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376 Gaelic Society of Inverness.
my daughter's inclination, or contrary to a reasonable settlement."
The above letter is in duplicate, one copy autograph, the
other written by an amanuensis, but both signed ; one is dated
the 10th, the other the 18th of February 1742. To the latter is
appended a Postscript in the same hand-writing as the holograph
of the 10th. It is as follows :
—
"I do assure you, my dear Cousin, tliat if circumstances
answer in a reasonable manner, that I am in my own inclinations
entirely for the affair. Adieu, mon cher cusin."
The next letter on the same subject, wi-itten apparently after
Lochiel's approval had been obtained, shows the importance
attached to alliances by marriage as increasing the power and
influence of the family tlius allied. On the 27th of May of the
"Your Cousin Clunie has been here
same year, Lovat writes : —
these thi-ee weeks past, and I do assure you that I am obliged to
suffer a great many battles for him. The INI'Intoshes, who are
madly angry at this Match, endeavour to get all those they converse
with to cry out against me for making of it, and those who
don't love that the M'Phersons should be greater than they are,
or that my family should be stronger than it is, make it there
bussiness to cry out againit it. But I must do justice to my Lord
President that all his friends and Relations cry out against it, yet
he heartily approved of it in this house, wliere he did me the
honour to dine with me Monday was se'en-night, and after I told
him plainly all the circumstances, and tliat I trusted myself
entirely to you, he told me that T could not trust myself to
an honester man in Scotland than to Locheill, and after what
I told him, his opinion was that if the young couple lov'd
one another they might live happily together ; and that it was
a very proper alliance for my family, and that it strengthened the
interest of my family more than any low country alliance that I
could make. His saying so gave me satisfaction, whether he
thought it or not ; and tho' I have a hundred to one against me
for making this match, yet I do not repent it, and tho' it were to
begin again to-morrow I would do the same thing over again, and
I must tell you that the more I know your Cousine Cluny the
more I love him for a thorrow good-natur'd, even-tempered, honest
gentleman. He goes home to look after liis affairs in Badenoch
for some time, and T precisely design tliat the marriage shall be
consunnnated towards tho lattcu- end of June. ])ut as I told you
before, I am positive that T never will allow it to be done till you