Historical memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton

82 THE FAMILY OV
which such, arbitrary usages inevitably must in-
flict.
Shutting our eyes, however, to the rule of his
succession, Hugh the twelfth earl of Eglinton, prov-
ed himself in eyery way a most energetic, enterpris-
ing and worthy possessor of the important position
he succeeded to. At an early age he entered the
military service, and soon after was appointed to
the command of a company in the Seventy-eight
Highlanders, at the time they were first embodied
and commanded by his relative and predecessor in
the earldom. With this, afterwards highly distin-
guished corps, he proceeded to America, and through-
out was engaged in what was popularly known as
" the seven years' war," — a war memorable as that
which first brought the name of Washington before
the world, and doubtless tended in no slight degree
to qualify him for the accomplishment cf those great
achievements which have rendered his name imper-
ishable so long as virtue and morality shall continue
inherent in the human mind. Some considerable
time after his return from America — now having the
rank of major — he was appointed surveyor of mili-
tary roads in the Highlands of Scotland, an office
well suited to his active enterprising mind ; and
which he appears long to have discharged with the
utmost diligence, ability, and success. " He travel-
led and retravelled the Highland wilds on foot, to
observe and select the best routes for roads ; and by
his care and skill in laying them off, so shortened
the length of roadway and lessened the number of