TOWIE BARCLAY.

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rose rapidly in rank. In 1806, he was a General Officer, commanding a division of the Russian army sent to the assistance of Prussia against the Emperor Napoleon ; he was present at thebattle of Wagram , and had a horse shot under him at Eylau, where he was also severely wounded.His services on these occasions so raised him in the estimation of the Emperor Alexander ,that he appointed him Minister-at-War, created him a Prince of the Empire, and gave himthe baton of a Field-Marshal. At the commencement of the celebrated campaign of 1812, hewas placed in the chief command of the Russian army, and became the adviser of the Emperor ,to the jealousy and dislike of the ancient Russian noblesse. To him is attributed the plan ofresistance to be adopted in that ever memorable campaign, namely, removing the people, andleaving the country desolate through which the French army was to pass. In this, however,he only copied the successful tactic of the Duke of Wellington, in the campaign in Portugal of1810. It is well known, that following up his original plan, Barclay de Tollie, after fighting abattle at Smolensko , continued his retreat, which added to the displeasure of the Russian nobility, and, notwithstanding his sound reasoning in defence of the line of conduct he hadadopted, his removal from the command took place ; and Kutusoff, probably to avert the samefate which had resulted to his predecessor, fought and lost the battle of Borodino. TheEmperor Alexander did not withdraw his confidence from Marshal Barclay, but continued himin office as Minister-at-War, and brought him with him to London in 1814.

From 1558 to 1624, there is no investure of the estate. It was then held by PatrickBarclay, whose initials are given to the moral reflection over the entrance, “ In time ofvalth,” &c.

The next in vesture is to Walter Barclay, as heir male to Patrick, who is designed« Feuar” of Towie. Walter died in 1636. His son Patrick is retoured as heir male to hisfather, in 1643. In 1668, William Barclay was served heir to Patrick. He held the estatein trust for Elizabeth Barclay, who married John Barclay or Gordon, of Rothiemay; and, onthe third February, 1693, a charter was granted to the said Elizabeth Barclay, designed ladyof Towie, and John Gordon, her husband, in liferent; and to Patrick Barclay, their only son,whom, failing the other heirs male of Elizabeth, then to her heirs female. These are followedby sasines, which conclude 24th September, 1713. Patrick had one son, who proved fatuous,and a daughter, who married Sir Alexander Innes of Coxtown, and by him had one daughter,Isabel, who married the Honourable Charles Maitland, brother to the Earl of Lauderdale.Isabel succeeded to the estate on the death of her brother, and it was sold by Mr. Maitland,in 1753.

The weird, “ Happy to the maids, but never to the men,” was said to follow the familyin the death of the heir male, who seldom survived his father ; and so strong a hold had this inthe belief of the people, that it was by them assigned as the reason for the sale of the estatein 1753. It was then purchased by the Earl of Findlater, for his second son, who died a fewyears after, and when little more than of age. His death was considered another verification ofthe prediction of Thomas the Rhymer; and Lord Findlater, one of the ablest men of his daywas so far from being above the current superstition, that ever after, on his journeys to and