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The originality and truth of all contained in this letter Mr. Maclean did not doubt, and he favoured Major Mackay with a reading of it; the major said "this was the language of a brave man, who, be it known," continued the major, "whilst he speaks of scratches, means thereby bayonet or sabre wounds," as was afterwards learned; for at the time the sergeantmajor wrote, he had received three in his limbs and one on his body; but the post of sergeant-major was too high to allow of complaint or grumble, or shrinking from duty when he could with pain perform it. It was not pride; no! it was that fearless indifference and disregard of personal suffering that characterises a brave man, that kept this soldier from mentioning his own name, but as the humble author of unfavourable intelligence.

The dominie "was resigned and

tranquil," but he could not contain himself." Brave Forty-second!" he exclaimed,

Regibus et legibus, Scotici constantes,.
Vos clypeis et gladiis pro principe pugnantes;
Vestra est victoria, vestra est et gloria
In cantis et historia, perpes est memoria."

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And the minister had authoritatively to request he would rhyme in Saxon, if he would be a bard.

His son was alive, though above four hundred of his comrades in death and glory had moistened the earth with their noble blood. They had fought. like princes, and they had died like heroes. Nobility could not more and, since the dominie held it true that: "virtue is nobility," it was quite ana-: logous to his opinions to call the crimsom tide that had ebbed, leaving dry the frail bodies of the heroes, "the blood of nobility."

"Will the blood of the lion," cried

the poor dominie, "fatten the earth sooner than the blood of the bear? Does the carcase of the eagle rot sooner than that of the vulture? Is the lily prettier than the rose, but by comparison? In ten thousand years the shamrock and the thistle that now bloom will have lost, as to the earth, all their influence!"

END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

ERRATUM.

Page 44, fourth line from the top, for "his dream," read "her dream."

Printed by S. Hamilton, Weybridge, Surrey.

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