APPENDIX. AUGUST 1828. No. I.-LITTERARIANA. SIR WALTER SCOTT.-The literary history of the Waverly Novels,' with the long concealment of the author's name, and the tardy discovery just at the period of his becoming a candidate for the historic laurel, will afford matter for interesting discussion to some future Placcius, or Barbier. The ensuing statement, published in the 'London Magazine,' serves to explain in a great degree the motives for the revelation of the long suspected secret; we therefore take the liberty of copying it, as a curious contribution to the history of literature; adding, by way of preface, Sir W. Scott's avowal of authorship, from the introduction to the first series of the Chronicles of the Canongate.' "It was my original intention never to have avowed these works during my life-time, and the original manuscripts were carefully preserved, (though by the care of others rather than mine,) with the purpose of supplying the necessary evidence of the truth when the period of announcing it should arrive. But the affairs of my publishers having unfortunately passed into a management different from their own, I had no right any longer to rely upon secresy in that quarter; and thus my mask, like Aunt Dinah's in Tristram Shandy, having begun to wax a little threadbare about the chin, it became time to lay it aside with a good grace, unless I desired it should fall in pieces from my face. "Yet I had not the slightest intention of choosing the time and place in which the disclosure was finally made; nor was there any concert betwixt my learned and respectable friend Lord Meadowbank and myself upon that occasion. It was, as the reader is probably aware, upon the 23rd of February last, [1827], at a public meeting called for establishing a professional Theatrical Fund in Edinburgh, that the communication took place. Just before we sat down to table, Lord Meadowbank asked me whether I was still anxious to VOL. I.-NO. II. с preserve my incognito on the subject of what was called the Waverly Novels?' I did not immediately see the purpose of his Lordship's question, although I certainly might have been led to infer it, and replied, that the secret had now become known to so many people, that I was indifferent on the subject. Lord Meadowbank was thus induced, while doing me the great honour of proposing my health to the meeting, to say something on the subject of these novels, so strongly connecting them with me as the author, that, by remaining silent, I must have stood convicted, either of the actual paternity, or of the still greater crime of being supposed willing to receive, indirectly, praise to which I had no just title. I thus found myself suddenly and unexpectedly placed in the confessional; and had only time to recollect that I had been guided thither by a most friendly hand, and could not perhaps find a better public opportunity to lay down a disguise, which began to resemble that of a detected masquerader. "I had therefore the task of avowing myself to the numerous and respectable company assembled as the sole and unaided author of these novels of Waverly,' the paternity of which was likely at one time to have formed a controversy of some celebrity. I now think it further necessary to say, that while I take on myself all the merits and demerits attending these compositions, I am bound to acknowledge with gratitude, hints of subjects and legends which I have received from various quarters, and have occasionally used as the foundation of my fictitious compositions, or woven up with them in the shape of episodes. I am bound in particular to acknowledge the unremitting kindness of Mr Joseph Train, supervisor of excise at Dumfries, to whose unwearied industry I have been indebted for many curious traditions and points of antiquarian interest. It was Mr Train who recalled to my recollection the history of Old Mortality,' although I myself had a personal interview with that celebrated wanderer, so far back as about 1792, when I found him on his usual task. He was then engaged in repairing the gravestones of the Covenanters who had died while imprisoned in the castle of Dunnottar, to which many of them were committed prisoners at the period of Argyle's rising: their place of confinement is still called the Whigs' Vault. Mr Train, however, procured for me far more extensive information concerning this singular person, whose name was Patterson, than I had been able to acquire during my short conversation with him. He was (as I may have somewhere already stated) a native of the parish of Colesburn, in Dumfrieshire, and it is believed that domestic affliction, as well as devotional feeling, induced him to commence the wandering mode of life, which he pursued for a very long period. It is more than twenty years since Robert Patterson's death, which took place on the high road near Lockerby, where he was found exhausted and expiring. The white pony, the companion of his pilgrimage, was standing by the side of its dying master; the whole furnishing a scene not unfitted for the pencil. These particulars I had from Mr Train. "Another debt which I pay most willingly, is that which I owe to an unknown correspondent (a lady), who favoured me with the history of the upright and high-principled female, whom, in the Heart of Midlothian,' I have termed Jeanie Deans. The circumstance of her refusing to save her sister's life by an act of perjury, and undertaking a pilgrimage to London to obtain her pardon, are both represented as true by my fair and obliging correspondent; and they led me to consider the possibility of rendering a fictitious personage interesting by mere dignity of mind and rectitude of principle, assisted by unpretending good sense and temper, without any of the beauty, grace, talent, accomplishment and wit, to which a heroine of romance is supposed to have a prescriptive right. If the portrait was received with interest by the public, I am conscious how much it was owing to the truth and force of the original sketch, which I regret that I am unable to present to the public, as it was written with much feeling and spirit. "Old and odd books, and a considerable collection of family legends, formed another quarry so ample, that it was much more likely that the strength of the labourer should be exhausted, than that materials should fail. I may mention, for example's sake, that the terrible catastrophe of the Bride of Lammermoor actually occurred in a Scottish family of rank. The female relative by whom the melancholy tale was communicated to me many years since, was a near connexion of the family in which the event happened, and always told it with an appearance of melancholy mystery which enhanced the interest. She had known in her youth the brother who rode before the unhappy victim to the fatal altar, who, though then a mere boy, and occupied almost entirely with the gallantry of his own appearance in the bridal procession, could not but remark that the hand of his sister was moist and cold as that of a statue. It is unnecessary further to withdraw the veil from the scene of family distress; nor although it occurred more than a hundred years since, might it be altogether agreeable to the representatives of the families concerned in the narrative. It may be proper to say, that the events are imitated; but that I had neither the means nor the intention of copying the manners, or tracing the characters of the persons concerned in the real story."