lunders soon encouraged the hopes of the Jacobites,
until they were elated beyond measure. The sanguine Charles Edward
pledged the General's health in a glass of brandy: "Here's a health to
Mr. Cope!" he cried, in the presence of his forces; "and, if all the
Usurper's generals follow his example, I shall soon be at St. James's."
The toast was given by the private soldiers, to whom whiskey was
distributed to drink it. Well furnished with artillery, of which the
insurgents were destitute, General Cope might have obtained an easy
victory, or at any rate have dispersed the Jacobite army. Happy would it
have been for Scotland, had the rebellion thus been extinguished, before
the brave had sunk in civil strife, or loyal hearts been broken in the
silent agony of imprisonment! Many acts of heroism, numberless traits of
fortitude, would indeed have been lost to the mournful admiration of
posterity; but the vigorous hand, which crushes a hopeless struggle in
its outset, is ever, in effect, the hand of mercy.

From this time the Duke of Perth shared in the short-lived triumph of
his Prince. He marched with the army to Dunkeld, where, supping in the
house of James, Duke of Atholl, who retired at their approach, the
unfortunate Charles Edward forced a gaiety which he was said, at that
time, not to feel; asked for Scottish dishes; and, having picked up a
few words of Gaelic, pledged the Highland officers in that tongue. The
Duke of Perth attended in the triumphant entrance into Perth on the
fourth of September. This was the first town of consequence that Charles
Edward had visited; and his appearance, mounted on a fine horse
presented to him by Major Macdonell, and dressed in a superb suit of
tartan trimmed with gold, produced a great impression upon the assembled
multitude, who greeted him with loud acclamations. He was conducted in
triumph to the house of Viscount Stormont, the eldest brother of the
celebrated Earl of Mansfield. Lord Stormont, though friendly to the
cause, was not disposed to risk his life and property for the Stuarts.
He withdrew from the dangerous honour of entertaining the Prince, yet
left his family to receive him with all loyalty, and the Chevalier took
up his abode at Lord Stormont's. It was an antique house with a wooden
front, which stood on the spot now occupied by the Perth Union Bank,
near the bottom of the High-street.[227] The evening was closed by a
ball given by the Prince to the ladies of the town. T