Comments in refutation of pretensions advanced for the first time, and statements in a recent work "The Stirlings of Keir and their family papers"

PREFACE. vii
and conclusively refute sucli unsupported and frivolous pretensions —
pretensions which the Keir family, for obvious reasons, and so directly
opposite to the DrumpeUier conduct, never risked the mooting of in a
court of law, but once, when incautiously brought upon the verge of
it, actually eschewed and fled from the discussion, as if scared Ijy the
noise of their own footsteps.
The rdle or part, however disagreeable to the present DrumpeUier at
his advanced age, must be played by himself — and that noiv. It was
due to the memory of those who had gone before — it was due to those
who might come after Mm.
With this view, therefore, DrumpeUier did the writer the honour of
opening a communication with him, as the old friend and legal adviser J" ^^^^
of his famUy, and invited him, who was cognisant of the case from
the beginning, and of all that had passed on the former occasion, to
undertake the drawing up of a statement of the whole facts and evidence
that coidd be honestly and legally adduced in support and elucidation of
the DrumpeUier rights.
He, indeed, has for some time previous to this been withdrawing him-
self from the practice of his profession ; but this case, so connected with
his earlier career, and the pleasurable associations of former days, as well
as from the esteem he bears the applicant, possessed such peculiar attrac-
tions in his eyes, that he readUy accepted the offer, and has undertaken
to conduct and frame the Exposition required — the more so that, in the
long interval, he had incidentaUy lighted upon some new pieces of
evidence, besides further arguments and iUustrations in its favour.
On entering upon his task, the Exponent found that the recent Per-
formance, " The StirUngs of Keir and their Family Papers," professed to
have been printed for private circulation. This by some has laeen sup-
posed to preclude criticism, but even under this aspect such rule must
have exceptions, and taken with the announced circulation to the extent