enceforth, until immured in the Tower, all in the career of Lord
Kilmarnock was turbulence; and, it must be acknowledged, crime. For
nothing can justify a resistance of sovereign power, save a belief in
its illegality. "I engaged in the rebellion," was Lord Kilmarnock's
confession, "in opposition to my own principles, and to those of my
family; in contradiction to the whole tenor of my conduct." Such were
his expressions at that hour when no earthly considerations had power to
seduce him into falsehood.

By those historians who espouse the Jacobite cause, this avowal has been
severely censured; and Lord Kilmarnock has been regarded as deserting
the party which he had espoused. But, with his conviction, such a line
of conduct as that which he pursued in prison, could alone be honest,
and therefore alone consistent with his religious hopes, before he
quitted life. Such censure has been well answered in Lord Kilmarnock's
own words, "I am in little pain for the reflections which the
inconsiderate or prejudiced part of my countrymen, (if there are any
such whom my suffering the just sentence of the law has not mollified,)
may cast upon me for this confession. The wiser or more ingenious will,
I hope, approve my conduct, and allow with me, that next to doing right
is to have the courage and integrity to avow that I have done wrong."
These sentiments were not, be it observed, made public until after his
death.

If, in early life, the career of Lord Kilmarnock were tainted by
dissolute conduct, his deep contrition, his sincere confession of his
errors, his endeavours to amend them, redeem those very errors in the
eyes of human judgment, as they will probably plead for him, with One
who is more merciful than man. In his prison, his patience in suspense,
his forbearance to those who had urged on his death, his generous
sentiments towards his companions in misfortune,--his care for others,
his trust in the mercy of his Saviour, present as instructive a lesson
as mortals can glean from the errors and the penitence of others.

Contrasted with the gentle, unfortunate Kilmarnock, the gallant bearing
of Balmerino rises to heroism. One cannot, for the sake of his party,
help regretting that he had not taken a more prominent part in the
councils of the young Chevalier, or held a more distinguished position
in the field. His integrity, his strong sense, and moral courage might
have had an advantageous influence over the wavering, and co