Imustrefertoaveryearlyperiodofmylife，wereItopointoutmyfirstachievementsasatale-teller-butIbelievesomeofmyoldschoolfellowscanstillbearwitnessthatIhadadistinguishedcharacterforthattalent，atatimewhentheapplauseofmycompanionswasmyrecompenseforthedisgracesandpunishmentswhichthefutureromance-writerincurredforbeingidlehimself，andkeepingothersidle，duringhoursthatshouldhavebeenemployedonourtasks。Thechiefenjoymentofmyholidayswastoescapewithachosenfriend，whohadthesametastewithmyself，andalternatelytorecitetoeachothersuchwildadventuresaswewereabletodevise。Wetold，eachinturn，interminabletalesofknight-errantryandbattlesandenchantments，whichwerecontinuedfromonedaytoanotherasopportunityoffered，withoutoureverthinkingofbringingthemtoaconclusion。Asweobservedastrictsecrecyonthesubjectofthisintercourse，itacquiredallthecharacterofaconcealedpleasure；andweusedtoselect，forthescenesofourindulgence，longwalksthroughthesolitaryandromanticenvironsofArthur’sSeat，SalisburyCrags，BraidHills，andsimilarplacesinthevicinityofEdinburgh；andtherecollectionofthoseholidaysstillformsan_oasis_inthepilgrimagewhichIhavetolookbackupon。Ihaveonlytoadd，thatmyfriendstilllivesaprosperousJohnIrving，writertotheSignet，Edinburgh，died1850。
gentleman，buttoomuchoccupiedwithgraverbusiness，tothankmeforindicatinghimmoreplainlyasaconfidantofmychildishmystery。
Whenboyhoodadvancingintoyouthrequiredmoreseriousstudiesandgravercares，alongillnessthrewmebackonthekingdomoffiction，asifitwerebyaspeciesoffatality。Myindispositionarose，inpartatleast，frommyhavingbrokenablood-vessel；andmotionandspeechwereforalongtimepronouncedpositivelydangerous。ForseveralweeksIwasconfinedstrictlytomybed，duringwhichtimeIwasnotallowedtospeakaboveawhisper，toeatmorethanaspoonfulortwoofboiledrice，ortohavemorecoveringthanonethincounterpane。WhenthereaderisinformedthatIwasatthistimeagrowingyouth，withthespirits，appetite，andimpatienceoffifteen，andsuffered，ofcourse，greatlyunderthissevereregimen，whichtherepeatedreturnofmydisorderrenderedindispensable，hewillnotbesurprisedthatIwasabandonedtomyowndiscretion，sofarasreadingmyalmostsoleamusementwasconcerned，andstilllessso，thatIabusedtheindulgencewhichleftmytimesomuchatmyowndisposal。
TherewasatthistimeacirculatinglibraryinEdinburgh，founded，Ibelieve，bythecelebratedAllanRamsay，which，besidescontainingamostrespectablecollectionofbooksofeverydescription，was，asmighthavebeenexpected，peculiarlyrichinworksoffiction。
Itexhibitedspecimensofeverykindfromtheromancesofchivalry，andtheponderousfoliosofCyrusandCassandra，downtothemostapprovedworksoflatertimes。Iwasplungedintothisgreatoceanofreadingwithoutcompassorpilot；andunlesswhensomeonehadthecharitytoplayatchesswithme，Iwasallowedtodonothingsaveread，frommorningtonight。Iwas，inkindnessandpity，whichwasperhapserroneous，howevernatural，permittedtoselectmysubjectsofstudyatmyownpleasure，uponthesameprinciplethatthehumoursofchildrenareindulgedtokeepthemoutofmischief。Asmytasteandappetiteweregratifiedinnothingelse，Iindemnifiedmyselfbybecomingagluttonofbooks。Accordingly，IbelieveIreadalmostalltheromances，oldplays，andepicpoetry，inthatformidablecollection，andnodoubtwasunconsciouslyamassingmaterialsforthetaskinwhichithasbeenmylottobesomuchemployed。
AtthesametimeIdidnotinallrespectsabusethelicensepermittedme。Familiaracquaintancewiththespeciousmiraclesoffictionbroughtwithitsomedegreeofsatiety，andIbegan，bydegrees，toseekinhistories，memoirs，voyagesandtravels，andthelike，eventsnearlyaswonderfulasthosewhichweretheworkofimagination，withtheadditionaladvantagethattheywereatleastinagreatmeasuretrue。Thelapseofnearlytwoyears，duringwhichIwaslefttotheexerciseofmyownfreewill，wasfollowedbyatemporaryresidenceinthecountry，whereIwasagainverylonelybutfortheamusementwhichIderivedfromagoodthoughold-fashionedlibrary。ThevagueandwildusewhichImadeofthisadvantageIcannotdescribebetterthanbyreferringmyreadertothedesultorystudiesofWaverleyinasimilarsituation；thepassagesconcerningwhosecourseofreadingwereimitatedfromrecollectionsofmyown-Itmustbeunderstoodthattheresemblanceextendsnofarther。
