DIGITISED MANUSCRIPTS

! ee dier, the Prince was becoming debased by drink. During the months of his concealment in Scotland he had accustomed himself to taking drams of whisky to sustain him under privations and fatigue. Even in an age when immoderate drinking was the fashion his habits of self-indulgence soon attracted attention and comment. His whole moral nature underwent a complete transformation owing to this vice to which he became a slave. His bold bearing degenerated into cowardice, his sensitive humanity into brutality, his generosity into avarice, his confidence into suspicion, and his cordial manners into vulgar swagger and coarse hilarity. For many years little of moment can be gathered of his ex- istence. He lived alternately in France, in Belgium, in Switzerland, under various names and in various disguises, accompanied by Miss Walkenshaw, whose acquaintance he had made in Scotland. His con- duct towards this lady, who was treated as his wife, and had borne him a daughter, savoured of the brutality which had permeated his whole nature. He quarrelled with her, beat her, and ill-treated her to such an extent that, im the year 1760, she fled with her child, and took refuge in a convent. With an indifference which did him little credit, Charles never troubled himself further about her, even, to the extent of making any provision for her maintenance. To Lord Elcho, who lost his fortune in his cause, he D