The Poetical Works of Sir Walter Scott. With memoir of the author

Front matter

" In listening mood, she seemed to stand The guardian Naiad of the strand." Lady of the Lake, Canto I.—Pagt THE POETICAL WORKS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT, T, NELSON AND SONS, LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND N E If YORK THE POETICAL WORKS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. WITH MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. " Dreams that the soul of youth engage Ere Fancy has been quelled ; Old legends of the monkish page. Traditions of the saint and sage, Tales that have the rime of age. And chronicles of eld." LONDON: T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW; EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK. 1877. r-' .1 The Lat of the Last Minstrel ... ... ... 1 Marjiion: a Tale ot Flodden Field ... ... ... 71 TnE Lad. of the Lake ... ... ... ... 1.9 The Vision of Don Rodeiuck ... ... ... ... 303 Rokeby ... ... ... ... ... ... 325 The Lo__ of the Isles ... ... ... ... 429 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BORUKR MINSTRELSY.

S72 ■OTIS. The Lay uC the Last Minstrel ... ... ... „. 573 Mamiion ... ... ... ... ... ... 5&0 The Lady of the Lake ... ,... ... ... ... 590 The Vision of Don Roderick ... ... ... ... 596 Rokeby ... ... ... ... ... ... 598 The Lord of the Isles ... ... ... ... ... 604 Glenflnias ... ... ... ... ... ... 610 The Eve of St. John ... ... ... ... „, 610 Cadyow Castle ... ... ... w ... 611 The Grey Brother ... ... ... ,„ _ There is an old prejudice which strikes its roots very deep in human nature. Christianity and commerce have hitherto striven in vain to destroy it. It takes different forms everywhere. In Scotland and Saxon England it exhibits itself in the distinction created by society between gentle and simple. The imaginary separation of humanity into these classes is the key to the literary as well a3 the private character of Sir Walter Scott.

The spirit of caste is indeed the source of frightful mis chief in general, but it has its periods of utility and its graceful aspects. The latter appeared in their greatest elegance in the works and character of the Scottish bard. To inquire whether so amiable, so gifted, and so popular a person descended upon an age, which his genius was fitted to bless, were to open a question which the civilized world has long since settled for itself, by uni versal and prolonged acclamation. Walter Scott was born on the 15th August 1771. The site of the house, which was his father's, is now covered by a part of the Edinburgh University. The poet's infancy and childhood were principally spent at his grandfather's farm of Sandyknowe, sur rounding the village of Smailholm, near the banks of the Tweed. in the upper part of Berwickshire.

Preface

TO THE FIRST EDITION, 1805. The Poem, now offered to the Public, is Intended to illustrate the cus toms and manners which anciently prevailed on the Borders of England and Scotland. The inhabitants*, living in a state partly pastoral and partly warlike, and combining habits of constant depredation with tha influence of a rude spirit of chivalry, were often engaged in scenes highly susceptible of poetical ornament As the description of scenery and man ners was more the object of the Author, than a combined and regular narrative, the plan of the ancient Metrical Romance was adopted, which allows greater latitude, in this respect, than would be consistent with the dignity of a regular Poem. The same model offered other facilities, as it permits an occasional alteration of measure, which, in some degree, authorizes the change of rhythm in the text.

The machinery, also, adopted from popular belief would have seemed puerile in a Poem which did not partake of the rudeness of the old Ballad, or Metrical Romance. For these reasons, the Poem was put into the mouth of an ancient Minstrel, the last of the race, who, as he is supposed to have survived the Revolution, might have caught somewhat of the refinement of modern poetry, without losing the simplicity of his original model. The date of the Tale itself is about the middle of the sixteenth century, when most of the personages actually flourished. The time occupied by the action is Three Nights and Three Days.