ThemutualprotectionaffordedbyWaverleyandTalbottoeachother，uponwhichthewholeplotdepends，isfoundedupononeofthoseanecdoteswhichsoftenthefeaturesevenofcivilwar；andasitisequallyhonourabletothememoryofbothparties，wehavenohesitationtogivetheirnamesatlength。WhentheHighlanders，onthemorningofthebattleofPreston，1745，madetheirmemorableattackonSirJohnCope’sarmy，abatteryoffourfield-pieceswasstormedandcarriedbytheCameronsandtheStewartsofAppine。ThelateAlexanderStewartofInvernahylewasoneoftheforemostinthecharge，andobservinganofficeroftheKing’sforces，who，scorningtojointheflightofallaround，remainedwithhisswordinhishand，asifdeterminedtotheverylasttodefendthepostassignedtohim，theHighlandgentlemancommandedhimtosurrender，andreceivedforreplyathrust，whichhecaughtinhistarget。Theofficerwasnowdefenceless，andthebattle-axeofagiganticHighlanderthemillerofInvernahyle’smillwasupliftedtodashhisbrainsout，whenMr。Stewartwithdifficultyprevailedonhimtoyield。Hetookchargeofhisenemy’sproperty，protectedhisperson，andfinallyobtainedhimlibertyonhisparole。TheofficerprovedtobeColonelWhitefoord，anAyrshiregentlemanofhighcharacterandinfluence，andwarmlyattachedtotheHouseofHanover；
yetsuchwastheconfidenceexistingbetweenthesetwohonourablemen，thoughofdifferentpoliticalprinciples，thatwhilethecivilwarwasraging，andstragglingofficersfromtheHighlandarmywereexecutedwithoutmercy，InvernahylehesitatednottopayhislatecaptiveavisitashereturnedtotheHighlandstoraisefreshrecruits，onwhichoccasionhespentadayortwoinAyrshireamongColonelWhitefoord’sWhigfriends，aspleasantlyandasgood-humouredlyasifallhadbeenatpeacearoundhim。
AfterthebattleofCullodenhadruinedthehopesofCharlesEdward，anddispersedhisproscribedadherents，itwasColonelWhitefoord’sturntostraineverynervetoobtainMr。Stewart’spardon。HewenttotheLordJustice-Clerk，totheLordAdvocate，andtoalltheofficersofstate，andeachapplicationwasansweredbytheproductionofalist，inwhichInvernahyleasthegoodoldgentlemanwaswonttoexpressitappearedmarkedwiththesignofthebeast！’’asasubjectunfitforfavourorpardon。
AtlengthColonelWhitefoordappliedtotheDukeofCumberlandinperson。Fromhimalsohereceivedapositiverefusal。Hethenlimitedhisrequest，forthepresent，toaprotectionforStewart’shouse，wife，children，andproperty。ThiswasalsorefusedbytheDuke；onwhichColonelWhitefoord，takinghiscommissionfromhisbosom，laiditonthetablebeforehisRoyalHighnesswithmuchemotion，andaskedpermissiontoretirefromtheserviceofasovereignwhodidnotknowhowtospareavanquishedenemy。TheDukewasstruck，andevenaffected。HebadetheColoneltakeuphiscommission，andgrantedtheprotectionherequired。
Itwasissuedjustintimetosavethehouse，corn，andcattleatInvernahylefromthetroopswhowereengagedinlayingwastewhatitwasthefashiontocallthecountryoftheenemy。’’AsmallencampmentofsoldierswasformedonInvernahyle’sproperty，whichtheysparedwhileplunderingthecountryaround，andsearchingineverydirectionfortheleadersoftheinsurrection，andforStewartinparticular。Hewasmuchnearerthemthantheysuspected；for，hiddeninacaveliketheBaronofBradwardine，helayformanydayssoneartheEnglishsentinels，thathecouldheartheirmuster-rollcalled。Hisfoodwasbroughttohimbyoneofhisdaughters，achildofeightyearsold，whomMrs。Stewartwasunderthenecessityofentrustingwiththiscommission；forherownmotions，andthoseofallherelderinmates，werecloselywatched。Withingenuitybeyondheryears，thechildusedtostrayaboutamongthesoldiers，whowereratherkindtoher，andthusseizethemomentwhenshewasunobserved，andstealintothethicket，whenshedepositedwhateversmallstoreofprovisionsshehadinchargeatsomemarkedspot，whereherfathermightfindit。
