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5 (1855)
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34

niSTOIlT OF ENGLAND.

chap. Walter Scott mentioned Killiecrankie he seemed utterly to jbso! forget that he was a Saxon, that he was of the same blood andof the same speech with Ramsays foot and Annandales horse.His heart swelled with triumph when he related how his ownkindred had fled like hares before a smaller number of warriorsof a different breed and of a different tongue.

In Ireland the feud remains unhealed. The name of NewtonButler, insultingly repeated by a minority, is hateful to thegreat majority of the population. If a monument were set upon the field of battle, it would probably be defaced: if a festivalwere held in Cork or AYaterford on the anniversary of thebattle, it would probably be interrupted by violence. The mostillustrious Irish poet of our time would have thought it treasonto his country to sing the praises of the conquerors. One of themost learned and diligent Irish archaeologists of our time haslaboured, not indeed very successfully, to prove that the eventof the day was decided by a mere accident from which theEnglishry could derive no glory'. We cannot wonder that thevictory of the Highlanders should be more celebrated than thevictory of the Enniskilleners, when we consider that the victoryof the Highlanders is matter of boast to all Scotland, and thatthe victory of the Enniskilleners is matter of shame to threefourths of Ireland.

As far as the great interests of the State were concerned, itmattered not at all whether the battle of Ivilliecrankie were lostor won. It is very improbable that even Dundee, if he had sur-vived the most glorious day of his life, could have surmountedthose difficulties Avhich sprang from the peculiar nature of hisarmy, and which would have increased tenfold as soon as thewar was transferred to the Lowlands. It is certain that hissuccessor was altogether unequal to the task. During a day ortwo, indeed, the new general might flatter himself that allwould go well. His army was rapidly swollen to near double