Trials of James, Duncan, and Robert M'Gregor, three sons of the celebrated Rob Roy

IV
enquiries into his habits and manners — his
poetry, amusements, and superstitions — his
traditions, and his history under all its mani-
fest exaggerations ; and such has been the
change in the current of public opinion, pro-
duced by one vast impulse, that there still
exists a decided propensity to exalt the High-
land character even to the highest pitch of
imaginative excellence — to give way without
resistance to the most extravagant pretensions
on the score of its valour, high-mindedness,
and generosity, — and to ascribe to it with a
gratuitous profusion, all the qualities which
can elevate or embellish the character of a
people, or administer to the vanity of a race,
jealous beyond all others of the glory of their
name.
This spirit has risen to its greatest height
in our own day. The singular and interest-
ing qualities of the Highland character have
never been so carefully displayed, nor so high-
ly admired as in the times in which we live.
Poetry has cheerfully emigrated to refresh
her withered laurels in the north ; and ro-
mance has sought its appropriate obscurity
and terrors in the gloomy caverns, the track-
less desarts, and the obsolete ferocity of the
Scottish Highlands. The more humble tou-
rist has feebly impressed upon every rock