MEMOIR OP BRUCE. 
81 
every traveller that has visited those regions which 
he describes. Some of his bitterest enemies have, 
even im wittingly, home testimony in his favour ; and 
many of his facts that appeared most incredible have 
been verified, by comparing them with the state of 
manners and society that is found to exist among 
other barbarous nations. Bruce, however, was too 
honest to sacrifice truth to the love of popularity, 
and too proud to submit to the insolence of his 
detractors; accordingly, in sullen indignation he 
retired to Scotland in the autumn of 1774, and 
took up his residence on his patrimonial estate of 
Kinnaird. The rebuilding of the mansion-house, 
and other arrangements which a long absence had 
rendered necessary, occupied his attention for more 
than a year and a half, and in some measure di- 
verted his mind from the subject which most natu- 
rally and severely oppressed it. 
In March, 1776) he married M iss Dundas, daugh- 
ter of Thomas Dundas, Esq. of Eingask, by his 
wife, Lady Janet Maitland. This amiable and ac- 
complished person was much younger than Bruce ; 
she lived with him nearly twelve years, and died in 
1785, leaving him two children, a son and a daughter. 
This event threw him into a state of melancholy, 
which his friends endeavoured to remove, by advis- 
ing him to silence for ever the calumnies of his 
literary defamers, by publishing an account of his 
travels. To this persuasion he at length yielded ; 
and as soon as he had resolved to undertake the 
task, he performed it with his usual energy and 
p 
