The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

1747.] LOVAT AXD THE LYOX. 379
To tliis Sir Jnitio« replied :— " T mn^^t own niv snrpi'yse is noe less tliau
your Lordsliip'.s at \vliat y(")U illsi^t on ami desyr of iiie. Yoii told me wlieu
I had tlie honour ot'a visit from you that you had writt about the sherrifship,
and th;it you dcsyr'd it only in the event tliat 1 was not i
have
il, but
now \ Mur Lor'l. hip seems \'> take i( amis- iliat I wont r< 'ii ^v;;.lt pi'e-
tens'vuis my wiytiiiu; soe earnestly about it may entitle im-."' It niav
lie mentioned that the matter was ultimately arrau^-ed in ;:'eordance with
Lovat's wishes, as appears from a letter of his in lu'bruary ]7'^3.
'i'he amenities of eleetioneering are graphieally depicted in another
letter by Lord Lovat to Sir James. The writer refers to the above
disagreement, and says, "My pett is over, and I am resolved to live
with you as an alfectionat brotlier. . . . But
I eannot nor will not suffer
to be maltraited bv my inferior. . . . This makes me highly inrag'd at
the Laird of Rrody. I^ord Lyon, who, befor your son Luss " and others,
" after giving himself the aires of being my Lord Hay's minister in the
north, he abusVl me, threateu'd me, and insulted me. It was \n his
own room, and I bless God I keejj'd very much my tem})er. lie first
accus'd me sillily that I and all the Frasers had made a league with Culodin
against Grant. I could not forliear telling him tliat what he said was
false, that I was sincerly fji- the Laird of Grant when he was against him.
Then he threatened me, and told me that he would IJow me up with tlie
Earle of Hay. I told him that he and all the Brodies on caith joined to all
the divels m hell could not blow me up A^•ith the Earle of Hay. He then
insulted me in telling me that he would get Lord Hugh to make Barons. I
own my temper was nuich try'd at that expression, but bless God, provi-
dence stiffled my passion, that I did not send the mad fool to hell as he
deserv'd." - Lord Lovat tlien states he will keep his just resentment till the
election is over, and then demand satisfaction, " if he was as stout as anv
Lyon that ever was in Arabia, let the consequences be what they will."^
Sir James Grant gained tlie election, though if Lord Lovat is to be
depended on, he was anxious about the result. Lovat advised the Laird
to be easy about the matter and to put all trust in him.
' Original I 'raft at t'astle ("Irant. ' On other oecasious Lovat called the Lyon " the
- Original Letter, liateil '2:id January 17.3.'), ihid. King of Beasts."