The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott, with memoir of the author.

INTRODUCTION
TO THE
LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL.'
A POEM of nearly thirty years' standing may
be supposed hardly to need an Introduction, since,
without one, it has been able to keep itself afloat
through the best part of a generation. Nevertheless, as in the edition of the Waverley Novels
now in course of publication, I have imposed on
myself the task of saying something concerning
the purpose and history of each, in their turn, I
am desirous that the Poems for which I first
received some marks of the public favour, should
also be accompanied with such scraps of their literary history as may be supposed to carry inter1 Published in 4to. (L. 1, 5s.) 1805.