310

HISTOEY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

XIII.

llisa.

of a very different order from the impostor who fabricated theseforgeries saw how striking an effect might be produced byskilful pictures of the old Highland life. Whatever wasrepulsive was softened down: whatever was graceful and noblewas brought prominently forward. Some of these works wereexecuted with such admirable art that, like the historical playsof Shakspeare, they superseded history. The visions of thepoet were realities to his readers. The places which hedescribed became holy ground, and were visited by thousandsof pilgrims. Soon the vulgar imagination was so completelyoccupied by plaids, targets, and claymores, that, by mostEnglishmen, Scotchman and Highlander were regarded assynonymous words. Few people seemed to be aware that, atno remote period, a Macdonald or a Macgregor in his tartanwas to a citizen of Edinburgh or Glasgow what an Indian hunterin his war paint is to an inhabitant of Philadelphia or Boston.Artists and actors represented Bruce and Douglas in stripedpetticoats. They might as well have represented Washingtonbrandishing a tomahawk, and girt with a string of scalps. Atlength this fashion reached a point beyond which it was noteasy to proceed. The last British King who held a court inHolyrood thought that he could not give a more striking proofof his respect for the usages which had prevailed in Scotlandbefore the Union, than by disguising himself in what, beforethe Union, was considered by nine Scotchmen out of ten as thedress of a thief.

Thus it has chanced that the old Gaelic institutions andmanners have never been exhibited in the simple light of truth.Up to the middle of the last century, they were seen throughone false medium: they have since been seen through another.Once they loomed dimly through an obscuring and distortinghaze of prejudice; and no sooner had that fog dispersed thanthey appeared bright with all the richest tints of poetry. The