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clxxx GEOBGE FIRST EARL OF CROM ARTIE. [1630-
CHAPTER EIGHTH.
THE CHARACTER AND WORKS OF LORD CROMARTIE.
R
.AVING been a member of so many different ministries, and having
warmly supported the Union between Scotland and England, Lord Cromartie
did not escape misrepresentation by those who expected that he would
have opposed that measure. In particular, George Lockhart of Carnwath,
in his Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland, has drawn the following character
of Lord Cromartie : —
" The Satyrist, in his lampoon, speaking of George Viscount of Tarbat, since
Earl of Cromarty, uses these words —
Some do compare him to an eel,
Should mortal man be made of steel !
and certainly this character suited him exactly ; for never was there a more fickle,
unsteady man in the world : he had sworn all the contradictory oaths, comply'd
with all the opposite Governments that had been on foot since the year 1648, and
was an humble servant to them all, 'till he got what he aim'd at, tho' often he did
not know what that was. He was full of projects, and never rejected one, pro-
vided it was new. Since the Revolution (tho' he had a large share in carrying it
on) he pretended to favour the Royal Family and Episcopal Clergy : yet he never
did one action in favour of any of them, excepting that when he was secretary to
Queen Anne he procured an Act of Indemnity, and a letter from her recommend-
ing the Episcopal Clergy to the Privy Council's protection ; but whether this pro-
ceeded from a desire and design of serving them, or some political views, is easy
to determine, when we consider that no sooner did Queen Anne desert the Tory
party and maxims, but his Lordship turn'd as great a Whig as the best of them,
join'd with Tweedale's party to advance the Hanoverian succession, in the Par-
liament 1704, and was, at last, a zealous stickler and writer in favour of the Union.
He was certainly a good-natur'd gentleman, master of an extraordinary gift of
pleasing and diverting conversation, and well accomplish'd in all kinds of learning ;
but, withall, so extreamly maggoty and unsettled that he was never to be much
CHAPTER EIGHTH.
THE CHARACTER AND WORKS OF LORD CROMARTIE.
R
.AVING been a member of so many different ministries, and having
warmly supported the Union between Scotland and England, Lord Cromartie
did not escape misrepresentation by those who expected that he would
have opposed that measure. In particular, George Lockhart of Carnwath,
in his Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland, has drawn the following character
of Lord Cromartie : —
" The Satyrist, in his lampoon, speaking of George Viscount of Tarbat, since
Earl of Cromarty, uses these words —
Some do compare him to an eel,
Should mortal man be made of steel !
and certainly this character suited him exactly ; for never was there a more fickle,
unsteady man in the world : he had sworn all the contradictory oaths, comply'd
with all the opposite Governments that had been on foot since the year 1648, and
was an humble servant to them all, 'till he got what he aim'd at, tho' often he did
not know what that was. He was full of projects, and never rejected one, pro-
vided it was new. Since the Revolution (tho' he had a large share in carrying it
on) he pretended to favour the Royal Family and Episcopal Clergy : yet he never
did one action in favour of any of them, excepting that when he was secretary to
Queen Anne he procured an Act of Indemnity, and a letter from her recommend-
ing the Episcopal Clergy to the Privy Council's protection ; but whether this pro-
ceeded from a desire and design of serving them, or some political views, is easy
to determine, when we consider that no sooner did Queen Anne desert the Tory
party and maxims, but his Lordship turn'd as great a Whig as the best of them,
join'd with Tweedale's party to advance the Hanoverian succession, in the Par-
liament 1704, and was, at last, a zealous stickler and writer in favour of the Union.
He was certainly a good-natur'd gentleman, master of an extraordinary gift of
pleasing and diverting conversation, and well accomplish'd in all kinds of learning ;
but, withall, so extreamly maggoty and unsettled that he was never to be much
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| Histories of Scottish families > Earls of Cromartie > [NSLBLANK] > (238) |
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| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/96760148 |
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| Description | Their kindred, country, and correspondence. By William Fraser. Edinburgh: Printed by Thomas and Archibald Constable, 1876. With plates, including portraits and facsimiles, and genealogical tables. 2 volumes: I. History of the earls of Cromartie. Cromartie correspondence, 1662-1705.--II. Cromartie correspondence, 1706-1774. The Cromartie charters, 1257-1499. The Cromartie patents of honour, etc., 1685-1861. Narrative by John, lord Macleod ... Of the insurrection in Scotland in the years 1745-6 ... Narrative by John, lord Macleod of his campaign in the seven years' war in Germany, 1757.--The Grandvale and Cromartie branch. The Royston branch. Baronies and castles inherited and acquired by George, first earl of Cromartie, 1654-1714. History of the family of Mackenzie, by Sir George Mackenzie, first earl of Cromartie. |
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| Shelfmark | Gen.8.Macke |
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| Description | A selection of almost 400 printed items relating to the history of Scottish families, mostly dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Includes memoirs, genealogies and clan histories, with a few produced by emigrant families. The earliest family history goes back to AD 916. |
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