tion was but going on apace when the Earl's was finished; and the carrying it on, and completing it, fell to the fhare of Mr William Mefton, afterwards one of the regents of the Marifchal college of Aberdeen; a man well known for his wit and humour, particularly displayed in his Knight, and several other poems in the Hudibraftic ftyle.

Under his care, the Countess of Marifchal fent her younger fon to Edinburgh to study the law. Mr Mefton foon discovered the bent of his pupil's genius, and that he had more delight in the exercife of the broad fword, than in thumbing the corpus juris. This he thought it his duty to communicate to the Countefs; and modeftly hinted, in a letter to her, that Mr Keith's inclinations feemed to point more to the warlike than the ftudious life. In return the Countess thanked Mr Mefton for this intimation; and as it was never her intention to force her fon upon any bufinefs contrary to his wifh, the therefore defired that there might be a meeting between him and his best friends at Edinburgh, in order to have a declaration of his inclinations from his own mouth. At this meeting, Mr Keith, being afked how he liked the ftudy of the law, answered in the following words: "I have begun to ftudy the law in compliance with the defires of the Countess of Marifchal: it muft take up fome time before I finish my ftudies, and pass trials as a lawyer; and when I have put on the gown, I may attend a confiderable time at the bar, before I gain the worth of it. After spending twelve or fourteen years, and perhaps much more, at the bar, what is to be got? The higheft preferment is the place of a Lord of Seffion; poor 500l. a-year! But commend me, Gentlemen, to ftand before the mouth of a cannon for a few mi nutes: this either makes a man in an inftant, or he dies gloriously in the field of honour!" An early prefage of that run of martial glory after which he panted fo eagerly, and which, agreeable to his wifh, has hitherto attended the prowess and conduct of this great man.

Zealously attached to the interests of

the family of Stewart, the Earl and his brother cordially imbarked in their caufe. The Earl was attainted, and thereby forfeited his eftate and honours: and his brother, though there was no fentence of profcription against him, thought it prudent to attend the Earl's fortune, and entered into a voluntary exile.

However, though at a diftance from his native country, and without hopes of ever seeing it, and though employed in the most important stations, thefe did not fo far ingrofs his mind, but that he often caft a wishful regard to his natal fpot, and, by a frequent epiftolary intercourfe, maintained thofe connections of friendship which he had contracted in the earlier part of life, and which were all that in his native country he could call his own. In his letters an interesting benevolence shows the fincere friend, while an eafy and familiar condefcenfion, mixed with a becoming dignity, points out the truly great man, and a politenefs of expreffion displays the fine gentleman.

.t

Sometime in the year 1730, Mr Me fton wrote a letter of congratulation to his pupil upon his promotion in the Ruf fian fervice. The General did not fail to honour him with a kind and obliging return: "I am a true Scotsman indeed,' fays he, " wife behind the hand; for had I been more careful to imbibe the excellent inftructions I received under your inspection, I had still made a better figure in the world" His opinion of Mr Mefton's abilities was well grounded: for befides a thorough knowledge in the learned languages, he was a good philofopher, an excellent mathematician, and had a molt engaging method of communicating any part of literature to his pupils, infomuch that he was faid to laugh his scholars into science.

The wound which the General received at Oczakow, had almost proved fatal to him. The phyficians in Ruffia had condemned his leg to be cut off; and the General readily agreed to the operation. But the Earl Marifchal, who had gone to vifit him in his diftrefs, would not consent to it: I hope," faid he, "James has yet more to do with that

that leg, and I will not part with it fo eafily; at least not till I have the beft advice in Europe." He therefore tranfported him to Paris, in a machine [which the Earl] contrived for that purpose. But the wound baffled the skill of the French phyficians, as it had before done that of the Ruffians. However, by their advice, he went to drink the waters of Barege, by the help of which his cure was happily completed *.

I wish I could with certainty fatisfy your curiofity about the Turkish lady you mention. It is faid fhe was dug out of the rains of her father's houfe at Oczakow, being the only furviving perfon of the whole family; but with what truth, I cannot tell. However, it is certain, that she was then a child of not above fix or seven years of age; a circumftance that bids defiance to the loosest imagination to have the least indecent thought upon that fubject. The first appearance of the young innocent pleaded for protection; and the General refolved to afford it. But he was perplexed how to difpofe of her, fo as to procure her an education fuitable to her high birth: for her father was a Turkish grandee of eminence and power. At length he refolved to put her into the hands of his brother; who has been careful to give her the best education, and has all along treated her as his own daughter. As fuch fhe does the honours of his table, and demeans herself like a dutiful child to a tender and affectionate parent.

