WILLIAM AND MAST.

3

looked up to his immediate superior, and all looked up to thecommon head. But with the chief this chain of subordinationended. He knew only how to govern, and had never learnedto obey. Even to royal proclamations, even to Acts of Parlia-ment, he was accustomed to yield obedience only when theywere in perfect accordance with his own inclinations. It wasnot to be expected that he would pay to any delegated authoritya respect which he was in the habit of refusing to the supremeauthority. He thought himself entitled to judge of the proprietyof every order which he received. Of his brother chiefs, somewere his enemies and some his rivals. It was hardly possible tokeep him from affronting them, or to convince him that theywere not affronting him. All his followers sympathized with allhis animosities, considered his honour as their own, and wereready at his whistle to array themselves round him in armsagainst the commander in chief. There was therefore very littlechance that by any contrivance any five clans could be inducedto cooperate heartily with one another during a long campaign.The best chance, however, was when they were led by a Saxon.It is remarkable that none of the great actions performed by theHighlanders during our civil wars was performed under thecommand of a Highlander. Some writers have mentioned it asa proof of the extraordinary genius of Montrose and Dundeethat those captains, though not themselves of Gaelic race orspeech, should have been able to form and direct confederaciesof Gaelic tribes. But in truth it was precisely because Montroseand Dundee were not Highlanders, that they were able to leadarmies composed of Highland clans. Had Montrose been chiefof the Camerons, the Macdonalds would never have submittedto his authority. Had Dundee been chief of Clanronald, hewould never have been obeyed by Glengarry. Haughty andpunctilious men, who scarcely acknowledged the King to betheir superior, would not have endured the superiority of a

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CITAP

XIII.

1689.