THE CHIEF AND HIS MANSION.
The ingenious licentiate, Francisco de Ubeda, when he commenced his history of La Picara Justina Diez,---which, by the way, is one of the most rare books of Spanish literature,---complained of his pen having caught up a hair, and forthwith begins, with more eloquence than common sense, an affectionate expostulation with that useful implement, upbraiding it with being the quill of a goose,---a bird inconstant by nature, as frequenting the three elements of water, earth, and air, indifferently, and being, of course, ``to one thing constant never.''
Now I protest to thee, gentle reader, that I entirely dissent from Francisco de Ubeda in this matter, and hold it the most useful quality of my pen, that it can speedily change from grave to gay, and from description and dialogue to narrative and character.So that, if my quill display no other properties of its mother-goose than her mutability, truly I shall be well pleased; and I conceive that you, my worthy friend, will have no occasion for discontent.From the jargon, therefore, of the Highland gillies, I pass to the character of their Chief.It is an important examination, and therefore, like Dogberry, we must spare no wisdom.
The ancestor of Fergus Mac-Ivor, about three centuries before, had set up a claim to be recognised as chief of the numerous and powerful clan to which he belonged, the name of which it is unnecessary to mention.Being defeated by an opponent who had more justice, or at least more force, on his side, he moved southwards, with those who adhered to him, in quest of new settlements, like a second <AE>neas.The state of the Perthshire Highlands favoured his purpose.A great baron in that country had lately become traitor to the crown; Ian, which was the name of our adventurer, united himself with those who were commissioned by the king to chastise him, and did such good service, that he obtained a grant of the property, upon which he and his posterity afterwards resided.He followed the king also in war to the fertile regions of England, where he employed his leisure hours so actively in raising subsidies among the boors of Northumberland and Durham, that upon his return he was enabled to erect a stone tower, or fortalice, so much admired by his dependents and neighbours, that he, who had hitherto been called Ian Mac-Ivor, or John the son of Ivor, was thereafter distinguished, both in song and genealogy, by the high title of _Ian nan Chaistel,_ or John of the Tower.The descendants of this worthy were so proud of him, that the reigning chief always bore the patronymic title of Vich Ian Vohr, _i.e._ the son of John the Great; while the clan at large, to distinguish them from that from which they had seceded, were denominated _Sliochd nan Ivor,_ the race of Ivor.
The father of Fergus, the tenth in direct descent from John of the Tower, engaged heart and hand in the insurrection of 1715, and was forced to fly to France, after the attempt of that year in favour of the Stuarts had proved unsuccessful.More fortunate than other fugitives, he obtained employment in the French service, and married a lady of rank in that kingdom, by whom he had two children, Fergus and his sister Flora.
The Scottish estate had been forfeited and exposed to sale, but was re-purchased for a small price in the name of the young proprietor, who in consequence came to reside upon his native domains.<*> It was soon perceived that he possessed a character * This happened on many occasions.Indeed, it was not till after the * total destruction of the clan influence, after 1745, that purchasers could be * found who offered a fair price for the estates forfeited in 1715, which were * then brought to sale by the creditors of the York-Buildings Company, who * had purchased the whole, or greater part, from Government at a very small * price.Even so late as the period first mentioned, the prejudices of the * public in favour of the heirs of the forfeited families threw various impediments * in the way of intending purchasers of such property.
of uncommon acuteness, fire, and ambition, which, as he became acquainted with the state of the country, gradually assumed a mixed and peculiar tone, that could only have been acquired Sixty Years since.
Had Fergus Mac-Ivor lived Sixty Years sooner than he did, he would, in all probability, have wanted the polished manner and knowledge of the world which he now possessed; and had he lived Sixty Years later, his ambition and love of rule would have lacked the fuel which his situation now afforded.He was indeed, within his little circle, as perfect a politician as Castruccio Castrucani himself.He applied himself with great earnestness to appease all the feuds and dissensions which often arose among other clans in his neighbourhood, so that he became a frequent umpire in their quarrels.His own patriarchal power he strengthened at every expense which his fortune would permit, and indeed stretched his means to the uttermost, to maintain the rude and plentiful hospitality, which was the most valued attribute of a chieftain.For the same reason, he crowded his estate with a tenantry, hardy indeed, and fit for the purposes of war, but greatly outnumbering what the soil was calculated to maintain.These consisted chiefly of his own clan, not one of whom he suffered to quit his lands if he could possibly prevent it.But he maintained, besides, many adventurers from the mother sept, who deserted a less warlike, though more wealthy chief, to do homage to Fergus Mac-Ivor.Other individuals, too, who had not even that apology, were nevertheless received into his allegiance, which indeed was refused to none who were, like Poins, proper men of their hands, and were willing to assume the name of Mac-Ivor.