bad impression of
the Council itself, and engaged to lay it entirely aside."

It was not only in regard to Lord George Murray that the influence of
the Secretary was prejudicial to the Prince's interests; neither was
Lord George the only person whom he dreaded as a rival. Having access to
the most intimate communication with Charles Edward, he abused the youth
and inexperience of the ill-fated man to inspire him with a distrust of
many gentlemen of good family and of integrity, whose fidelity he
contrived to whisper away. All employments were filled up at the
Secretary's nomination; and he contrived to bestow them upon his own
creatures, who would never thwart his measures. Hence it followed that
places of trust were bestowed on "insignificant little fellows," while
there were abundance of gentlemen of merit who might have been of great
use, had they met with the confidence of their Prince. "Those that
Murray had thus placed," continues Mr. Maxwell, "seconded his dirty
little views; and it was their interest, too, to keep their betters at a
distance from the Prince's person and acquaintance."

Until a very short time before Charles Edward left Perth, he appears to
have felt the most unqualified admiration for the Highland character,
which he had carefully studied.[41] He thus expressed himself to his
father: "I have occasion every day to reflect on your Majesty's last
words to me,--that I should find power, if tempered with justice and
clemency, an easy thing to myself, and not grievous to those under me.
'Tis owing to the observance of this rule, and to my conformity to the
customs of these people, that I have got their hearts, to a degree not
easy to be conceived by those who do not see it. One who observes the
discipline which I have established, would take my little army to be a
body of picked veterans; and, to see the love and harmony that reigns
amongst us, he would be apt to look upon it as a large well-ordered
family, in which every one loves another better than himself."

He even applauded the rude climate of Scotland. "I keep my health better
in these wild mountains than I used to do in the Campagna Felice; and
sleep sounder, lying on the ground, than I used to do in the palaces at
Rome."

In this happy temper the Prince set out on his march from Perth to
Edinburgh. The march was made in the most perfect good order, and the
strictest discipline prevented any depredations. As the insurgent army
passed by St