In the magnum opus, the author's final edition of the Waverley Novels,
“Rob Roy” appears out of its chronological order, and comes next after
“The Antiquary.” In this, as in other matters, the present edition
follows that of 1829. “The Antiquary,” as we said, contained in its
preface the author's farewell to his art. This valediction was meant as
prelude to a fresh appearance in a new disguise. Constable, who had
brought out the earlier works, did not publish the “Tales of my Landlord”
(“The Black Dwarf” and “Old Mortality “), which Scott had nearly finished
by November 12, 1816. The four volumes appeared from the houses of Mr.
Murray and Mr. Blackwood, on December 1, 1816. Within less than a month
came out “Harold the Dauntless,” by the author of “The Bridal of
Triermain.” Scott's work on the historical part of the “Annual Register”
had also been unusually arduous. At Abbotsford, or at Ashiestiel, his
mode of life was particularly healthy; in Edinburgh, between the claims
of the courts, of literature, and of society, he was scarcely ever in the
open air. Thus hard sedentary work caused, between the publication
of “Old Mortality” and that of “Rob Roy,” the first of those alarming
illnesses which overshadowed the last fifteen years of his life. The
earliest attack of cramp in the stomach occurred on March 5, 1817, when
he “retired from the room with a scream of agony which electrified his
guests.”
Living on “parritch,” as he tells Miss Baillie (for his national spirit
rejected arrowroot), Scott had yet energy enough to plan a dramatic piece
for Terry, “The Doom of Devorgoil.” But in April he announced to John
Ballantyne “a good subject” for a novel, and on May 6, John, after a
visit to Abbotsford with Constable, proclaimed to James Ballantyne the
advent of “Rob Roy.”
The anecdote about the title is well known. Constable suggested it, and
Scott was at first wisely reluctant to “write up to a title.” Names like
Rob Roy, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Cleopatra, and so forth, tell the
reader too much, and, Scott imagined, often excite hopes which cannot be
fulfilled. However, in the geniality of an after-dinner hour in the
gardens of Abbotsford, Scott allowed Constable to be sponsor. Many things
had lately brought Rob into his mind. In 1812 Scott had acquired Rob
Roy's gun--“a long Spanish-barrelled piece, with his initials R. M. C.,”
C standing for Campbell, a name assumed in compliment to the Argyll
family.
Rob's spleuchan had also been presented by Mr. Train to Sir Walter, in
1816, and may have directed his thoughts to this popular freebooter.
Though Rob flourished in the '15, he was really a character very near
Scott, whose friend Invernahyle had fought Rob with broadsword and
target--a courteous combat like that between Ajax and Hector.
At Tullibody Scott had met, in 1793, a gentleman who once visited Rob,
and arranged to pay him blackmail.
Mr. William Adam had mentioned to Scott in 1816 the use of the word
“curlie-wurlies” for highly decorated architecture, and recognised the
phrase, next year, in the mouth of Andrew Fairservice.
In the meeting at Abbotsford (May 2, 1817) Scott was very communicative,
sketched Bailie Nicol Jarvie, and improvised a dialogue between Rob and
the magistrate. A week later he quoted to Southey, Swift's lines--
Too bad for a blessing, too good for a curse,--which probably suggested
Andrew Fairservice's final estimate of Scott's hero,--“over bad for
blessing, and ower gude for banning.”
These are the trifles which show the bent of Scott's mind at this period.
The summer of 1817 he spent in working at the “Annual Register” and at
the “Border Antiquities.” When the courts rose, he visited Rob's cave at
the head of Loch Lomond; and this visit seems to have been gossiped
about, as literary people, hearing of the new novel, expected the cave to
be a very prominent feature. He also went to Glasgow, and refreshed his
memory of the cathedral; nor did he neglect old books, such as “A Tour
through Great Britain, by a Gentleman” (4th Edition, 1748). This yielded
him the Bailie's account of Glasgow commerce “in Musselburgh stuffs and
Edinburgh shalloons,” and the phrase “sortable cargoes.”
Hence, too, Scott took the description of the rise of Glasgow. Thus Scott
was taking pains with his preparations. The book was not written in
post-haste. Announced to Constable early in May, the last sheet was not
corrected till about December 21, when Scott wrote to Ballantyne:--