It is a curious, yet well authenticated fact, that the novel of
“Waverley”--the first, and perhaps the best, of the prose writing of sir
Walter Scott--remained for more than ten years unpublished. So far back
as 1805, the late talented Mr. John Ballantyne announced “Waverley” as a
work preparing for publication, but the announce excited so little
attention, that the design was laid aside for reasons which every reader
will guess. In those days of peace and innocence, the spirit of literary
speculation had scarcely begun to dawn in Scotland; the public taste ran
chiefly on poetry; and even if gifted men had arisen capable of treading
in the footsteps of Fielding, but with a name and reputation
unestablished, they must have gone to London to find a publisher. The
“magician” himself, with all his powers, appears to have been by no
means over sanguine as to the ultimate success of a tale, which has made
millions laugh, and as many weep; and in autumn he had very nearly
delivered a portion of the MSS. to a party of sportsmen who visited him
in the country, and were complaining of a perfect famine of wadding.[98]
[98] The Times, 26th March, from an “Edinburgh paper.”
* * * * *
~A Young Artist’s Letter~