was，ontheotherhand，sofardiscouragedbytheindifferentreceptionofMr。Strutt’sromance，astobecomesatisfiedthatthemannersofthemiddleagesdidnotpossesstheinterestwhichIhadconceived；
andwasledtoformtheopinionthataromancefoundedonaHighlandstory，andmoremodernevents，wouldhaveabetterchanceofpopularitythanataleofchivalry。Mythoughts，therefore，returnedmorethanoncetothetalewhichIhadactuallycommenced，andaccidentatlengththrewthelostsheetsinmyway。
Ihappenedtowantsomefishing-tacklefortheuseofaguest，whenitoccurredtometosearchtheold，writing-deskalreadymentioned，inwhichIusedtokeeparticlesofthatnature。Igotaccesstoitwithsomedifficulty，andinlookingforlinesandfliesthelong-lostmanuscriptpresenteditself。Iimmediatelysettoworktocompleteitaccordingtomyoriginalpurpose。AndhereImustfranklyconfessthatthemodeinwhichIconductedthestoryscarcelydeservedthesuccesswhichtheromanceafterwardsattained。ThetaleofWaverleywasputtogetherwithsolittlecare，thatIcannotboastofhavingsketchedanydistinctplanofthework。ThewholeadventuresofWaverley，inhismovementsupanddownthecountrywiththeHighlandcateranBeanLean，aremanagedwithoutmuchskill。Itsuitedbest，however，theroadIwantedtotravel，andpermittedmetointroducesomedescriptionsofsceneryandmannerstowhichtherealitygaveaninterestwhichthepowersoftheauthormighthaveotherwisefailedtoattainforthem。AndthoughIhavebeeninotherinstancesasinnerinthissort，IdonotrecollectanyofthesenovelsinwhichIhavetransgressedsowidelyasinthefirstoftheseries。
Amongotherunfoundedreports，ithasbeensaidthatthecopyrightofWaverleywas，duringthebook’sprogressthroughthepress，offeredforsaletovariousbooksellersinLondonataveryinconsiderableprice。Thiswasnotthecase。Messrs。ConstableandCadell，whopublishedthework，weretheonlypersonsacquaintedwiththecontentsofthepublication，andtheyofferedalargesumforitwhileinthecourseofprinting，which，however，wasdeclined，theauthornotchoosingtopartwiththecopyright。
TheoriginofthestoryofWaverley，andtheparticularfactsonwhichitisfounded，aregivenintheseparateIntroductionprefixedtothatromanceinthisedition，andrequirenonoticeinthisplace。