national odium than that
which pursued this brave, though violent race. The spirit in which they
were denounced has in it little of the character of justice, and reminds
us of the vengeance of the Jewish people upon the different hostile
tribes to whom they were opposed.

In process of time, the last remnant of the lands pertaining to the
Macgregors was bestowed upon Archibald, seventh Earl of Argyle, whose
family had profited largely by the destruction of the clan: for every
Macgregor whom they had destroyed, they had received a reward. In 1611,
the Earl was commanded to root out this thievish and barbarous race; a
commission which he executed remorselessly, dragging the parents to
death, and leaving their offspring to misery and to revenge; for the
deep consciousness of their wrongs grew up with the young, and prepared
them for deeds of violence and vengeance.

Notwithstanding the severities of the Stuarts towards the Macgregors,
the loyalty of the clan continued unimpeachable. It was appreciated by
one who is not celebrated for remembering benefits. Charles the Second
had, in 1663, the grace to remove the proscription from the Macgregors,
by an Act which was passed in the first Scottish Parliament after his
Restoration. He permitted them the use of their family name, and other
privileges of his liege subjects, assigning as a reason for this act of
favour, that the loyalty and affection of those who were once called
Macgregors, during the late troubles, might justly wipe off all former
reproach from their clan. This act of grace, according to the anonymous
writer quoted in the commencement of this memoir, was to be accounted
for by the prevalent licentiousness of that monarch's reign. It gave,
indeed, but little satisfaction to the nonconforming Presbyterians, who
saw with resentment that the penalties unjustly imposed upon themselves
were relaxed in favour of the Macgregors. But this dissatisfaction was
of short duration. After the Revolution, "an influence," says Sir Walter
Scott, "inimical to this unfortunate clan, said to be the same with that
which afterwards dictated the massacre of Glencoe, occasioned the
reaction of the penal statutes against the Macgregors."[102] It is,
however, consolatory to find that the proscription was not acted upon
during the reign of William. The name of Macgregor was again heard in
public halls, in parliament, and courts of justice. Still, however,
whilst the statutes remained, it