Case 9
- Waverley novels 1816-1817
[Sir Walter Scott]. The antiquary. [1st edition]. Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co., Edinburgh; and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, London, 1816. Three volumes; Vol. 1 displayed.
The antiquary was Scott’s personal favourite
among all his novels, and perhaps the most autobiographical. The character of
the learned and garrulous antiquary, Jonathan Oldbuck, was drawn according to
Scott from a childhood friend, George Constable, but a portrait or caricature
of Scott himself is recognisable.
In the
Advertisement to the first edition, Scott states his purpose of writing was to
document Scottish manners and life at three different periods: “Waverley embraced the age of our
fathers, Guy Mannering that of our
own youth, and The antiquary refers
to the last ten years of the eighteenth century.” Its success exceeded its
predecessors, the first edition of 6000 copies selling out within three weeks,
with a further nine editions appearing within Scott’s lifetime.
[Sir Walter Scott]. The antiquary. [1st edition]. Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co., Edinburgh; and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, London, 1816. Three volumes; Vol. 1 displayed.
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[Sir Walter Scott]. The antiquary. [1st edition]. Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co., Edinburgh; and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, London, 1816. Three volumes; Vol. 3 displayed.
The
third volume contains a glossary of Scottish terms as an appendix.
[Sir Walter Scott]. The antiquary. [1st edition]. Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co., Edinburgh; and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, London, 1816. Three volumes; Vol. 3 displayed.
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[Sir Walter Scott]. Tales of my landlord. 3rd edition. Edinburgh: Printed for William Blackwood; and John Murray, London, 1817. Four volumes; Vol. 1 displayed.
Tales of my landlord was originally intended to
comprise four volumes, each containing a single story set in a different region
of Scotland, but only The black dwarf,
a tale of family rivalry in early eighteenth century Scotland, was completed in
accordance with this plan.
[Sir Walter Scott]. Tales of my landlord. 3rd edition. Edinburgh: Printed for William Blackwood; and John Murray, London, 1817. Four volumes; Vol. 1 displayed.
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[Sir Walter Scott]. Tales of my landlord. 3rd edition. Edinburgh: Printed for William Blackwood; and John Murray, London, 1817. Four volumes; Vol. 2 displayed.
After
the success of his initial three novels, Scott adopted a new nom de plume, that of Jedediah
Cleishbotham, schoolmaster and parish clerk of the fictional town of
Gandercleuch. Scott hoped the public would believe a new writer had appeared to
challenge his own supremacy, but many readers recognised the style of ‘the
author of Waverley.’
[Sir Walter Scott]. Tales of my landlord. 3rd edition. Edinburgh: Printed for William Blackwood; and John Murray, London, 1817. Four volumes; Vol. 2 displayed.
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