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much of his victorious career in Aberdeenshire , and in that county underwentmany of the vicissitudes to which he became subjected, either through private in-trigue, or by the uncertain and fluctuating support of armies hastily assembled,and over whose continued presence and exertion he had no effectual control.Wherever great talents for war, undaunted resolution, or consummate judgment,could produce success, circumstances of an adverse nature sunk before him, andvictory accompanied his standards, where defeat would to other men have beeninevitable. But human greatness could not overcome the withering effects of re-peated treachery, or the feeble support by inferior troops. Had the Highlanderswho fought with him at Auldearn , at Alford, or at Inverlochy, been present athis last fatal battle, the laird of Assynt might have been spared the infamy of de-livering him into the hands of his merciless enemies. It is impossible to read thehistory of the latter days of Montrose, and his bearing in the hour of death, with-out being impressed with admiration of his noble demeanour, his unshaken firm-ness under insults, which, instead of degrading, added to his nobility; and hisheroic devotion to his sovereign, in whose cause he had achieved such marvelloussuccesses, and for whom he fearlessly died.

I have adhered strictly to the original intention of this Work, and by con-fining the Drawings and Notices exclusively to Aberdeenshire , have of necessityomitted some fine specimens of castellated buildings, either in ruin or otherwise,which adorn the Counties immediately adjoining; of these may be enumerated,Crathes and Dunnottar, in Kincardineshire ; Auchindoun, Balvenie, and Inver-ugie, in the County of Banff. I am also aware of having made omissions withinthe range prescribed; but wishes expressed for the speedy publication of theWork, and the delay which has already taken place, have induced me to submitto the public the book in its present shape.

Since I first announced my intention of publishing these notices, a memorableevent has occasioned to her loyal subjects in Aberdeenshire the greatest satisfac-tion—I allude to the visit of Her Majesty and Prince Albert to that County in1848; and circumstances have since occurred, which inspire a confident hope thatHer Majesty and the Prince will again revisit the romantic scenery of Braemar .I cannot omit noticing this auspicious event without contrasting the only occa-sions on which Aberdeenshire has for centuries been visited by reigning Queens.