The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

INTRODUCTION TO CHRONICLES OF THE CANONGATE. 821
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 this narrative, Mrs. Bethune Baliol, 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.
In the sketch of Chrystal Croftangry's own history, the author has been
accused of introducing some not polite allusions to respectable living individuals: but he may safely, he presumes, pass over such an insinuation.
The first of the narratives which Mr. Croftangry proceeds to lay before the
public, " The Highland Widow," was derived from Mrs. Murray Keith, and
is given, with the exception of a few additional circumstances -the introduction of which I am rather inclined to regret- very much as the excellent old lady used to tell the story. Neither the Highland cicerone MacLeigh, nor the demure waiting-woman, were drawn from imagination; and
on re-reading my tale, after the lapse of a few years, and comparing its
effect with my remembrance of my worthy friend's oral narration, which
was certainly extremely affecting, I cannot but suspect myself of having
marred its simplicity by some of those interpolations, which, at the time
when I penned them, no doubt passed with myself for embellishments.
* 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 Jhnl.) 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 son; viz. Robert Keith of Craig, ambassador to the court of Vienna, afterwards to St. Petershurgh, which latter situation he held at the accession
of King George Ill,-who died at Edinburgh in 1774. He married Margaret, second daughter of Sir William
Cunnitngham of Caprington, by Janet, only child and heiress of Sir James Dick of Prestonfield; and, among
other children of this narriage, were, the late well-known diplomatist, Sir Robert Murray Keith K. B., a
general in the army, and for some time ambassador at Vienna; Sir Basil Keith, Knight, captain in the navy,
who died governor of Jamaica; and my excellent friend, Anne Murray Keith, who ultimately came into
possession of the family estates, and died not long before the date of this Introduction. (1831.)
VOL. X.-21