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The Miscellaneous Works of Sir Walter Scott: Tales of a Grandfather, History of Scotland
While putting the finishing touches to his Life of Napoleon in May 1827, Scott had the idea of writing a History of Scotland addressed to his six-year-old grandchild John Hugh Lockhart whom he called by the nickname of Hugh Littlejohn. The project was partly inspired by the success of John Wilson Croker's Stories Selected from the History as England (1822), but Scott felt that Croker underestimated the intelligence of his juvenile audience. Children, Scott believed, disliked books 'written down' to their level, preferring a challenge to their understanding and curiosity. He hoped to cater, moreover, for both a juvenile and a popular audience and thus to find a way 'between what a child can comprehend and what shall not yet be absolutely uninteresting to the grown reader' (Journal, July 8, 1827).
Initially, this middle ground proved elusive, and Scott came to feel that he was guilty of 'writing down' at the beginning of the first volume. James Ballantyne concurred, judging the tone of the opening chapters alternately too historical and too infantile. So familiar was Scottish history to Scott, however, that once he had found a satisfactory register, he worked rapidly upon the manuscript. The First Series, which covered the period between the reign of Macbeth (1033-56) and the Union of the Crowns (1603), was complete by November 1827. It was published on December 15, 1827 with an eye to the Christmas market. It sold so well that before the end of the month, Cadell had commissioned a revised and enlarged second edition.
In May 1828 Scott agreed to write a Second Series of Tales. By July, he realized he had so much material that he proposed ending the series with the Union of England and Scotland (1707) then composing a Third Series extending the narrative to the end of the eighteenth century. The Second Series was completed on September 1, 1828 and published on November 27. The Third Series, which culminated in the aftermath of Culloden (1746), appeared on December 21, 1829.
In July 1830, agreed to write a fourth series dealing with French history from Charlemagne to Louis XIV. His research for these volumes also fed into his novel Count Robert of Paris (1832) and revisited material used in his earlier Quentin Durward and Anne of Geierstein. Published on December 20, 1830, the Fourth Series was received as favourably as the earlier Tales, and a second French series was pledged for Christmas 1831. Scott completed the first volume but suspended the second midway, in order to concentrate on Count Robert of Paris and Castle Dangerous. On December 15, 1831 Scott received news of the death of the ten-year-old John Hugh Lockhart. He was not to return to the manuscript before his death.
http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/w...
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
Initially, this middle ground proved elusive, and Scott came to feel that he was guilty of 'writing down' at the beginning of the first volume. James Ballantyne concurred, judging the tone of the opening chapters alternately too historical and too infantile. So familiar was Scottish history to Scott, however, that once he had found a satisfactory register, he worked rapidly upon the manuscript. The First Series, which covered the period between the reign of Macbeth (1033-56) and the Union of the Crowns (1603), was complete by November 1827. It was published on December 15, 1827 with an eye to the Christmas market. It sold so well that before the end of the month, Cadell had commissioned a revised and enlarged second edition.
In May 1828 Scott agreed to write a Second Series of Tales. By July, he realized he had so much material that he proposed ending the series with the Union of England and Scotland (1707) then composing a Third Series extending the narrative to the end of the eighteenth century. The Second Series was completed on September 1, 1828 and published on November 27. The Third Series, which culminated in the aftermath of Culloden (1746), appeared on December 21, 1829.
In July 1830, agreed to write a fourth series dealing with French history from Charlemagne to Louis XIV. His research for these volumes also fed into his novel Count Robert of Paris (1832) and revisited material used in his earlier Quentin Durward and Anne of Geierstein. Published on December 20, 1830, the Fourth Series was received as favourably as the earlier Tales, and a second French series was pledged for Christmas 1831. Scott completed the first volume but suspended the second midway, in order to concentrate on Count Robert of Paris and Castle Dangerous. On December 15, 1831 Scott received news of the death of the ten-year-old John Hugh Lockhart. He was not to return to the manuscript before his death.
http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/w...
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
444 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1828
1 person is currently reading
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About the author
Walter Scott
8,492 books2,049 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 19, 2009
The edition that I have of this book is very old. It has no ISBN or published date. The binding has come off of the spine on the top, there is a partial document showing about the metric system. Looks like it was used as the underbinding of the book. Kind of cool. The pages are very thick.
There is nothing on the spine to tell me what the book is. It's one of those old ones you see by the hundreds on the back shelves of book stores where you can't get to it easily & soon tire of pulling each one looking for a treasure. I don't recall if that is how I found this one or if it came from my grandfather. Either of us were likely to spend an hour doing something like that, though. Anyway, I'm finally getting around to reading it.
It is Sir Walter Scott writing a history of Scotland to his grandson. He tells the story from the Roman occupation splitting the isle, then MacBeth's story. Now I'm reading about how Longshanks, Edward I, decided to get Scotland for his own.
It's a good book, but there are too many others in its way right now. I spent as much time getting back up to date on it as I did reading last night. I'm going to shelve it for now & pick it up again later. It's a re-read, although it's been 30 years or more since I last read it. Too many new books.
There is nothing on the spine to tell me what the book is. It's one of those old ones you see by the hundreds on the back shelves of book stores where you can't get to it easily & soon tire of pulling each one looking for a treasure. I don't recall if that is how I found this one or if it came from my grandfather. Either of us were likely to spend an hour doing something like that, though. Anyway, I'm finally getting around to reading it.
It is Sir Walter Scott writing a history of Scotland to his grandson. He tells the story from the Roman occupation splitting the isle, then MacBeth's story. Now I'm reading about how Longshanks, Edward I, decided to get Scotland for his own.
It's a good book, but there are too many others in its way right now. I spent as much time getting back up to date on it as I did reading last night. I'm going to shelve it for now & pick it up again later. It's a re-read, although it's been 30 years or more since I last read it. Too many new books.
Displaying 1 of 1 review