Invernahylesupportedlifeforseveralweeksbymeansoftheseprecarioussupplies；andashehadbeenwoundedinthebattleofCulloden，thehardshipswhichheenduredwereaggravatedbygreatbodilypain。Afterthesoldiershadremovedtheirquarters，hehadanotherremarkableescape。
Ashenowventuredtohisownhouseatnight，andleftitinthemorning，hewasespiedduringthedawnbyapartyoftheenemy，whofiredatandpursuedhim。Thefugitivebeingfortunateenoughtoescapetheirsearch，theyreturnedtothehouse，andchargedthefamilywithharbouringoneoftheproscribedtraitors。Anoldwomanhadpresenceofmindenoughtomaintainthatthemantheyhadseenwastheshepherd。Whydidhenotstopwhenwecalledtohim？’’saidthesoldier-Heisasdeaf，poorman，asapeat-stack，’’answeredtheready-witteddomestic-Lethimbesentfor，directly。”Therealshepherdaccordinglywasbroughtfromthehill，andastherewastimetotutorhimbytheway，hewasasdeafwhenhemadehisappearanceaswasnecessarytosustainhischaracter。InvernahylewasafterwardspardonedundertheActofIndemnity。
TheAuthorknewhimwell，andhasoftenheardthesecircumstancesfromhisownmouth。Hewasanoblespecimenoftheoldhighlander，fardescended，gallant，courteous，andbrave，eventochivalry。Hehadbeen_out，_Ibelieve，in1715and1745；wasanactivepartakerinallthestirringsceneswhichpassedintheHighlandsbetwixtthesememorableeras；and，Ihaveheard，wasremarkable，amongotherexploits，forhavingfoughtaduelwiththebroadswordwiththecelebratedRobRoyMacGregor，attheClachanofBalquhidder。
InvernahylechancedtobeinEdinburghwhenPaulJonescameintotheFirthofForth，andthoughthenanoldman，Isawhiminarms，andheardhimexulttousehisownwordsintheprospectofdrawinghisclaymoreoncemorebeforehedied。’’Infact，onthatmemorableoccasion，whenthecapitalofScotlandwasmenacedbythreetriflingsloopsorbrigs，scarcefittohavesackedafishingvillage，hewastheonlymanwhoseemedtoproposeaplanofresistance。Heofferedtothemagistrates，ifbroadswordsanddirkscouldbeobtained，tofindasmanyHighlandersamongthelowerclassesaswouldcutoffanyboat’screwwhomightbesentintoatownfullofnarrowandwindingpassages，inwhichtheywerelikelytodisperseinquestofplunder。Iknownotifhisplanwasattendedto；Iratherthinkitseemedtoohazardoustotheconstitutedauthorities，whomightnot，evenatthattime，desiretoseearmsinHighlandhands。Asteadyandpowerfulwestwindsettledthematter，bysweepingPaulJonesandhisvesselsoutoftheFirth。
Ifthereissomethingdegradinginthisrecollection，itisnotunpleasanttocompareitwiththoseofthelastwar，whenEdinburgh，besidesregularforcesandmilitia，furnishedavolunteerbrigadeofcavalry，infantry，andTheAuthorwasquarter-masteroftheEdinburghVolunteerLightHorse。
artillery，totheamountofsixthousandmenandupwards，whichwasinreadinesstomeetandrepelaforceofafarmoreformidabledescriptionthanwascommandedbytheadventurousAmerican。Timeandcircumstanceschangethecharacterofnationsandthefateofcities；anditissomepridetoaScotchmantoreflect，thattheindependentandmanlycharacterofacountrywillingtoentrustitsownprotectiontothearmsofitschildren，afterhavingbeenobscuredforhalf-a-century，has，duringthecourseofhisownlifetime，recovereditslustre。
TothisslightattemptatasketchofancientScottishmannersthepublichavebeenmorefavourablethantheAuthordursthavehopedorexpected。Hehasheard，withamixtureofsatisfactionandhumility，hisworkascribedtomorethanonerespectablename。
Considerations，whichseemweightyinhisparticularsituation，preventhisreleasingthosegentlemenfromsuspicionbyplacinghisownnameinthetitle-page；sothat，forthepresentatleast，itmustremainuncertainwhetherWaverleybetheworkofapoetoracritic，alawyeroraclergyman，orwhetherthewriter，touseMrsMalaprop’sphrase，be，likeCerberus-threegentlemenatonce。’’
