chronicles of the canongate-第3章

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t；　allude　to　the　various　localities　which　have　been　affixed　to　some　of　the　scenery　introduced　into　these　Novels；　by　which；　for　example；　Wolf's　Hope　is　identified　with　Fast　Castle　in　Berwickshire；　Tillietudlem　with　Draphane　in　Clydesdale；　and　the　valley　in　the　Monastery；　called　Glendearg；　with　the　dale　of　the　river　Allan；　above　Lord　Somerville's　villa；　near　Melrose。　　I　can　only　say　that；　in　these　and　other　instances；　I　had　no　purpose　of　describing　any　particular　local　spot；　and　the　resemblance　must　therefore　be　of　that　general　kind　which　necessarily　exists　between　scenes　of　the　same　character。　　The　iron…bound　coast　of　Scotland　affords　upon　its　headlands　and　promontories　fifty　such　castles　as　Wolf's　Hope；　every　county　has　a　valley　more　or　less　resembling　Glendearg；　and　if　castles　like　Tillietudlem；　or　mansions　like　the　Baron　of　Bradwardine's；　are　now　less　frequently　to　be　met　with；　it　is　owing　to　the　rage　of　indiscriminate　destruction；　which　has　removed　or　ruined　so　many　monuments　of　antiquity；　when　they　were　not　protected　by　their　inaccessible　situation。　　＇I　would　particularly　intimate　the　Kaim　of　Uric；　on　the　eastern　coast　of　Scotland；　as　having　suggested　an　idea　for　the　tower　called　Wolf's　Crag；　which　the　public　more　generally　identified　with　the　ancient　tower　of　Fast　Castle。＇

The　scraps　of　poetry　which　have　been　in　most　cases　tacked　to　the　beginning　of　chapters　in　these　Novels　are　sometimes　quoted　either　from　reading　or　from　memory；　but；　in　the　general　case；　are　pure　invention。　　I　found　it　too　troublesome　to　turn　to　the　collection　of　the　British　Poets　to　discover　apposite　mottoes；　and；　in　the　situation　of　the　theatrical　mechanist；　who；　when　the　white　paper　which　represented　his　shower　of　snow　was　exhausted；　continued　the　storm　by　snowing　brown；　I　drew　on　my　memory　as　long　as　I　could；　and　when　that　failed；　eked　it　out　with　invention。　　I　believe　that　in　some　cases；　where　actual　names　are　affixed　to　the　supposed　quotations；　it　would　be　to　little　purpose　to　seek　them　in　the　works　of　the　authors　referred　to。　　In　some　cases　I　have　been　entertained　when　Dr。　Watts　and　other　graver　authors　have　been　ransacked　in　vain　for　stanzas　for　which　the　novelist　alone　was　responsible。

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　Nymit　was　the　author's　humour　or　caprice　for　the　time。　　I　hope　it　will　not　be　construed　into　ingratitude　to　the　public；　to　whose　indulgence　I　have　owed　my　SANG…FROID　much　more　than　to　any　merit　of　my　own；　if　I　confess　that　I　am；　and　have　been；　more　indifferent　to　success　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　until　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　discoveryfor　to　me　it　was　onethat　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　even　of　great　authors；　and　rendered　them；　by　their　petty　squabbles　and　mutual　irritability；　the　laughing…　stock　of　the　people　of　the　world。　　I　resolved；　therefore；　in　this　respect　to　guard　my　breastperhaps　an　unfriendly　critic　may　add；　my　browwith　triple　brass；　＇Not　altogether　impossible；　when　it　is　considered　that　I　have　been　at　the　bar　since　1792。　　（Aug。　1831。）＇　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　of　my　contemporaries　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；　I　think；　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；　I　have　usually　found　such　topics；　even　when　introduced　from　motives　most　flattering　to　myself；　Rather　embarrassing　and　disagreeable。

I　have　now　frankly　told　my　motives　for　concealment；　so　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　works　of　〃The　Author　of　Waverley。〃　　I　do　this　without　shame；　for　I　am　unconscious　that　there　is　any　thing　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　faith；　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。　　Nevertheless；　like　Jack　the　Giant…Killer；　I　was　fully　confident　in　the　advantage　of　my　〃Coat　of　Darkness；〃　and　had　it　not　been　from　compulsory　circumstances；　I　would　have；　indeed；　been　very　cautious　how　I　parted　with　it。

As　for　the　work　which　follows；　it　was　meditated；　and　in　part　printed；　long　before　the　avowal　of　the　novels　took　place；　and　originally　commenced　with　a　declaration　that　it　was　neither　to　have　introduction　nor　preface　of　any　kind。　　This　long　proem；　prefixed　to　a　work　intended　not　to　have　any；　may；　however；　serve　to　show　how　human　purposes　in　the　most　trifling；　as　well　as　the　most　important　affairs；　are　liable　to　be　controlled　by　the　course　of　events。　　Thus　we　begin　to　cross　a　strong　river　with　our　eyes　and　our　resolution　fixed　on　that　point　of　the　opposite　shore　on　which　we　purpose　to　land；　but　gradually　giving　way　to　the　torrent；　are　glad；　by　the　aid　perhaps　of　branch　or　bush；　to　extricate　ourselves　at　some　distant　and　perhaps　dangerous　landing…place；　much　farther　down　the　stream　than　that　on　which　we　had　fixed　our　intentions。

