Rob Roy

25

This seems to have been written about the time of Wilkes and Liberty.

26

Now called Don Juan.

27

Perhaps from the French Juste-au-corps.

28

On occasions of public alarm, in the beginning of the eighteenth century, the horses of the Catholics were often seized upon, as they were always supposed to be on the eve of rising in rebellion.

29

The lines here quoted belong to or were altered from a set of verses at one time very popular in England, beginning, Tobacco that is withered quite. In Scotland, the celebrated Ralph Erskine, author of the Gospel Sonnets, published what he called 'Smoking Spiritualized, in two parts. The first part being an Old Meditation upon Smoking Tobacco.' It begins —

This Indian weed now withered quite, 
Tho' green at noon, cut down at night, 
Shows thy decay; 
All flesh is hay. 
Thus thank, and smoke tobacco.

30

The Laigh Kirk or Crypt of the Cathedral of Glasgow served for more than two centuries as the church of the Barony Parish, and, for a time, was converted into a burial-place. In the restorations of this grand building the crypt was cleared out, and is now admired as one of the richest specimens of Early English architecture existing in Scotland.

31

I have in vain laboured to discover this gentleman's name, and the period of his incumbency. I do not, however, despair to see these points, with some others which may elude my sagacity, satisfactorily elucidated by one or other of the periodical publications which have devoted their pages to explanatory commentaries on my former volumes; and whose research and ingenuity claim my peculiar gratitude, for having discovered many persons and circumstances connected with my narratives, of which I myself never so much as dreamed.

32

This I believe to be an anachronism, as Saint Enoch's Church was not built at the date of the story. [It was founded in 1780, and has since been rebuilt.]

33

A street in the old town of Glasgow.

34

The lads with the kilts or petticoats.

35

The Gorbals or 'suburbs' are situate on the south side of the River.

36

Executed for treason.

37

Inch-Cailleach is an island in Lochlomond, where the clan of MacGregor were wont to be interred, and