized the tall red-haired loon by the throat, who, grinning, heaved his long arm at him as threatening a blow, but the English officer only smiled contemptuously, knowing that no single man of that humiliated country durst lift his hand against him, especially backed as he was by five sturdy dragoons. He was mistaken in this instance, for the Highlander lent him such a blow as felled him in a moment, so that, with a heavy groan, he fell dead on the floor. Five horse-pistols were instantly pointed at the Highlander by the dragoons, but he took shelter behind the press, or wardrobe, and with his cocked pistol in one hand, and drawn broadsword, kept them at bay, for the entrance to the house was so narrow, that two could not enter at a time; aud certain death awaiting the first to enter, none of them chose to run the risk. At length two of them went out to shoot him in at a small window behind, which hampered him terribly, as he could not get far enough forward to guard his entry, without exposing himself to the fire of the two at the window. An expedient of the moment struck him; he held his bonnet by the corner of the wardrobe, as if peeping to take aim, when crack went two of the pistols at his bonnet, his antagonists having made sure of shooting him through the head. Without waiting farther, either to fire or receive theirs he broke at them with his drawn sword; and the fury with which he came smashing and swearing up the house on them appalled them so horribly, that they all three took to their heels, intending probably to fight him in the open fields. But a heavy dragoon of Cobham's was no match for a kilted clansman six feet high; before they reached the outer door, two of them were cut down, and the third, after a run of about thirty or forty yards. By this time, the two at the west window had betaken them to their horses, and were galloping off. The Highlander, springing on the officer's horse, galloped after them, determined that they should not escape, still waving his bloody sword, and calling on them to stop. But stop they would not; and a grander pursuit never was seen. Peter Grant and Alexander M'Eachen, both in hiding at the time, saw it from Craig-Neart, at a short distance, and described it as unequalled. There went the two dragoons, spurring on for bare life, the one always considerably before the other, and behind all, came the tall Highlander, riding rather awkwardly, with his bare thighs upon the saddle, his philabeg flying about his waist, and he thrashing the hind quarters of his horse with his bloody sword, for lack of spurs and whip. He did not appear to be coming up with them, but nevertheless cherishing hopes that he would, till his horse floundered with him in a bog, and threw him; he then reluctantly gave up the chase, and returned, leading his horse by the bridle, having got enough of riding for that day.

The two Highlanders, M'Eachen and Grant, then ran from the rock and saluted him, for this inveterate Highlander was no other then their own brave and admired Colonel John Roy Stewart. They accompanied him back to Inch-Croy, where they found the ladies in the greatest dismay, and the poor dragoons all dead. Mrs. Stewart Shaw and her daughters had taken shelter in an outhouse on the breaking out of the quarrel; and that which distressed her most of all was, the signal which the tremendous Highlander made to her; for beyond that bed, there was a concealed door to a small apartment, in which her husband, and Captain Finlayson, and Loch-Garry, were all concealed at the time, and she perceived that that door was no secret to Sergeant Campbell, as he called himself. When the pursuit commenced, the ladies hasted to apprise the inmates of their little prison of the peril that awaited them; but they refused to fly till matters were cleared up, for they said, that one who was mangling the red coats at such a rate, could scarcely be an enemy to them. We may conceive how delighted they were on finding that this hero was their brave and beloved Colonel Stewart. He knew that they were concealed in that house, and in that apartment; and perceiving, from the height where he kept watch, the party of dragoons come in at the strait of CorryBealach, he knew to what place they were bound, and hasted before them, either to divert the search, or assist his friend in repelling the aggressors. There was now no time to lose. Mr. Shaw, Captain Finlayson, Alexander M'Eachen and another gentleman, whose name I have lost, mounted as King George's dragoons, effected their escape to Glasgow through a hundred dangers, mostly arising from their own friends. In particular, the very first night of their flight, in one of the woods of Athol, at the dead of the night, they were surrounded by a party of the Clan-Donnach, and would have been sacrificed, had not Stewart Shaw called out, "Jolach! Cardeil Cearlach!" or some words to that effect, which awakened as great an overflow of kindness. Colonel Roy Stewart and Loch-Garry escaped on foot, and fled towards the wild banks of Loch-Erriched, where they remained in safety till they went abroad with Prince Charles.

It is amazing how well this incident was kept secret, as well as several others that tended to the disgrace of the royalists, owing to the control they exercised over the press of the country; but neither Duke William, nor one of his officers, ever knew who the tall red-haired Sergeant Campbell was, who overthrew their six dragoons. The ladies of Inch-Croy did not escape so well, for Cumberland, in requital for a disgrace in which they were nowise influential, sent out another party, who plundered the house and burnt it, taking the ladies into custody, and every thing else that was left on the lands of Inch-Croy and Bally-Beg-an instance of that mean and ungentlemanly revenge for which he was so notorious.