Hoping　that　the　Courteous　Reader　will　afford　to　a　known　and　familiar　acquaintance　some　portion　of　the　favour　which　he　extended　to　a　disguised　candidate　for　his　applause；　I　beg　leave　to　subscribe　myself　his　obliged　humble　servant；

WALTER　SCOTT。

ABBOTSFORD；　OCTOBER　1；　1827。

*

Such　was　the　little　narrative　which　I　thought　proper　to　put　forth　in　October　1827；　nor　have　I　much　to　add　to　it　now。　　About　to　appear　for　the　first　time　in　my　own　name　in　this　department　of　letters；　it　occurred　to　me　that　something　in　the　shape　of　a　periodical　publication　might　carry　with　it　a　certain　air　of　novelty；　and　I　was　willing　to　break；　if　I　may　so　express　it；　the　abruptness　of　my　personal　forthcoming；　by　investing　an　imaginary　coadjutor　with　at　least　as　much　distinctness　of　individual　existence　as　I　had　ever　previously　thought　it　worth　while　to　bestow　on　shadows　of　the　same　convenient　tribe。　　Of　course；　it　had　never　been　in　my　contemplation　to　invite　the　assistance　of　any　real　person　in　the　sustaining　of　my　quasi…editorial　character　and　labours。　　It　had　long　been　my　opinion；　that　any　thing　like　a　literary　PICNIC　is　likely　to　end　in　suggesting　comparisons；　justly　termed　odious；　and　therefore　to　be　avoided；　and；　indeed；　I　had　also　had　some　occasion　to　know；　that　promises　of　assistance；　in　efforts　of　that　order；　are　apt　to　be　more　magnificent　than　the　subsequent　performance。　　I　therefore　planned　a　Miscellany；　to　be　dependent；　after　the　old　fashion；　on　my　own　resources　alone；　and　although　conscious　enough　that　the　moment　which　assigned　to　the　Author　of　Waverley　〃a　local　habitation　and　a　name；〃　had　seriously　endangered　his　spell；　I　felt　inclined　to　adopt　the　sentiment　of　my　old　hero　Montrose；　and　to　say　to　myself；　that　in　literature；　as　in　war；

　　〃He　either　fears　his　fate　too　much；　　　　　　Or　his　deserts　are　small；　　　　Who　dares　not　put　it　to　the　touch；　　　　　　To　win　or　lose　it　all。〃

To　the　particulars　explanatory　of　the　plan　of　these　Chronicles；　which　the　reader　is　presented　with　in　Chapter　II。　by　the　imaginary　Editor；　Mr。　Croftangry；　I　have　now　to　add；　that　the　lady；　termed　in　his　narrative；　Mrs。　Bethune　Balliol；　was　designed　to　shadow　out　in　its　leading　points　the　interesting　character　of　a　dear　friend　of　mine；　Mrs。　Murray　Keith；　whose　death　occurring　shortly　before；　had　saddened　a　wide　circle；　much　attached　to　her；　as　well　for　her　genuine　virtue　and　amiable　qualities　of　disposition；　as　for　the　extent　of　information　which　she　possessed；　and　the　delightful　manner　in　which　she　was　used　to　communicate　it。　　In　truth；　the　author　had；　on　many　occasions；　been　indebted　to　her　vivid　memory　for　the　SUBSTRATUM　of　his　Scottish　fictions；　and　she　accordingly　had　been；　from　an　early　period；　at　no　loss　to　fix　the　Waverley　Novels　on　the　right　culprit。

＇The　Keiths　of　Craig；　in　Kincardineshire；　descended　from　John　Keith；　fourth　son　of　William；　second　Earl　Marischal；　who　got　from　his　father；　about　1480；　the　lands　of　Craig；　and　part　of　Garvock；　in　that　county。　　In　Douglas's　Baronage；　443　to　445；　is　a　pedigree　of　that　family。　　Colonel　Robert　Keith　of　Craig　（the　seventh　in　descent　from　John）　by　his　wife；　Agnes；　daughter　of　Robert　Murray　of　Murrayshall；　of　the　family　of　Blackbarony；　widow　of　Colonel　Stirling；　of　the　family　of　Keir；　had　one　sonnamely　Robert　Keith　of　Craig；　ambassador　to　the　court　of　Vienna；　afterwards　to　St。　Petersburgh；　which　latter　situation　he　held　at　the　accession　of　King　George　III。who　died　at　Edinburgh　in　1774。　　He　married　Margaret；　second　daughter　of　Sir　William　Cunningham　of　Caprington；　by　Janet；　only　child　and　heiress　of　Sir　James　Dick　of　Prestonfield；　and；　among　other　children　of　this　marriage　were　the　late　well…known　diplomatist；　Sir　Robert　Murray　Keith；　K。B。；　a　general　in　the