Biography, Anthology Images, & Walter Scott letter to Mrs Phyn
Sir Walter Scott rare books books rare scott walter scott poet novelist Waverley novels roadshow archive novels book biography signed edinburgh edition published education volume calf Edinburgh Cadell Co. 1829 First Collected Edition edition magnum opus king george visit ballantyne ballads `editor college wynd Abbotsford on the Tweed tweed David freeman university charlotte carpenter study
Sir Walter Scott'. Signed Waverley Novels discovered on the Canadian Roadshow tour. Biography of Scott and photos.
The first novel called ' Waverley" was signed, dedicated and inscribed to the original owner Mrs Sarah Phyn in 1830 and a hand written letter also signed by Sir Walter Scott from Abbotsford 29th October 1830 accompanied the treasure. This book is special because it was the precursor to literary change in the world. In one fell swoop, Walter Scott had invented a brand new style which was to become the archetype of the historical novel throughout the world.

This series of books was to influence generations of writers and earned Walter Scott his well earned reputation as the founder of the historical novel.

*Best known works amongst this series. You will know them: Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Keniworth, the Pirate, the Abbot, Tales of the Crusaders

Biography of Sir Walter Scott:

Born the son of an Edinburgh lawyer, Walter Scott was born in College Wynd, Edinburgh at the top of Guthrie Street and was raised at 25 George Square, where the family lived until the death of Walter Scott, Senior.

The young Walter Scott attended the Royal High School and the University of Edinburgh and was called to the bar in 1792.

Walter Scott married Charlotte Mary Carpenter in 1797 and moved to a house in Castle Street, Edinburgh before moving to Ashestiel on the Tweed in 1804.

< Abbotsford on the Tweed, which became Sir Walter Scotts country home was purchased in 1812.

Walter Scott continued his legal career, at the same time making his name as a collector and editor of ballads ( Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border ), 3 vols 1802-1803) and a poet ( Lay of the Last Minstrel , 1805, etc.); he was a lifelong friend and collaborator of James Hogg ('The Ettrick Shepherd') and of Professor John Wilson ('Christopher North').

In 1812 Walter Scott became a partner in James Ballantyne's printing business in 1809 and purchased the house, Abbotsford on the Tweed.

In 1829,at Abbotsford on the Tweed, Sir Walter Scott wrote the general preface to the Waverley Novels as part of the 'Magnum Opus,' the definitive version of the Waverley Novels.

Sir Walter Scott remains one of Scotland's greatest men of letters. His influence was as far reaching as his works were commercially successful - His poetry earned him an offer of the laureateship, which he refused and was considered totally original in style among the Romantics

Walter Scotts first novels ("Waverley", 1814, etc.) were published anonymously, but he had to use the security of his copyrights, as well as the publication of the later novels, to meet the debts incurred as a result of the failure in 1826 of 'Constable and Ballantyne,' his publisher as well as his business partner.

Walter Scott masterminded the visit to Edinburgh in 1822 of King George IV and did much to create the historically romantic image of Scotland enjoyed by the Victorians and later generations.

John BALLANTYNE (1774-1821), was the printer of the Waverley novels

Novels By Sir Walter Scott

The Eve of St. John (1800)

Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (1803)

The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805)

Marmion (1808)

The Lady in the Lake (1810)

The Bridal of Triermain (1813)

Rokeby (1813)

Halidon Hill (1822)

Chronicles of the Canongate (1827)

Castle Dangerous (1831)

Collections: By Sir Walter Scott

Ballads and Lyrical Pieces (1806)

Selected Poems (poems) (1972)

The Supernatural Stories of Sir Walter Scott (1977)

Non fiction: By Sir Walter Scott

The Life of Napoleon Buonaparte, Emperor of the

French (1827)

Waverley Anecdotes: Illustrating some of the Popular Characters, Scenes and Incidents in the Novels and Romances of Sir Walter Scott (1890)

Anthologies containing stories by Sir Walter Scott

A Century of Thrillers: From Poe to Arlen (1934)

The Mystery Book (1934)

The Great Book of Thrillers (1935)

A Century of Ghost Stories (1936)

Great British Tales of Terror: Gothic Stories of Horror

and Romance 1765-1840 (1972)

The 12th Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories (1976)

The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories (1984)

Great Short Stories of the World (1986)

The World's Library of Best Books Volume Two (1989)

The Open Door: And Other Ghost Stories (1990)

Fantastic Tales: Visionary and Everyday (1993)

Vampires, Wine and Roses (1997)

100 Twisted Little Tales of Torment (1998)

Subjective books about Sir Walter Scott

The Laird of Abbotsford: A View of Sir Walter Scott (1980) by A N Wilson

The Civilized Imagination: A Study of Ann Radcliffe, Jane Austen, and Sir Walter Scott (1985) by Daniel Cottom