Queen  Victoria,  following  as  she  did  the  Puritan,
the  Roundhead  ideal,  was  proud  of  her  drop  of


258        PRINCE  CHARLES   EDWARD

Stuart  blood,  and  listened  with  delight  to  the
songs  that  breathe  of  hatred  to  her  much  closer
kindred,  the  Georges.  Jacobite  poetry  and
Jacobite  music  exert  over  one  the  same  fascina-
tion that  inspired  the  loyalty  and  the  devotion
to  which  they  give  such  vivid  expression ;  and
even  now,  for  one  who  reads  the  historical
accounts  of  the  '45  and  the  romantic,  tragic
story  of  its  hero,  hundreds  listen  to  the  plaint  of
"  Flora  Macdonald's  Lament,"  and  "  Wae's  me
for  Prince  Charlie,"  and  "  Will  ye  no  come  back
again  ?  "

With  Charles  Edward's  landing  and  his  pro-
gress southward,  the  whole  country  became  filled
with  sympathising  song  ;  when  all  was  over,  the
melody  became  only  the  richer  for  the  lost  cause
and  the  fallen  race.  Scarcely  a  single  song  can
be  found  in  favour  of  the  victors.  As  Burns  said,
the  Scottish  muse  was  "  entirely  and  only
Jacobite."  These  songs  mingle  scorn  for  the
usurper,  with  an  unquenchable  sorrow  for  the
misfortunes  of  the  "  bonnie  "  Prince.  Feelings
strong,  ardent,  fierce,  tender,  breathe  through
their  lines.  Reading  them,  one  seems  to  touch
the  pulse  of  those  throbbing  times,  and  to  have
vividly  brought  before  him  the  sudden  changes
from  hope,  hesitation,  success,  failure,  fierce
anger,  sarcasm,  love,  hate,  pathos,  and  other
kindred  feelings  and  passions  which,  for  all  time,
though  most  strongly,  perhaps,  in  times  of  civil
war,  sway  the  minds  of  men.
