The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

INTRODUCTION TO ROB ROY. 13
trade was of benefit to both parties, trifling skirmishes were not allowed to
interrupt its harmony. Indeed it was of vital interest to the Highlanders,
whose income, so far as derived from their estates, depended entirely on the
sale of black cattle; and a sagacious and experienced dealer benefited not
only himself, but his friends and neighbours, by his speculations. Those
of Rob Roy were for several years so successful as to inspire general confidence, and raise him in the estimation of the country in which he' resided.
His importance was increased by the death of his father, in consequence
of which he succeeded to the management of his nephew Gregor MacGregor
of Glengyle's property, and, as his tutor, to such influence with the clan and
following as was due to the representative of Dougal Ciar. Such influence
was the more uncontrolled, that this family of the MacGregors seemed to
have refused adherence to MacGregor of Glencarnock, the ancestor of the
present Sir Ewan MacGregor, and asserted a kind of independence.
It was at this time that Rob Roy acquired an interest by purchase, wadset, or'otherwise, to the property of Craig Royston already mentioned. He
was in particular favour, during this prosperous period of his life, with his
nearest and most powerful'neighbour, James first Duke of Montrose, from
whom he received many marks of regard. His Grace consented to give his
nephew and himself a right of-property on the estates of Glengyle and
Inversnaid, which they had till then only held as kindly tenants. The Duke,
also, with a view to the interest of the country and his own estate, supported our adventurer by loans of money to a considerable amount, to enable
him to carry on his speculations in the cattle trade.
Unfortunately, that species of commerce was and is liable to sudden fluctuations; and Rob Roy was-by a sudden depression of markets, and, as a
friendly tradition adds, by the bad faith of a partner named MacDonald,
whom he had imprudently received into his confidence, and intrusted with
a considerable sum of money —rendered totally insolvent. He absconded,
of course, -not empty-handed, if it be true, as stated in an advertisement
for his apprehension, that he had in his possession sums to the amount of
10001. sterling, obtained from several noblemen and gentlemen under pretence of purchasing cows for them in the Highlands. This advertisement
appeared in June 1712, and was several times repeated. It fixes the period
when Rob Roy' exchanged his commercial adventures for speculations of a
very different complexion.*
He appears at this period first to have removed, from his ordinary dwelling at Inversnaid, ten or twelve Scots miles (which is double the number
of English) farther into the Highlands, and commenced the lawless sort of
life which he afterwards followed. The Duke of Montrose, who conceived
himself deceived and cheated by MacGregor's conduct, employed legal means
to recover the money lent to him. Rob Roy's landed property was attached
by the regular form of legal procedure, and his stock and furniture made
the subject of arrest and sale.
It is said that this diligence of the law, as it is called in Scotland, which
the English more bluntly term distress, was used in this case with uncommon severity, and that the legal satellites, not usually the gentlest persons
in the world, had insulted MacGregor's wife, in a manner which would have
aroused a milder man than he to thoughts of unbounded vengeance. She
was a woman of fierce and haughty temper, and is not unlikely to have
disturbed the officers in the execution of their duty, and thus to have incurred
ill-treatment, though, for the sake of humanity, it is to be hoped that the
story sometimes told is a popular exaggeration. It is certain that she felt
extreme anguish at being expelled from the banks of Loch Lomond, and
gave vent to her feelings in a fine piece of pipe-music, still well-known to
amateurs by the name of "Rob Roy's Lament."
* See Appendix No. I. p. 37.
B