to myself: but as soon as I have so much
strenth, and can fynd a convenient place (which is not easie), I
will change my quarters, if it were for no other reason than to be
quit of useless people of both sexes, that interrupt me from
busieness, or trouble with impertinent questions. And whyle I am
accuseing others of indescretion, I wish I am not so myself in so
much insisting upon and troubling you with such matters.

"At Perth I have gott a collection of all papers relating to the
coronation of King Charles the First and Second, and shall send them
whenever you think fitt; but I suppose it may be convenient to lett
the present hurrie a little over before I send them to you.

"How the great Generalls can imploy their hors to great purpose in
the deep snow, or how men and hors will long hold out in such
weather, is what I do not understand. I hope a shorter time than
they imagine will destroy, even without the help of an enemy,--at
least, make many, both men and hors, inserviceable."

Much had been going on in the meantime, to which Lord Mar, perhaps from
the fear of spreading a panic, does not even allude to his correspondent
in Edinburgh. When it became known in Perth that Argyle had left
Stirling, the advisers of the Chevalier were dismayed and distracted by
contending counsels. But the mass of the army expressed a very different
sentiment, rejoicing that the opportunity of a rencontre with the enemy
was so near: congratulations were heard passing from officers to their
brother officers, and the soldiers, as they drank, pledged their cups to
the good day near at hand. The council, meantime, sat all night: the
irresolution of that body, towards morning, was disclosed to the
impatient soldiery: the indignation of the brave men, and more
especially of the Highlanders, burst forth upon the disclosure of what
had passed in the council. The gentlemen volunteers resented the
pusillanimity of their leaders: and one of them was heard to propose
that the clans should take the Chevalier out of the hands of those who
counselled him to retreat, and added that he would find ten thousand
gentlemen in Scotland that would risk their lives for him. A friend of
Mar, after remonstrating with these malcontents, asked "What they wished
their officers to do?" "Do!" was the reply; "what did you call on us to
take arms for? was it to run away? What did the King come hither for?
wa