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.

CHRONICLES OF THE CANONGATE.
SIC ITUR AD ASTRA.
INTRODUCTION.- (1831.)
THE preceding Tale of this Collection concluded the last of the pieces
originally published under the nominis umbra of the Author of Waverley;*
and the circumstances which rendered it impossible for the writer to continue longer in the possession of his incognito, were communicated in 1827,
in the Introduction to the first series of Chronicles of the Canongate,-consisting (besides a biographical sketch of the imaginary chronicler) of three
tales, entitled "The Highland Widow," "The Two Drovers," and "The
Surgeon's Daughter." In the present volume the two first named of these
pieces are included, together with three detached stories, which appeared
the year after in the elegant compilation called "The Keepsake." The
"Surgeon's Daughter" it is thought better to defer until a succeeding
volume, than to
" Begin and break off in the middle."
I have, perhaps, said enough on former occasions of the misfortunes which
led to the dropping of that mask under which I had, for a long series of
years, enjoyed so large a portion of public favour. Through the success
of those literary efforts, I had been enabled to indulge most of the tastes,
which a retired person of my station might be supposed to entertain. In
the pen of this nameless romancer, I seemed to possess something like the
secret fountain of coined gold and pearls vouchsafed to the traveller of the
Eastern Tale; and no doubt believed that I might venture, without silly
imprudence, to extend my personal expenditure considerably beyond what
I should have thought of, had my means been limited to the competence
which I derived from inheritance, with the moderate income of a professional situation. I bought, and built, and planted, and was considered by
myself, as by the rest of the world, in the safe possession of an easy fortune. My riches, however, like the other riches of this world, were liable
to accidents, under which they were ultimately destined to make unto themeelves wings and fly away. The year 1825, so disastrous to many branches
of industry and commerce, did not spare the market of literature; and the
sudden ruin that fell on so many of the booksellers, could scarcely have
been expected to leave unscathed one, whose career had of necessity con* Namely, " Woodstock."
t'lhis paragraph has reference to the arrangement adopted for the former Edition of the Waverley Novels
in forty eitht volumes. To suit that of the present Edition, "The Highland Widowv," "The lio Drovers,"'"The Suaroeon's Dlughter," will form the remainder of this Volume; and the Three Stories from the Keepsake
will appear in Volume XII. completitin tle Seies.
2 B(313)