Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 2Scott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 2
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
The incident here said to have happened to Flora Mac-Ivor actually
befell Miss Nairne, a lady with whom the author had the pleasure
of being acquainted. As the Highland army rushed into Edinburgh,
Miss Nairne, like other ladies who approved of their cause, stood
waving her handkerchief from a balcony, when a ball from a
Highlander's musket, which was discharged by accident, grazed her
forehead. 'Thank God,' said she, the instant she recovered,'that
the accident happened to me, whose principles are known. Had it
befallen a Whig, they would have said it was done on purpose.'
NOTE 12, p. 185
The Author of Waverley has been charged with painting the young
Adventurer in colours more amiable than his character deserved.
But having known many individuals who were near his person, he has
been described according to the light in which those eye-witnesses
saw his temper and qualifications. Something must be allowed, no
doubt, to the natural exaggerations of those who remembered him as
the bold and adventurous Prince in whose cause they had braved
death and ruin; but is their evidence to give place entirely to
that of a single malcontent?
I have already noticed the imputations thrown by the Chevalier
Johnstone on the Prince's courage. But some part at least of that
gentleman's tale is purely romantic. It would not, for instance,
be supposed that at the time he is favouring us with the highly
wrought account of his amour with the adorable Peggie, the
Chevalier Johnstone was a married man, whose grandchild is now
alive; or that the whole circumstantial story concerning the
outrageous vengeance taken by Gordon of Abbachie on a Presbyterian
clergyman is entirely apocryphal. At the same time it may be
admitted that the Prince, like others of his family, did not
esteem the services done him by his adherents so highly as he
ought. Educated in high ideas of his hereditary right, he has been
supposed to have held every exertion and sacrifice made in his
cause as too much the duty of the person making it to merit
extravagant gratitude on his part. Dr. King's evidence (which his
leaving the Jacobite interest renders somewhat doubtful) goes to
strengthen this opinion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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