The author of the memoirs fays, "That he offered his fervice as a foldier in the British army, provided he might be allowed to enjoy the eftate and honours of his coufin the Earl of Kintore." I have been affured the contrary was true; and that it was fuggefted to him by thofe in power, that if he would *[We are informed by the gentleman who favoured us with the corrections which we made in the memoirs, that the French physicians caufed lay open the General's knee, which it would feem thofe of Ruffia had neglected to do, and found fome of the lining of his coat in the wound; that they cleaned the wound, and then completed the cure; that it was to recover his ftrength he went to drink the waters; and that they had the defired effect.]

afk the fucceffion to the eftate of Kintore, his request would be granted; but that he answered, with a confcious dignity, "That if the favour was refufed to his royal miftrefs, it did not become him to afk it." He had before this time given fignal proofs of his skill and conduct, and deferved to be ranked among the firft generals in Europe; no man is lefs under the influence of riches, which he esteems only to give away; and therefore to obtain them, would not fubmit to what he reckoned derogatory to his own merit, or to afk what had been refused the Czarina.

He is now engaged in one of the most difficult and dangerous enterprises that perhaps ever fell to his lot; where he will probably have occafion to exert all thofe military talents which his natural ftrength of genius, improved by a long courfe of experience, has rendered hin mafter of: and it is not to be doubted, but that, whatever be his fate, he will endeavour to acquit himself, fo as not to disappoint the expectations and confidence of his royal mafter, nor derogate from the renown acquired by his former atchievements.

Tranflation of a letter writ by the King of Pruffia to the Earl Marifchal after the battle of the 18th of June laf.

My LORD,

TH

HE Imperial grenadiers are admirable troops; one hundred companies defended a rifing ground that my beft infantry could not carry. Ferdinand, who commanded them, returned feven times to the charge, but to no purpose. At first he mastered a battery, but could not hold it. The enemy had the advantage of a numerous and well-ferved artillery. It did honour to Lichtenstein, who had the direction; the Pruffian alone can difpute it with him. My infantry were too few. All my cavalry were prefent, and idle fpectators, except one bold push by my houfehold troops and fome dragoons. Ferdinand attacked without powder; the enemy, in return, were not fparing of theirs. They had the advantage of a rifing ground, of intrenchments, and VOL. XIX.

4 G

of

ened by the arrival of fome Scottish lords, who repaired to his standard, he marched to Edinburgh, and took poffeffion of that capital. The Englifh privy council fet a price upon his head, and thirty thousand pounds were offered to whoever fhould deliver him up dead or alive [vii. 396.]. He gave no anfwer to this [ix. 626.]; but gained a complete victory, with his 1500 mountai neers, over the English army, at Preftonpans [vii. 439.]; where he made as many prifoners as he had men. Thefe highlanders are the only people of Europe who preferve the ancient military drefs and buckler of the Romans; but with the drefs, they had alfo the Roman courage, and wanted only their difcipline to equal them. At this time the Kings of France and Spain remitted him fome fupplies of money; they wrote to him; honoured him with the title of brother; and between 2 and 300 men of the royal regiment of Scots, with fome piquets, were fent to him from France, and landed, after having paffed through the midst of the English fleet. The young prince conquered all before him, and proceeded even within thirty leagues of London: he was then at the head of about 8000o men. A different general from that who commanded at the battle of Preftonpans, advanced from Scotland to oppofe him. The Prince returned, in the midst of winter, attacked him at Falkirk, and a fecond time gained the victory. [viii. 35.]

Now was the time to bring about a revolution. Part of the inhabitants of London were fecretly attached to his interefts, and ferment and confufion reigned through the capital. The Duke de Richlieu was upon the coasts of France, ready to bring 10,000 men to his affiftance: but France being at that time unprovided with fhips of war, the enter prife came to nothing; and all the efforts and victories of Charles were rendered fruitless. The Duke of Cumberland, at the head of a well-difciplined army, properly provided with cannon, routed thofe mountaineers [viii. 185.], who bad nothing to oppofe to him but their

courage. This battle, which was fought at Culloden, not far from Inverness, proved decifive, and the whole Scottish army was difperfed. The Prince, after fuch a calamity, experienced more afflicting adventures than thofe of Charles II. upon his defeat at Worcester. Like him he wandered from place to place, fometimes with but two friends, companions of his diftrefs; fometimes with one only; and fometimes with not a creature to comfort or attend him; lurking in caverns by day, and making the forefts his habitation by night; his cloaths reduced to rags, and himself deftitute of subsistence; feeking refuge among defolate ilands; and purfued inceffantly by thofe who fought his deftruction, for the reward which was fet upon his head. [xi. 626.]