CHARACTERS OF THE ENGLISH, SCOTS, AND IRISH. "The proper study of mankind is man."-POPE.

[FROM BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE, NO. CLIX.]

ENGLISH CHARACTER.

The Saxons of England exist nearly pure on its eastern coasts, are extensively spread over the whole of its surface, and perhaps equal in number all the other races that enter into the composition of English population.

The Saxon Englishman (for brevity, I may use only the latter name) is distinguished from other races by a stature rather low, owing chiefly to the neck and limbs being short, by the trunk and vital system being large, and the complexion, irides, and hair light; and by the face being broad, the forehead large, and the upper and back part of the head round, and rather small.

In his walk, the Englishman rolls, as it were, on his centre. This is caused by the breadth of the trunk, and the comparative weakness of the limbs. The broader muscles, therefore, of the former, aid progression by a sort of rolling motion, throwing forward first one side and then another. So entirely does this depend on the breadth of the trunk, that even a temporary increase of it produces this effect. Men who become fat, and women who, having borne many children, have the heads of the thigh bones farther separated, always adopt this mode of progression.

The mental faculties of the Englishman are not absolutely of the highest order; but the absence of passion gives them relatively a great increase, and leaves a mental character equally remarkable for its simplicity and its practical worth.

The most striking of those points in the English character which may be called fundamental, are cool observation, unparalleled single-mindedness, and patient perseverance. This character is remarkably homogeneous.

The cool observation of the Englishman is the foundation of some other subordinate, but yet important, points in his character. One of the most remarkable of these, is that real curiosity, but absence of wonder, which makes the "nil admirari" a maxim of English society. It is greatly associated, also, with that reserve for which the English are not less remarkable.

The single-mindedness of the Englishman is the foundation of that sincerity and bluntness which are perhaps his chief characteristics; which fit him so well for the business of life, and on which his commercial character depends; which make him hate (if he can hate any thing) all crookedness of procedure, and which alarm him even at the insincerities and compliances of politeness,

The perseverance of the Englishman is the foundation of that habitude which guides so many of his own actions, and that custom in which he participates with all his neighbours. It is this which makes universal cant, as it has been profanely termed,* not reasoning, the basis of his morals, and precedent. not justice, the basis of his jurisprudence. But it is this also which, when his rights are outraged, produces that grumbling which, when distinctly heard, effectually protects them; and it is this which creates that public spirit to which, on great emergencies, he rises with all his fellow-countrymen, and in which he persists until its results astonish even the nations around him.

Now a little reflection will shew, that of the three fundamental qualities I have mentioned, the first seeming may easily be less amiable than the final result shall be useful. To a stranger of differently constructed mind, the cold observation, and, in particular, the slowness and reserve which must accompany it, may seem unsociable ; but they are inseparable from such a construction of mind, and they indicate, not pride, but that respect for his feelings which the possessor thinks them entitled to, and which he would not violate in others. The dignity, therefore, which in this case the Englishman feels, is not hauteur; and he is as rarely insolent to those who are below, as timid to those who are above him.

In regard to the absence of passion from the English mind, it is this which forbids one to be charmed with music, to laugh at comedy, to cry at tragedy, to shew any symptom of joy or sorrow in the accidents of real life; which has no accurate notion of grief or wretchedness, and cannot attach any sort of meaning to the word ectasy; and which for all these reasons, has a perfect perception of whatever is ridiculous. Hence it is, that, in his domestic, his social, and his public relations, it is perhaps less affection than duty that guides the conduct of an Englishman; and, if any one question the moral grandeur which this sentiment may attain, let him call to mind the example of it, which, just before the victory of Trafalgar, was given by Nelson in the simple and sublime communication to his fleet-". England expects every man to do his duty!" Which is the instance that equals this even in the forged records of Roman glory? Happily, too, the excess of hatred is as little known to the Englishman as excess of love; and revenge is abhorrent to his nature. Even in the pugilistic combat he shakes hands with his antagonist before he begins; he scorns to strike him when he is down; and, whether vanquished or victor, he leaves his antagonist neither cast down nor triumphant.

The extraordinary value of such a character is obvious enough. British liberty and British commerce are its results: neither the Scottish nor Irish mind would have attained them.

I have said, however, that the intellectual faculties of the Englishman are not absolutely of the highest order; and this is owing to his want of higher reasoning powers, as well as of passion. Happily, indeed, with

The word must not here be understood as implying hypocrisy, of which the Saxon temperament is very innocent.