myself with chocolate and milk, and therefore desire six or eight pounds may be sent from London. Our winter is begun already. I am writing now by a great fire; dreadful season, that lasts from the beginning of August to the middle of May." His last letter from this cold region, omitting a few paragraphs the substance of which is repeated elsewhere, is as follows. Dear Madam, Banff, September 17, 1751. It would be a kind of miracle for one of my age and complexion to get through life without stumbling. Friendly aid and counsel are great and timely supports, and reproof is most effectual when it carries with it a concern for the person to whom it is addressed. This is the way I understand it both from my father and you, because I am sure nothing but a base and villainous action could entirely remove your affections; and that I don't find myself capable of. I am sometimes in the character of a military parent, and am obliged to lay great restraint upon myself that others may profit by it, and I never find my advice so well attended to, as when there goes along with it a mixture of care for the good and reputation of the youth that errs. You'll be apt to think that a man so subject to weakness as I may be supposed to be, can work very little upon the minds of others, or give them a strength and firmness that I do not possess. But a man might for a time conceal, though not conquer his infirmities, and may direct where he can't execute. The sense of duty, too, in the way of one's profession, may operate strongly in some things, though quite useless and impotent in others. By the description you give me of your new house, most people will be as well pleased with it as you seem to be. It is the work of your own hands, and you'll be much to blame if anything is wanting to make it every way convenient and to your taste. It has a thousand natural advantages that you may improve till it becomes delightful. All I ask is that in the little detached apartment, where Charles [Brett] may laugh at leisure, there may be a very hard bed, upon which I hope to extend my long limbs in twelve or fourteen months, and take a little rest from care. Old Roland lived five or six years with me, and laid the obligations of faithful service upon me. He bore pretty well the warmth and uncertainty of my temper, though at length, tired of that and eternal wandering, he begged to be released. I can safely say that I have known him very honest, and think he must still be so. He has a wonderful calmness and quietness of disposition, that I sometimes thought degenerated into stupidity. I hardly ever knew him to give offence to any but myself, and then perhaps I was as much to blame as he.* Thus much for his valour and honesty; I think myself in his debt. I never intended to abandon him. I propose to take his son when old enough to serve me. ... I hope to hear from you now and then; you shall always be as short or as long as you please. Only remember that one side is very agreeable, but four sides, four times as agreeable, and so on in proportion. I am, dear Madam, etc., * The succeeding passage has been anticipated. See Chap. V. p. 100. 176 CHAPTER IX. INVERNESS. OCTOBER, 1751-MAY, 1752. In a calm at sea, when the watery plain is as still and smooth as its cloudless azure dome, it is not easy to form in one's mind a picture of the same element when lashed into fury by a storm. Quite as difficult is it to identify the Inverness of the eighteenth century, politically or otherwise, with the present flourishing capital of the Highlands. Now, when every Scot is a loyal subject, when Highland forts are garrisoned by Highland regiments, and our beloved Queen retires from State cares to her Highland home, it is almost impossible to imagine how different was the state of things in the reign of George II., when English soldiers were sent into Scotland to keep a large proportion of the people in subjection. Therefore, as juries are directed by judges to found their verdict exclusively upon the evidence of the trial, the reader should endeavour, for the nonce, to forget the sympathy which now happily exists between north and south, and remember that in the year 1751, when Wolfe was stationed at Inverness, that town was the head-quarters of Jacobitism, and consequently that an officer of the Royal Army could scarcely regard it under any other aspect than as the central point of an enemy's country. It is only necessary to bear this fact in mind to palliate some expressions in Wolfe's letters, which otherwise might make him appear in a false light; for, notwithstanding his occasional flings at Scotland, he numbered more than one Scotchman amongst his trustiest friends. The Lieutenant-Colonel was no sooner settled in his new quarters than he wrote as follows to his father Dear Sir, Inverness, October 3rd, 1751. The preparations and march of the regiment have taken up the time that would have been employed in writing to you and to others that have a title to expect it from me. The post goes hence but once a week, which makes my letter something later than I could wish, as I have been several days in town.* A little while serves to discover the villanous nature of the inhabitants, and brutality of the people in its neighbourhood. Those too who pretend the greatest attachment to the government, and who every day feed upon the public purse, scem to distinguish themselves for greater rudeness and incivility than the open and professed Jacobites. With these disadvantages there are many others that concern us as officers, not worth relating to you; and yet, I believe we shall find means to get through the long winter tolerably well. A gentleman came from Perth the other day and told me he saw Mrs. Wilkinson very disconsolate and unhappy at the bad accommodation she meets with there. I can't wonder at it, as little, dirty, stinking lodgings must be quite new to one that comes directly from London, and was never out of it till now. But I would advise her to prepare for worse *It was not until after the Union that a regular post was established between Inverness and the South; and for more than fifty years letters were carried by foot-runners once a week. (Carruthers' 'Highland NoteBook,' p. 121.) N places than Perth. By degrees I hope she'll be inured to it, and then become familiar. Mrs. Lafausille, who has served several campaigns, is an older and better soldier than the other, will put up with any inconveniences for the sake of doing her duty with applause, and to the satisfaction of her Lieutenant-Colonel and commanding officer, to whose pleasure she always wishes to contribute; and I dare say never refuses her assistance to make him perfectly happy. I had a long letter from Rickson some days ago. He gives me no great opinion of the settlement, from the want of a more considerable armed force, the present being insufficient for its defence. He seems to apprehend some attempts from the French, who injure and insult us. He laments his own melancholy condition, and wishes it were possible to come again amongst his old friends and companions. I imagine your regiment must be in Scotland by this time. In the spring they are to take those parts in the Highlands that we have occupied this summer. I turned aside to look at the new Fort of Ardersier, or Fort George, and find a vast quantity of earth thrown up for ramparts, and the counterscarp and glacis finished.* But I believe there's still work for six or seven years to do. When it is finished one may venture to say (without saying much) that it will be the most considerable fortress, and the best situated, in Great Britain. I fancy your neighbour, Mr. Skinner, the architect, thinks it a very good fortification. I dare say he finds it so. I beg my duty, etc. JAMES WOLFE. A fortnight later the Highland postboy carried another *Fort George, twelve miles from Inverness, is situated on the low sandy point of Ardersier, which projects far out into the Moray Firth. It was commenced immediately after the rebellion, and cost £160,000. "Fort George," says Anderson, "is considered a model of a fortified place; yet it is only secure against attacks from the sea. The few officers who are obliged to reside in it during the piping time of peace' find it exceedingly dull." (Guide to the Highlands.) The barracks are capable of accommodating 3000 men, and the works cover about fifteen acres. ... |