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formerly helped； and I hoped would yet help。 The rain still continuing； the child weeping bitterly； I went to prayer； and no sooner did I cry to God； but the child gave over weeping； and when we got up from prayer； the rain was pouring down on every side； but in the way where we were to go there fell not one drop； the place not rained on was as big as an ordinary avenue。' And so great a saint was the natural butt of Satan's persecutions。 ‘I retired to the fields for secret prayer about mid…night。 When I went to pray I was much straitened； and could not get one request； but 〃Lord pity；〃 〃Lord help〃； this I came over frequently； at length the terror of Satan fell on me in a high degree； and all I could say even then was … 〃Lord help。〃 I continued in the duty for some time； notwithstanding of this terror。 At length I got up to my feet； and the terror still increased； then the enemy took me by the arm…pits； and seemed to lift me up by my arms。 I saw a loch just before me； and I concluded he designed to throw me there by force； and had he got leave to do so； it might have brought a great reproach upon religion。 （1） But it was otherwise ordered； and the cause of piety escaped that danger。 （2）
（1） This John Stevenson was not the only ‘witness' of the name； other Stevensons were actually killed during the persecutions； in the Glen of Trool； on Pentland； etc。； and it is very possible that the author's own ancestor was one of the mounted party embodied by Muir of Caldwell； only a day too late for Pentland。 （2） Wodrow Society's SELECT BIOGRAPHIES； vol。 ii。… ＇R。 L。 S。＇
On the whole； the Stevensons may be described as decent； reputable folk； following honest trades … millers； maltsters； and doctors； playing the character parts in the Waverley Novels with propriety； if without distinction； and to an orphan looking about him in the world for a potential ancestry； offering a plain and quite unadorned refuge； equally free from shame and glory。 John； the land…labourer； is the one living and memorable figure； and he； alas！ cannot possibly be more near than a collateral。 It was on August 12； 1678； that he heard Mr。 John Welsh on the Craigdowhill； and ‘took the heavens； earth； and sun in the firmament that was shining on us； as also the ambassador who made the offer； and THE CLERK WHO RAISED THE PSALMS； to witness that I did give myself away to the Lord in a personal and perpetual covenant never to be forgotten'； and already； in 1675； the birth of my direct ascendant was registered in Glasgow。 So that I have been pursuing ancestors too far down； and John the land…labourer is debarred me； and I must relinquish from the trophies of my house his RARE SOUL…STRENGTHENING AND COMFORTING CORDIAL。 It is the same case with the Edinburgh bailie and the miller of the Canonmills； worthy man！ and with that public character； Hugh the Under…Clerk； and； more than all； with Sir Archibald； the physician； who recorded arms。 And I am reduced to a family of inconspicuous maltsters in what was then the clean and handsome little city on the Clyde。
The name has a certain air of being Norse。 But the story of Scottish nomenclature is confounded by a continual process of translation and half…translation from the Gaelic which in olden days may have been sometimes reversed。 Roy becomes Reid； Gow； Smith。 A great Highland clan uses the name of Robertson； a sept in Appin that of Livingstone； Maclean in Glencoe answers to Johnstone at Lockerby。 And we find such hybrids as Macalexander for Macallister。 There is but one rule to be deduced： that however uncompromisingly Saxon a name may appear； you can never be sure it does not designate a Celt。 My great…grandfather wrote the name STEVENSON but pronounced it STEENSON； after the fashion of the immortal minstrel in REDGAUNTLET； and this elision of a medial consonant appears a Gaelic process； and； curiously enough； I have come across no less than two Gaelic forms： JOHN MACSTOPHANE CORDINERIUS IN CROSSRAGUEL； 1573； and WILLIAM M'STEEN in Dunskeith （co。 Ross）； 1605。 Stevenson； Steenson； Macstophane； M'Steen： which is the original？ which the translation？ Or were these separate creations of the patronymic； some English； some Gaelic？ The curiously compact territory in which we find them seated … Ayr； Lanark； Peebles； Stirling； Perth； Fife； and the Lothians … would seem to forbid the supposition。 （1）
（1） Though the districts here named are those in which the name of Stevenson is most common； it is in point of fact far more wide…spread than the text indicates； and occurs from Dumfries and Berwickshire to Aberdeen and Orkney。
‘STEVENSON … or according to tradition of one of the proscribed of the clan MacGregor； who was born among the willows or in a hill…side sheep…pen … 〃Son of my love；〃 a heraldic bar sinister； but history reveals a reason for the birth among the willows far other than the sinister aspect of the name'： these are the dark words of Mr。 Cosmo Innes； but history or tradition； being interrogated； tells a somewhat tangled tale。 The heir of Macgregor of Glenorchy； murdered about 1858 by the Argyll Campbells； appears to have been the original 'Son of my love'； and his more loyal clansmen took the name to fight under。 It may be supposed the story of their resistance became popular； and the name in some sort identified with the idea of opposition to the Campbells。 Twice afterwards； on some renewed aggression； in 1502 and 1552； we find the Macgregors again banding themselves into a sept of 'Sons of my love'； and when the great disaster fell on them in 1603； the whole original legend reappears； and we have the heir of Alaster of Glenstrae born 'among the willows' of a fugitive mother； and the more loyal clansmen again rallying under the name of Stevenson。 A story would not be told so often unless it had some base in fact； nor （if there were no bond at all between the Red Macgregors and the Stevensons） would that extraneous and somewhat uncouth name be so much repeated in the legends of the Children of the Mist。
But I am enabled； by my very lively and obliging correspondent； Mr。 George A。 Macgregor Stevenson of New York； to give an actual instance。 His grandfather； great… grandfather； great…great…grandfather； and great…great…great… grandfather； all used the names of Macgregor and Stevenson as occasion served； being perhaps Macgregor by night and Stevenson by day。 The great…great…great…grandfather was a mighty man of his hands； marched with the clan in the 'Forty… five； and returned with SPOLIA OPIMA in the shape of a sword； which he had wrested from an officer in the retreat； and which is in the possession of my correspondent to this day。 His great…grandson （the grandfather of my correspondent）； being converted to Methodism by some wayside preacher； discarded in a moment his name； his old nature； and his political principles； and with the zeal of a proselyte sealed his adherence to the Protestant Succession by baptising his next son George。 This George became the publisher and editor of the WESLEYAN TIMES。 His children were brought up in ignorance of their Highland pedigree； and my correspondent was puzzled to overhear his father speak of him as a true Macgregor； and amazed to find； in rummagi