cotland with such orders and
instructions as were thought proper at that juncture."

Mr. Murray may therefore be considered as in a great measure responsible
for the event of that proceeding, which he afterwards denounced as a
"desperate undertaking." He found, unhappily, ready instruments in the
unfortunate Marquis of Tullibardine, in Mr. Radcliffe, and others, whose
fate he may thus be considered to have hastened by his alluring
representations of the prospects of success.

When it was decided that Charles Edward should throw himself on the
loyalty of the Clans, and intimation was given of the whole scheme, Lord
George Murray prepared for action. The landing of the Prince, the
erection of a standard at Glenfinnin, the march through Lochiel, and the
encampment between Glengarry and Fort Augustus, were events which he did
not personally aid by his presence. He was, indeed, busily employed in
assembling his father's tenantry; and it was not until the Prince
arrived at Perth that Lord George Murray was presented to him; he was
almost immediately created a Lieutenant-General in the Prince's service.
His power in the Highlands was, indeed, of a far greater extent than
that military rank would seem to imply; for, although the Marquis of
Tullibardine was the nominal commander in the North, to Lord George
Murray was entrusted the actual management of affairs; an arrangement
with which the modest and conscientious Tullibardine willingly complied.

The character of Lord George might be considered as partly sobered by
time; since, at the commencement of the Rebellion of 1745, he was forty
years of age. He was in the full vigour, therefore, of his great natural
and intellectual powers, which, when at that period of life they have
been ripened by exercise and experience, are perhaps at their zenith.
The person of Lord George was tall and robust; he had the self-denial
and energy of his countrymen. He slept little, and entered into every
description of detail; he was persevering in everything which he
undertook; he was vigilant, active, and diligent. To these qualities he
united a natural genius for military operations; and his powers were
such, that it was justly thought, that, had he been well instructed in
military tactics, he would have formed one of the ablest generals of
the day. As it was, the retreat from Derby, ill-advised as it may be
deemed, is said to have sufficiently manifested his skill as a
commander.

In additio