-Chronicles of the Canongate, First Series, vol. i. pp. iv-xi. "And now the reader may expect me, while in the confessional, to explain the motives why I have so long persisted in disclaiming the works of which I am now writing. To this it would be difficult to give any other reply, save that of Corporal Nym-It was the humour or caprice of the time. I hope it will not be construed into ingratitude to the public, to whose indulgence I have owed much more than to any merit of my own, if I confess that I am, and have been, more indifferent to succsss, or to failure, as an author, than may be the case with others, who feel more strongly the passion for literary fame, probably because they are justly conscious of a better title to it. It was not till I had attained the age of thirty years that I made any serious attempt at distinguishing myself as an author; and at that period, men's hopes, desires, and wishes, have usually acquired something of a decisive character, and are not eagerly and easily diverted into a new channel. When I made the discovery-for to me it was one that by amusing myself with composition, which I felt a delightful occupation, I could also give pleasure to others, and became aware that literary pursuits were likely to engage in future a considerable portion of my time, I felt some alarm that I might acquire those habits of jealousy and fretfulness which have lessened, and even degraded the character of the children of imagination, and rendered them, by petty squabbles and mutual irritability, the laughing-stock of the people of the world. I resolved, therefore, in this respect, to guard my breast (perhaps an unfriendly critic may add, my brow) with triple brass, and as much as possible to avoid resting my thoughts and wishes upon literary success, lest I should endanger my own peace of mind and tranquillity by literary failure. It would argue either stupid apathy or ridiculous affectation, to say that I have been insensible to the public applause, when I have been honoured with its testimonies; and still more highly do I prize the invaluable friendships which some temporary popularity has enabled me to form among those most distinguished by talents and genius, and which I venture to hope now rest upon a basis more firm than the circumstances which gave rise to them. Yet feeling all these advantages, as a man ought to do, and must do, I may say, with truth and confidence, that I have tasted of the intoxicating cup with moderation, and that I have never either in conversation or correspondence, encouraged discussions respecting my own literary pursuits. On the contrary, have usually found such topics, even when introduced from motives the most flattering to myself, rather embarrassing and disagreeable. "I have now frankly told my motives for concealment, as far as I am conscious of having any, and the public will forgive the egotism of the detail, as what is necessarily connected with it. The author, so long and loudly called for, has appeared on the stage, and made his obeisance to the audience. Thus far his conduct is a mark of respect. To linger in their presence would be intrusion. I have only to repeat, that I avow myself in print, as formerly in words, the sole and unassisted author of all the novels published as the composition of the 'Author of Waverly.' I do this without shame, for I am unconscious that there is anything in their composition which deserves reproach, either on the score of religion or morality; and without any feeling of exultation, because, whatever may have been their temporary success, I am well aware how much their reputation depends upon the caprice of fashion; and I have already mentioned the precarious tenure by which it is held, as a reason for displaying no great avidity in grasping at the possession. "I ought to mention, before concluding, that twenty persons at least were, either from intimacy or from the confidence which circumstances rendered necessary, participant of this secret; and as there was no instance, to my knowledge, of any one of the number breaking the confidence required from them, I am the more obliged to them, because the slight and trivial character of the mystery was not qualified to inspire much respect in those entrusted with it."Id. pp. xxii-xxvii. "When Sir Walter Scott at a public dinner lately declared, apropos to nothing, that he was the man who had so long concealed his features under the mask of the Author of Waverly,' all the world stared, not so much at the unexpectedness of the disclosure, for it was virtually well known before; but that the declaration should be made at that particular moment, when there appeared no reason for exploding the quasi secret. A document we have lately seen, however, explains the circumstance, and puts to flight many sage conjectures. The unfortunate position of the affairs of Constable and Co. and of Ballantyne and Co., with the latter of which firms Sir Walter Scott was connected, has rendered it necessary that their accounts should not only be looked into, but exposed to the creditors. The transactions recorded there show explicitly enough who was the author of Waverly: we not only find Sir Walter Scott receives payment for these works, but we find him stipulating for the purchase money of works then unconceived, and of which he is hitherto undelivered. We find him, moreover, not only yielding up every stiver or its worth which he could command, but actually pledging future labours akin to former ones, for the liquidation of his debts. These and a variety of other particulars are to be found in the excerpts of the sederunt book of the meetings of Messrs Ballantyne's creditors, a copy of which has lately been in private circulation. Hence the sudden, and it must be added, rather awkward avowal of the authorship on the part of Sir Walter. As he was well aware that the circumstances would soon make their way through the press, he determined to catch at some little éclat, while yet there was time-some little credit for disclosing that himself, which all the world were soon to learn from others. "These are items from the accounts. VALUE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT'S LITERARY PROPERTY. "1. Copyright of published works, estimated at the rate obtained from Constable and Co. for similar works: St Ronan's Well Redgauntlet 1,300 1,300 2,000 £ 4,600 This price is given for the subsequent editions, after the first of 10,000. |