TheAuthor，asheisunconsciousofanythingintheworkitselfexcept，perhaps，itsfrivolitywhichpreventsitsfindinganacknowledgedfather，leavesittothecandourofthepublictochooseamongthemanycircumstancespeculiartodifferentsituationsinlife，suchmayinducehimtosuppresshisnameonthepresentoccasion。
Hemaybeawriternewtopublication，andunwillingtoavowacharactertowhichheisunaccustomed；orhemaybeahackneyedauthorwhoisashamedoftoofrequentappearance，andemploysthismystery，astheheroineoftheoldcomedyusedhermasktoattracttheattentionofthosetowhomherfacehadbecometoofamiliar。
Hemaybeamanofagraveprofession，towhomthereputationofbeinganovel-writermightbeprejudicial；orhemaybeamanoffashion，towhomwritingofanykindmightappearpedantic。Hemaybetooyoungtoassumethecharacterofanauthor，orsooldastomakeitadvisabletolayitaside。
TheAuthorofWaverleyhashearditobjectedtothisnovelthatinthecharacterofCallumBeg，andintheaccountgivenbytheBaronofBradwardineofthepettytrespassesoftheHighlandersupontriflingarticlesofproperty，hehasbornehard，andunjustlyso，upontheirnationalcharacter。Nothingcouldbefartherfromhiswishorintention。ThecharacterofCallumBegisthatofaspiritnaturallyturnedtodaringevil，anddetermined，bythecircumstancesofhissituation，toaparticularspeciesofmischief。
ThosewhohaveperusedthecuriousLettersfromtheHighlands，publishedabout1726，willfindinstancesofsuchatrociouscharacterswhichfellunderthewriter’sownobservation，thoughitwouldbemostunjusttoconsidersuchvillainsasrepresentativesoftheHighlandersofthatperiod，anymorethanthemurderersofMarrandWilliamsoncanbesupposedtorepresenttheEnglishofthepresentday。Asfortheplundersupposedtohavebeenpickedupbysomeoftheinsurgentsin1745，itmustberememberedthat，althoughthewayofthatunfortunatelittlearmywasneithermarkedbydevastationnorbloodshed，but，onthecontrary，wasorderlyandquietinamostwonderfuldegree，yetnoarmymarchesthroughacountryinahostilemannerwithoutcommittingsomedepredations；andseveraltotheextentandofthenaturejocularlyimputedtothembytheBaron，werereallylaidtothechargeoftheHighlandinsurgents；
forwhichmanytraditions，andparticularlyonerespectingtheKnightoftheMirror，maybequotedasgoodevidence。
Seenote，Author’sAddresstoallinGeneralp。。
GENERALPREFACE，1829。
AndmustIraveloutMyweaved-up’follies？
RichardII。ActIV。
HavingundertakentogiveanIntroductoryAccountofthecompositionswhicharehereofferedtothepublic，withNotesandillustrations，theAuthor，underwhosenametheyarenowforthefirsttimecollected，feelsthathehasthedelicatetaskofspeakingmoreofhimselfandhispersonalconcerns，thanmayperhapsbeeithergracefulorprudent。Inthisparticular，herunstheriskofpresentinghimselftothepublicintherelationthatthedumbwifeinthejest-bookheldtoherhusband，when，havingspenthalfofhisfortunetoobtainthecureofherimperfection，hewaswillingtohavebestowedtheotherhalftorestorehertoherformercondition。
ButthisisariskinseparablefromthetaskwhichtheAuthorhasundertaken，andhecanonlypromisetobeaslittleofanegotistasthesituationwillpermit。Itisperhapsanindifferentsignofadispositiontokeephisword，thathavingintroducedhimselfinthethirdpersonsingular，heproceedsinthesecondparagraphtomakeuseofthefirst。Butitappearstohimthattheseemingmodestyconnectedwiththeformermodeofwriting，isoverbalancedbytheinconvenienceofstiffnessandaffectationwhichattendsitduringanarrativeofsomelength，andwhichmaybeobservedlessormoreineveryworkinwhichthethirdpersonisused，fromtheCommentariesofCsar，totheAutobiographyofAlexandertheCorrector。
=AlexandertheCorrector，=anameassumedbyAlexanderCruden，bestknownastheauthoroftheConcordance。Amongvariousotherpamphlets，hepublishedinthreepartsTheAdventuresofAlexandertheCorrector，’’1754and1755-exhibiting，’’saysAlexanderChalmers，aspeciesofinsanitywhichisalmostunique。’’。