that he had not a Macdonald to be with him to

the last.*

Capt. MacLeod, having followed the P . . . as far as his eye could go, set out on his return home by the way of Kingsborrow, where he related the P. . .'s late adventures, and failed not to tell the Lady Kingsborrow that the P . . ., having one day cast his eyes upon her silver snuff-box, had asked him the meaning of its

.

*Miss Macdonald having taken leave of the P.. left Portree immediately, and got safe back to Armadale. She had not been above eight or nine days there, when she was required to attend one Macdonald, whom MacLeod of Paliscar had employed to examine her. She set out in obedience to the summons; but had not gone far when she was seized by an officer and a party of soldiers, who carried her immediately on board the Furnace, Captain Ferguson. General Campbell was on board, and commanded that the young lady should be used with the utmost civility; that she should be allowed a maid-servant, and every accommodation the ship could afford. Miss Flora, finding the boatmen had blabbed everything, was also fain to acknowledge to General Campbell the whole truth. About three weeks after, the ship being near her mother's, Miss Macdonald was permitted to go ashore with a guard, to take leave of her friends. The fair prisoner found now another protector in Commodore (now admiral) Smith; whose ship soon after came into Leith Road. Thence removed from place to place, till November 28, 1746, she was put on board the Royal Sovereign, lying at the Nore. After five months' imprisonment on shipboard, she was transported to London, where she was confined in a messenger's house till July, 1747, and then discharged without being asked a question.

device and inscription; and that he had explained

them in such words as these. 66

The device, sir, of two grasping hands, is used in Scotland as an emblem of sincere and firm friendship; and the inscription of ROB GIB, refers to a common Scots saying; Rob Gib's contract, stark love and kindness;" that the P . . . admired the design, and declared that he would endeavour to keep the present as long as he lived. Capt. MacLeod had not been long at home before he was taken prisoner, conveyed into the Thames, and, on the 1st of November, 1746, removed to London, where he was detained in a messenger's house till July, 1747.

No. IV.

FROM KING'S POLITICAL AND LITERARY ANECDOTES OF

HIS OWN TIMES.

THE PRETENDER.

September, 1750. I received a note from my Lady Primrose, who desired to see me immediately. As soon as I waited on her, she led me into her dressing room, and presented me to The Pretender. If I was surprised to find' him there, I was still more astonished when he acquainted me with the motives which had induced him to hazard a journey to England at this juncture. The impatience of his friends who were in exile had formed a scheme which was impracticable; but, although it had been as feasible as they had represented it to him, yet no preparation had been made, nor was anything ready to carry it into execution. He was soon

convinced that he had been deceived, and therefore, after a stay in London of five days only, he returned to the place from whence he came. As I had some long conversations with him here, and for some years after held a constant correspondence with him, not indeed by letters, but by messengers, who were occasionally dispatched to him; and as, during this intercourse, I informed myself of all particulars relating to him and of his whole conduct, both in public and private life, I am perhaps as well qualified as any man in England to draw a just character of him; and I impose this task on myself, not only for the information of posterity, but for the sake of many worthy gentlemen whom I shall leave behind me, who are at present attached to his name, and who have formed their ideas of him from public report, but more particularly from those great actions which he performed in Scotland.

As to his person, he is tall and well made, but stoops a little, owing, perhaps, to the great fatigue which he underwent in his northern expedition. He has a handsome face and good eyes (I think his busts, which about this time were commonly sold in London, are more like him than any of

his pictures which I have yet seen*); but in a polite company he would not pass for a genteel man. He hath a quick apprehension, and speaks French, Italian, and English, the last with a little of a foreign accent. As to the rest, very little care seems to have been taken of his education. He had not made the belles lettres or any of the finer arts his study, which surprised me much, considering his preceptors, and the noble opportunities he must have always had in that nursery of all the elegant and liberal arts and sciences.

But I was still more astonished when I found him unacquainted with the history and constitution of England, in which he ought to have been very early instructed. I never heard him express any noble or benevolent sentiments, the certain indications of a great soul and a good heart; or discover any sorrow or compassion for the misfortunes of so many worthy men, who had suffered

* He came one evening to my lodgings and drank tea with me: my servant, after he was gone, said to me, “That he thought my new visitor very like Prince Charles." "Why," said I, “have you ever seen Prince Charles?" "No sir," replied the fellow, "but this gentleman, whoever he may be, exactly resembles the busts sold in Red Lion Street, and are said to be busts of Prince Charles." The truth is, these busts were taken in plaster of Paris from his face.