[109] To whom Scott addressed the fifth canto of _Marmion_.
[110] See letter to R. Cadell, _Life_, vol. ix. p. 209.
[111] "The first _Tales of a Grandfather_ [as has already been said]
appeared early in December, and their reception was more rapturous than
that of any one of his works since _Ivanhoe_. He had solved for the
first time the problem of narrating history, so as at once to excite and
gratify the curiosity of youth, and please and instruct the wisest of
mature minds. The popularity of the book has grown with every year that
has since elapsed; it is equally prized in the library, the boudoir, the
schoolroom, and the nursery; it is adopted as the happiest of manuals,
not only in Scotland, but wherever the English tongue is spoken; nay, it
is to be seen in the hands of old and young all over the civilised
world, and has, I have little doubt, extended the knowledge of Scottish
history in quarters where little or no interest had ever before been
awakened as to any other parts of that subject except those immediately
connected with Mary Stuart and the Chevalier."--_Life_, vol. ix. pp.
186-7.
[112] It may be remarked at this point how the value of these works has
been sustained by the public demand during the term of legal copyright
and since that date. That of _Waverley_ expired in 1856, and the others
at forty-two years from the date of publication.
On December 19, 1827, the copyright of the Novels from _Waverley_ to
_Quentin Durward_ was acquired, as mentioned in the text, for £8400 as a
joint purchase. Five years later, viz., in 1832, Mr. Cadell purchased
from Sir Walter's representatives, for about £40,000, the author's share
in stock and entire copyrights!
Nineteen years afterwards, viz., on the 26th March 1851 (after Mr.
Cadell's death), the stock and copyrights were exposed for sale by
auction in London, regarding which a Trade Journal of the date says--
"Mr. Hodgson offered for sale the whole of the copyrights of Sir Walter
Scott's works, including stereotypes, steels, woodcuts, etc., to a very
large meeting of the publishers of this country. After one or two of our
leading firms had retired from the contest, the lot was bought in for,
we believe, £15,500. This sum did not include the stock on hand, valued
at £10,000. However, the fact is that the Trustees have virtually
refused £25,000 for the stock, copyrights, etc., of Scott's works."
Messrs. A. & C. Black in 1851 purchased the property at nearly the same
price, viz.:--Copyright, £17,000; stock, £10,000--in all, £27,000. Mr.
Francis Black, who has kindly given me information regarding the sale of
these works, tells me that of the volumes of one of the cheaper issues
about three millions have been sold since 1851. This, of course, is
independent of other publishers' editions in Great Britain, the
Continent, and America.
[113] In _Henry IV._, Act v. Sc. 3.
[114] In an interesting letter to Scott from Fenimore Cooper, dated
Sept. 12th, 1827, he tells him "that the French abuse you a little, but
as they began to do this, to my certain knowledge, five months before
the book was published, you have no great reason to regard their
criticism.
It would be impossible to write the truth on such a subject and please
this nation. One frothy gentleman denounced you in my presence as having
a low, vulgar style, very much such an one as characterised the pen of
Shakespeare!"
[115] A proverb having its rise from an exclamation made by Mr. David
Dick, a Covenanter, on witnessing the execution of some of Montrose's
followers.--Wishart's _Montrose_, quoting from Guthrie's _Memoirs_, p.
182.
[116] Scott's biographer records his admiration for the manner in which
all his dependants met the reverse of their master's fortunes. The
butler, instead of being the easy chief of a large establishment, was
now doing half the work of the house at probably half his former wages.
Old Peter, who had been for five-and-twenty years a dignified coachman,
was now ploughman in ordinary; only putting his horses to the carriage
on high and rare occasions; and so on with all that remained of the
ancient train, and all seemed happier.
[117] _Ante_, vol. i. p. 120.
[118] _Twelfth Night_, Act II. Sc. 3.
[119] Sir Archibald Campbell of Succoth. He lived at 1 Park Place.
[120] The circumstances under which these sermons were written are fully
detailed in the _Life_, vol. ix. pp. 193, 206. They were issued in a
thin octavo vol. under the title _Religious Discourses,_ by a Layman,
with a short Preface signed W.S. There were more editions than one
published during 1828.
[121] _Ante_, p. 65.
[122] Sir Samuel Shepherd.
[123] Mr. Cooper did not relax his efforts to secure Scott an interest
in his works reprinted in America, but he was not successful, and he
writes to Scott in the autumn of 1827: "This, sir, is a pitiful account
of a project from which I expected something more just to you and
creditable to my country."