1799] 
[The following reply, which has come to 
us through a known channel, to a Paper 
publifhec in a former number of this work, 
figned Gregor Mac Nab, would, merely as a 
literary performance, ‘have. been inferted 
_ by us with great readinefs and fatisfaction, 
as a full and fair refutation, according to 
our judgments, of the hiftorical charges 
brought in that paper againft the clan 
Mac Gregor, and as a valuable article of 
Scottith hiftory. But we confider ourfelves 
as more particularly called upon to infert 
it, as the beft atonement we can make for 
very blameable negligence i in overlooking 
the malignant and truly libellous charaéter 
of that paper, as far as it contains falfe 
and fcandalous reflexions on the Clan 
Alpin regiment, its refpeCtable comman- 
der, and feveral of its officers. Indeed, it 
is but juftice to fay, that the perfon under 
whofe infpeétion papers fent for our mif- 
cellany, ufually pafs, did abfolutely lay this 
afide as improper for publication. That 
‘this firft determination was not followed, is 
matter of fincere regret to us; as we are 
now convinced that we were, though with-. 
out the leaft bad intention on our parts, 
made the inftruments of conveying direct 
falfehoods to the public, for the malevolent 
purpofe of wounding the feelings of re- 
ipectable individuals, and of reviving an- 
cient prejudices againft a body of people 
who, whatever may have been their politi- 
cal errors, appear to have been treated with 
mercilefs rigour. Th's explicit declaration 
of our fincere concern for having given 
way’to the impofition praétifed upon us, 
will, we hope, be accepted by the gentle- 
men injured, as the moft effetual repara- 
tion we cam make for our share in the 
offence ; and we wifh that the concealed 
author may be difcovered, and brought in- 
to deteftation as a calumniator. | ; 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
NTIL I had read the paper in your 
Magazine, relative to -the Mac. 
Gregors and the Clan Alpin regiment, I_ 
had not imagined that you could foil your 
pages with foul detraction ; and I can only 
afcribe to fome accident, that you did not 
reject fuch matter with difguft, and regard 
the anonymous author as a perfon who, in 
offering ity infulted you, as if you were a 
vender of fcurrility. 
In regard to the charafter of the com- 
mander of that regiment, it is fufficient to 
oblerve, that -he has been refpectable as a 
foldier, from an early age, in Europe and 
in Afia. The farcafms aimed at fome of 
the inferior officers induced me to make 
fome inquiries refpeéting them.—TI thought 
it iirange that the minitter of Balquhidder 
fhould require a cow-herd in the narrow 
limits of an inclofed glebe ; fo I find that 
the gentleman alluded to was not a cows 
Montuny Mac, No, v1, 
Defence of the Clan Mac Gregor. 
_an officer in the regiment, 
773 
herd, but, having been educated for the 
Ween had almolt been’a thepherd, and is 
nephew to a field officer in his Majetty’s 
fervice abroad—T here is indeed a gauger, 
though he has 
only the honour to carry a halbert-—Thus 
it appears, fo far as my inquiries have yet 
extended, that the aflertions.of your cor 
refpondent are but ill fupported. 
But fuppofing them to have been true, 
they would have amounted only to this, that 
mer Ns had been drawn'from ob{curity. "The 
mind ftored with the malevolence wich 
dilated that paper, will be the victim 
its own. cancerous quality.—What th 
“perfonal confequences may be to the wri- 
ter, 1f difcovered, is in the bofom of fu- 
turity. In the meantime, as he has wan- 
tonly afperfed a whole body of, people, 
allow me to endeavour to refcue themtfrom 
unfounded calumny. - 
In all countries, and particularly in the 
Highlands, tribes occafionally contended 
with tribes. There is, not a fingle clan 
that has not had its wars. The fpirit of 
the times was well difplayed by the chief- 
tains, who fhewed their drawn {words as, 
their charters. It was by the policy of. 
allowing, 1% not excouraging, tribes to 
weaken one another, and then taking ad- 
vantage of the contending parties, “that 
leaders of old became principal chieftains 
\—monarchs.—The battles of clans were 
fi equent for fucceffive ages, till the arm ' 
of the ftate grew ftrong enough to put an 
end to them, partly by force, partly by ad- 
drefs, and douceurs to various chieftains. 
Happily for fociety, that fort of warfare 
has long ceafed ; but it was more ex- 
cufable, becaufe oe dignified and manly, 
to attack life openly, an to attempt to 
affaffinate reputation from the dark caverns 
of malignity. 
One of the laft combats of clans was 
that which occurred in 1602, between the 
Colquhouns and the Mac Gregors, which, 
becaule it is the lateft private battle of im- 
portance, has left the ftrongeft impreffion, 
as well as becanfe many ‘individuals, of 
the generations that are paft,“who fought 
to profit by their fall, had put numbers of 
them to death, under the authority of the 
privy ¢ council, without the colour or fance 
tion of law, and were confequently deeply 
interefted in juftifying by any means, and 
by every effort of.invention, the feverities 
exercifed againft them. In truth, however; 
the battle of Glenfroon was juft like the 
battles of other families—there was no- 
thing difloyal to the ftate in the mind of 
either party—a call to fupport the crown. 
would have united the hoftile bands ;—- 
and, in faét, kindnefs and friendfhip have 
5G _long 
U 

