SECOND ROYAL NORTH BRITISH DRAGOONS, OR SCOTS GREYS. ---------- CHAPTER I. “Come fill up my cup, come fill up my can, Come saddle my horses, and call out my men; Unhook the west port and let us gae free; For it’s up wi’ the bonnets o’ bonnie Dundee.” EARLY HISTORY—COVENANTERS—BATTLES OF DRUMCLOG AND BOTHWELL BRIDGE—ARGYLE’S REBELLION—THE RAID OF THE MACDONALDS—FLIGHT OF JAMES II.—DUNDEE’S REBELLION—BATTLES OF KILLIECRANKIE AND CROMDALE—MASSACRE OF GLENCOE—1660–1693. The page of history presents to us many dark scenes of oppression, where one man, trampling upon the rights of another, and disregarding the heaven-born principle of charity, has sold his brother into bondage. Nay, more, (as especially illustrated in the case of Spain groaning beneath the thraldom of the Papacy), some men have even succeeded in enslaving the mind; stopping up with vile trash the avenues of knowledge, and so defacing and ruining that mirror of the intellect which reflects so much of its Creator, which originally bore the impress of divinity, and was moulded in the likeness of God. But the pride of the human heart, and the unhallowed passion of man, stay not here, but have attempted more—to subdue the soul—but in vain. It is possible to fetter or destroy the _body_, nay, it is even possible to enslave, or annihilate in madness, the _mind_, but it is _impossible_ for man to bind the undying _soul_. Nevertheless, it has been the infatuation of tyrants, deluded by false creeds, in many countries and in many ages, to seek, but in vain, to usurp the dominion of the _soul_. The _soul_, like “the bush burned but not consumed,” lives still, lives for ever, defying the fires of persecution, the wasting famine, and the devouring sword. It comes forth scatheless, purified, living; having shaken off the corruption of earth, it appears clothed in the garments of immortality. There can be no better testimony to the suitableness of the true religion to meet the wants of man than this—that whilst all others have proved themselves to be so many systems of tyranny, bereaving man of his beloved liberty, the religion of Jesus is free, and is always to be welcomed as the herald of civil and religious liberty; wherever its blessing rests, its benign influence is felt, and its glorious light shines.