"Waverley" is a story of the rebellion of the chevalier Prince Charles
Edward, in Scotland, in 1745.
Edward Waverley, the central figure of the tale, was a captain of
dragoons in the English army. He obtained a leave of absence from
his regiment and went to Scotland for a rest, staying at the home of
Baron Bradwardine. During his stay a band of Highlanders drove off the
Baron's cattle, and Waverley offered his assistance in recovering them.
Fergus MacIvor was the chief of the band which stole the cattle.
Waverley met his sister, Flora, and fell in love with her, but she
discouraged him.
Later Waverley was wounded by a stag; and the rebellion having started
in the meanwhile, one of the Highlanders, assuming Waverley to be a
sympathizer, used his name and seal to start a mutiny in Waverley's
troop. For this reason Waverley was dismissed from his regiment for
desertion and treason. Indignant at this unjust treatment, Waverley
joined the rebellion, first, however, returning home in an attempt
to justify himself. On this trip he was arrested for treason, but was
rescued by the Highlanders when on his way to the dungeon of Stirling
Castle.
Waverley served in the war, and when the rebellion was crushed he
escaped, and later made his way to London. There his name was cleared
from the false charges, and a pardon obtained for both himself and
Baron Bradwardine. Flora's brother was executed, and she herself
retired to a convent at Paris. Waverley married Rose, the beautiful
daughter of Baron Bradwardine.
One of the most charming scenes in the story took place shortly after
Waverley met Flora at the home of her brother. Flora had promised to
sing a Gaelic song for him in one of her favorite haunts. One of the
attendants guided him to a beautiful waterfall in the neighborhood, and
there he saw Flora.
"Here, like one of those lovely forms which decorate the landscapes
of Poussin, Waverley found Flora gazing on the waterfall. Two paces
farther back stood Cathleen, holding a small Scottish harp, the use of
which had been taught to Flora by Rory Dall, one of the last harpers
of the western Highlands. The sun, now stooping in the west, gave a
rich and varied tinge to all the objects which surrounded Waverley,
and seemed to add more than human brilliancy to the full, expressive
darkness of Flora's eye, exalted the richness and purity of her
complexion, and enhanced the dignity and grace of her beautiful form.
Edward thought he had never, even in his wildest dreams, imagined a
figure of such exquisite and interesting loveliness. The wild beauty of
the retreat, bursting upon him as if by magic, augmented the mingled
feelings of delight and awe with which he approached her, like a fair
enchantress of Boiardo or Ariosto, by whose nod the scenery around
seemed to have been created--an Eden in the wilderness.
"Flora, like every beautiful woman, was conscious of her own power,
and pleased with its effects, which she could easily discern from
the respectful yet confused address of the young soldier. But as she
possessed excellent sense, she gave the romance of the scene and other
accidental circumstance full weight in appreciating the feelings with
which Waverley seemed obviously to be impressed; and unacquainted with
the fanciful and susceptible peculiarities of his character, considered
his homage as the passing tribute which a woman of even inferior charms
might have expected in such a situation. She therefore quietly led the
way to a spot at such a distance from the cascade that its sound should
rather accompany than interrupt that of her voice and instrument, and
sitting down upon a mossy fragment of rock, she took the harp from
Cathleen."
"Waverley" was the first of the world-famous series of romances
to which it gives the title. It was published anonymously in 1814.
Although the authorship of the series was generally accredited to
Scott, it was never formally acknowledged until business conditions
necessitated it in 1826.
[Illustration: MEG MERRILIES DIRECTS BERTRAM TO THE CAVE--"GUY
MANNERING"
COURTESY, THE PAGE COMPANY
FROM AN ETCHING BY C. O. MURRAY]