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 THE FIRST EDITION —(1816.)
As I may, without vanity, presume that the name and official description
prefixed to this Proem will secure it, from the sedate and reflecting part of
mankind, to whom only I would be understood to address myself, such
attention as is due to the sedulous instructor of youth, and the careful performer of my Sabbath duties, I will forbear to hold up a candle to the daylight, or to point out to the judicious those recommendations of my labours
which they must necessarily anticipate from the perusal of the title-page.
Nevertheless, I am not unaware, that, as Envy always dogs Merit at the
heels, there may be those who will whisper, that albeit my learning and
good principles cannot (lauded be the heavens!) be denied by any one, yet
that my situation at Gandercleuch hath been more favourable to my acquisitions in learning than to the enlargement of my views of the ways and
works of the present generation. To the which objection, if, peradventure,
any such shall be started, my answer shall be threefold:
First, Gandercleuch is, as it were, the central part-the navel (si fas sit
dicere) of this our native realm of Scotland; so that men, from every corner
thereof, when travelling on their concernments of business, either towards
our metropolis of law, by which I mean Edinburgh, or towards our metropolis and mart of gain, whereby I insinuate Glasgow, are frequently led to
make Gandercleuch their abiding stage and place of rest for the night.
And it must be acknowledged by the most sceptical, that I, who have sat
in the leathern arm-chair, on the left-hand side of the fire, in the common
room of the Wallace Inn, winter and summer, for every evening in my life,
during forty years by past (the Christian Sabbaths only excepted), must
have seen more of the manners and customs of various tribes and people,
than if I had sought them out by my own painful travel and bodily labour.
Even so doth the tollman at the well-frequented turnpike on the Well-braehead, sitting at his ease in his own dwelling, gather more receipt of custom,
than if, moving forth upon the road, he were to require a contribution from
each person whom he chanced to meet in his journe'y, when, according to
the vulgar adage, he might possibly be greeted with more kicks than halfpence.
But, secondly, supposing it again urged, that Ithacus, the most wise of
the Greeks, acquired his renown, as the Roman poet hath assured us, by
visiting states and men, I reply to the Zoilus who shall adhere to this
objection, that, defacto, I have seen states and men also; for I have visited
the famous cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, the former twice, and the
latter three times, in the course of my earthly pilgrimage. And, moreover,
I had the honour to sit in the General Assembly (meaning as an auditor, in
the' galleries thereof), and have heard as much goodly speaking on the law
of patronage, as, with the fructification thereof in mine own understanding, hath made me be considered as an oracle upon that doctrine ever since
my safe and happy return to Gandercleuch.
Again-and thirdly, If it be nevertheless pretended that my information and knowledge of mankind however extensive, and however painfully
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