Download Volume 12 here

372 Gaelic Society of Inverness.
me and my people to the whole kingdom. As it is an affair of the
last consequence to me and my people, I shall let you know afterwards
what will become of it."
The following letter exhibits in a curious light to those who
live in the days of household suffrage the nature and value of a
vote in 1741, and the extraordinary exertions which were made
by the great Families to increase their influence by acquiring
superiorities :
—
•* My Dear Laird of Lochziel,
" I received the honour and pleasure of your return by my
express, and I give you a thousand thanks, my dear cousine, for
the concern that you take in my honour and interests. I own
that both are more at stake in this county at present than they
have been for these five and twenty years past, and you cannot
imagine how much I am vexed at tlie desertion of two ])itiful
scoundrels* of my name, who do not deserve that any gentleman
should drink with them. This oblidges me to give you the trouble
to use all your efforts with your cousine Glenmoriston ; and if
you and your uncle do pi-evail with him, he will find it very much
for the interest of his person and family, ftbr M'Leod and I will
freely and frankly do for him more than the Laird of Grant is
* Lord Lovat alludes to the same circumstance in a letter addressed to
Charles Fraser of Inverallochy on 3rd January 1741. One of the " scoundrels
" was Fraser of Fairfield, whom Lovat described as '' an unnaturall
traitor, an infamous deserter, and an ungrateful wretch to me, his chief,
who had done him such signal services. And if I never had done him
any other service, hut getting him one of the l)est ladys in the vwirld, your
worthy sister, to be his wife (which cost me both pains and expense), who
had bore him good children, he i