On the death of his lordship, his estates, with all their burdens and responsibilities, devolved on his eldest daughter, Lady Hood, whose second husband was James Stewart Mackenzie, a member of the Galloway family, and whose son has just been prevented from selling all that remains of the Seaforth estates. “Our friend, Lady Hood,” wrote Sir Walter Scott to Mr. Morritt, “will now be ‘Cabarfeidh’ herself. She has the spirit of a chieftainess in every drop of her blood, but there are few situations in which the cleverest women are so apt to be imposed upon as in the management of landed property, more especially of a Highland estate. I do fear the accomplishment of the prophecy that, when there should be a deaf ‘Cabarfeidh,’ the house was to fall.” The writer concludes thus:—“Scott’s apprehensions proved only too well founded. One section after another of the estates had to be sold. The remaining portion of Kintail, the sunny braes of Ross, the church lands of Chanonry, the barony of Pluscarden, and the Island of Lews—a principality itself—were disposed of one after the other, till now nothing remains of the vast estates of this illustrious house except Brahan Castle, and a mere remnant of their ancient patrimony (and that in the hands of trustees), which the non-resident, nominal owner has just been prevented from alienating. _Sic transit._” Leaving these extraordinary prophecies with the reader, to believe, disbelieve, or explain away on any principle or theory which may satisfy his reason, his credulity, or scepticism, we conclude with the following LAMENT FOR “THE LAST OF THE SEAFORTHS”. BY SIR WALTER SCOTT. In vain the bright course of thy talents to wrong Fate deaden’d thine ear and imprison’d thy tongue, For brighter o’er all her obstructions arose The glow of the genius they could not oppose; And who, in the land of the Saxon, or Gael, Might match with Mackenzie, High Chief of Kintail? Thy sons rose around thee in light and in love, All a father could hope, all a friend could approve; What ’vails it the tale of thy sorrows to tell? In the spring time of youth and of promise they fell! Of the line of MacKenneth remains not a male, To bear the proud name of the Chief of Kintail. And thou, gentle Dame, who must bear, to thy grief, For thy clan and thy country the cares of a Chief, Whom brief rolling moons in six changes have left, Of thy husband and father and brethren bereft; To thine ear of affection, how sad is the hail That salutes thee—the heir of the line of Kintail! _Na ’m biodh an t’ earball na bu ruighne bhiodh mo sgialachd na b’ fhaide._ [Illustration] ON HIGHLAND SUPERSTITION. [Illustration] THE REV. ALEXANDER MACGREGOR, M.A., ON HIGHLAND SUPERSTITION, DRUIDS, FAIRIES, WITCHCRAFT, SECOND-SIGHT, HALLOWE’EN, SACRED WELLS, AND OTHER PECULIAR PRACTICES AND BELIEFS, WITH SEVERAL CURIOUS INSTANCES.