AMERICAN MONTHLY MAGAZINE

AND

CRITICAL REVIEW.

VOL. IV......No. I.

NOVEMBER, 1818.

ART. 1. Memoir relative to the Highlands ; with Anecdotes of Rob Roy, and his

Family. 18mo. pp. 152. Philadelphia. M. Carey & Son. 1818. IT T is the purport of this amusing and the high and biassed consideration with

elegantly written essay, (which may which it has long been customary among be considered as a sort of supplement to us to regard the natives of the Scottish the celebrated novel of Rob Roy,) to Highlands. place the character, manners, and politi- After remarking that till nearly the cal condition of the interesting people of last eighty years the Highlanders were whom it treats, in a more fair and impar- treated by the government rather as enetial point of view than the prejudices mies against whose incessant incursions it either of their admirers or enemies bave was incumbent upon the state to be watchhitherto permitted. The author has, ful, than as subjects whose obedience is certainly, exercised considerable acumen was important to compel, the author proin his historical investigation of the claims ceeds, in impressive and animated terms, made by the Scottish Highlanders, or to comment upon the measures subserather by their friends for them, to quali- quentiy pursued with regard to them by ties and attainments unquestionably in the ruling powers, and the interest excompatible with the imperfect state of cited by their wild achievements and the society to which, up to the period of romantic and secluded regions in which 1745, they had arrived; and, though his they dwell, in times apparently averse language is evidently that of one disposed from the rude and daring exploits of a rather to condemn than applaud, the tem- half-civilized people, whose rugged and perate manner in which he conducts his mountainous country is but ill-adapted argument, and the candour with which to the luxurious feelings of a modern he admits their pretensions in points tourist. where they do not clash with the main tenor of his observations, entitle him to 1745,) indeed, they cannot complain that

« Since that period, (the rebellion in the praise of a honourable as well as they have been either neglected or despised. acute examiner, and induce us to con- They instantly became the objects of legissider at some length the rationale of a

lative care and protection--their grievances a

were redressed, and their fidelity apprebook which goes far toward destroying ciated-enactments were made to relax the