Having one day walked thirty miles on foot, being preffed with hunger, and ready to fink beneath the weight of his distress, he ventured to enter a house, the mafter of which he well knew was attached to the oppofite party. "Behold," faid he, entering," the fon of your king, who comes to ask a morfel of bread, and a coat to keep off the feverity of the feafon! I know thou art my enemy; but I believe thou haft too much honour to take advantage of my diftrefs, or abufe the confidence I repose in thee: take and preferve these rags that cover me; thou mayft return them to me one day in the palace of the kings of England." The gentleman, touched at his misfortunes, gave him all the fuccour his ability, in a country fo defolate, would permit, and inviolably preferved the fecret.

After long wandering thus upon the coafts of Lochaber, he finally efcaped the purfuit of his enemies. A little veffel wafted him over to Bretagne; from whence he went to Paris [viii. 492.]; where he remained till the treaty of Aixla-Chapelle; by which the King of France was obliged, for the common good, to forbid him his dominions. This was the completion of the misfortunes of the unfortunate race of the Stuarts. Since that time the retreat of this prince is concealed from the whole world." 4 G 2

The

The MOCK EXPEDITION; or, The French fright. A S O N G.

A

New method of war, an improvement, no doubt,

Our gen'rals of late have moft wifely found out;
To conquer our foes is to put them in fright,
For by this if they fly, there's no occafion to fight.
[To be repeated every fianza.] Derry down, c.
Our late expedition this fully implies;
The best waging of war, is the faving of lives;
An old woman or two, that were frighten'd, fince
dead,

Or elfe, to their honour, no blood there was fhed. Whether English or French, no great study 'twill coft,

To determine it who was frighten'd the most; There's ftill this excufe for not landing courag'ous, As panics are catching, they might think them contag'ous.

For not landing, besides, other reasons excufe 'em, (Wou'd the world but confider, they wou'd not abuse 'em),

We're told, by report, they'd be by water * furrounded,

And landmen, by nature, don't like to be drownded. So quickfighted, by night faw it rafhness to land, But more clearly convinc'd when the day was at hand.

There's many do fay, if we credit their speeches, That womens red petticoats they took for mens breeches.

If their courage at going was but tardy and flack, They feem'd not to want it at returning all back: Tho' this myft'ry fo dark an odd thought may enlighten,

Cocks crowing, 'tis faid, will the lions much frighten.

To call it an action on each fide's not right;
We may call it much better a fright, than a fight:
Of our land-force one thing we may certainly fay,
The feats that they did were next running away:
Well knowing what dangers attend on the brave;
And that glory, that farce, does but lead to the
grave;

Not forgetting the maxim to make it their plea,
That a prudent retreat is oft winning the day.
Our commanders fome blunder muft furely have
made,

Or made a mistake in the choice of their trade: A fervice that's fofter may please them much

Tho' Britons, 'tis said, were not mollies of old," Were for dealing of blows, and were manly and bold;

And if when outnumber'd, to fear they were ftrangers,

No councils of war e'er reftrain'd them from dangers.

The women, 'tis faid, intend to petition,
That they may go out on the next expedition:
If fuccessful in war, and its dangers they dare,
They expect for the future the breeches to wear.
To petticoats men, as their shame, be condemn'd,
So long, or at least, till their mettle they mend:
The breeches then back they will give them a-
gain,

As by right they are theirs when behaving like

[To be repeated every stanza.] Derry down, &c. In the reign of Queen Befs, when we fent out a fleet,

It never return'd till it beat, or was beat: Lack a-day! times are alter'd! how, blefs'd our condition!

We've loft but two men in a whole expedition. When Oliver rul'd us, his word was a law, 1 And the axe and the gibbet kept villains in awe; Our great men were good, and our good men were great;

"Hang and pay well," cry'd Noll, " and you'll never be beat."

Then Britons were honest, and strangers to fraud, Were united at home, and refpected abroad; Happy days! fill in fancy they charm us, tho'

over,

We were Englishmen once, and knew nought

FROM

of

EPISTLE to a FRIEND. Rom thefe lone walls, and this ungrateful fhore, From whence the Mufes never fung before,

To