Time，asitglidedon，broughttheblessingsofconfirmedhealthandpersonalstrength，toadegreewhichhadneverbeenexpectedorhopedfor。Theseverestudiesnecessarytorendermefitformyprofessionoccupiedthegreaterpartofmytime；andthesocietyofmyfriendsandcompanionswhowereabouttoenterlifealongwithme，filleduptheintervalwiththeusualamusementsofyoungmen。
Iwasinasituationwhichrenderedseriouslabourindispensable；
for，neitherpossessing，ontheonehand，anyofthosepeculiaradvantageswhicharesupposedtofavourahastyadvanceintheprofessionofthelaw，norbeing，ontheotherhand，exposedtounusualobstaclestointerruptmyprogress，ImightreasonablyexpecttosucceedaccordingtothegreaterorlessdegreeoftroublewhichIshouldtaketoqualifymyselfasapleader。
Itmakesnopartofthepresentstorytodetailhowthesuccessofafewballadshadtheeffectofchangingallthepurposeandtenorofmylife，andofconvertingapainstakinglawyerofsomeyears’
standingintoafollowerofliterature。Itisenoughtosay，thatI
hadassumedthelattercharacterforseveralyearsbeforeIseriouslythoughtofattemptingaworkofimaginationinprose，althoughoneortwoofmypoeticalattemptsdidnotdifferfromromancesotherwisethanbybeingwritteninverse。Butyet，Imayobserve，thataboutthistimenow，alas！thirtyyearssinceIhadnourishedtheambitiousdesireofcomposingataleofchivalry，whichwastobeinthestyleoftheCastleofOtranto，withplentyofBordercharacters，andsupernaturalincident。Havingfoundunexpectedlyachapterofthisintendedworkamongsomeoldpapers，Ihavesubjoinedittothisintroductoryessay，thinkingsomereadersmayaccountascurious，thefirstattemptsatromanticcompositionbyanauthorwhohassincewrittensomuchinthatdepartment。Andthosewhocomplain，SeetheFragmentalludedto，intheAppendixNoI。p。
notunreasonably，oftheprofusionoftheTaleswhichhavefollowedWaverley，mayblesstheirstarsatthenarrowescapetheyhavemade，bythecommencementoftheinundationwhichhadsonearlytakenplaceinthefirstyearofthecentury，beingpostponedforfifteenyearslater。
Thisparticularsubjectwasneverresumed，butIdidnotabandontheideaoffictitiouscompositioninprose，thoughIdeterminedtogiveanotherturntothestyleofthework。
MyearlyrecollectionsoftheHighlandsceneryandcustomsmadesofavourableanimpressioninthepoemcalledtheLadyoftheLake，thatIwasinducedtothinkofattemptingsomethingofthesamekindinprose。IhadbeenagooddealintheHighlandsatatimewhentheyweremuchlessaccessibleandmuchlessvisitedthantheyhavebeenoflateyears，andwasacquaintedwithmanyoftheoldwarriorsof1745，whowere，likemostveterans，easilyinducedtofighttheirbattlesoveragainforthebenefitofawillinglistenerlikemyself。Itnaturallyoccurredtomethattheancienttraditionsandhighspiritofapeoplewho，livinginacivilisedageandcountry，retainedsostrongatinctureofmannersbelongingtoanearlyperiodofsociety，mustaffordasubjectfavourableforromance，ifitshouldnotproveacurioustalemarredinthetelling。
Itwaswithsomeideaofthiskindthat，abouttheyear1805，I
threwtogetheraboutone-thirdpartofthefirstvolumeofWaverley。
ItwasadvertisedtobepublishedbythelateMr。JohnBallantyne，booksellerinEdinburgh，underthenameofWaverley，or’TisFiftyYearsSince，’’atitleafterwardsalteredto’TisSixtyYearsSince，’’thattheactualdateofpublicationmightbemadetocorrespondwiththeperiodinwhichthescenewaslaid。Havingproceededasfar，Ithink，astheSeventhChapter，Ishowedmyworktoacriticalfriend，whoseopinionwasunfavourable；andhavingthensomepoeticalreputation，Iwasunwillingtoriskthelossofitbyattemptinganewstyleofcomposition。IthereforethrewasidetheworkIhadcommenced，withouteitherreluctanceorremonstrance。
Ioughttoadd，thatthoughmyingeniousfriend’ssentencewasafterwardsreversedonanappealtothepublic，itcannotbeconsideredasanyimputationonhisgoodtaste，forthespecimensubjectedtohiscriticismdidnotextendbeyondthedepartureoftheheroforScotland，and，consequently，hadnotentereduponthepartofthestorywhichwasfinallyfoundmostinteresting。
Bethatasitmay，thisportionofthemanuscriptwaslaidasideinthedrawersofanoldwriting-desk，which，onmyfirstcomingtoresideatAbbotsfordin1811，wasplacedinalumbergarret，andentirelyforgotten。Thus，thoughIsometimes，amongotherliteraryavocations，turnedmythoughtstothecontinuationoftheromancewhichIhadcommenced，yetasIcouldnotfindwhatIhadalreadywritten，aftersearchingsuchrepositoriesaswerewithinmyreach，andwastooindolenttoattempttowriteitanewfrommemory，Iasoftenlaidasideallthoughtsofthatnature。
Twocircumstancesinparticularrecalledmyrecollectionofthemislaidmanuscript。Thefirstwastheextendedandwell-meritedfameofMissEdgeworth，whoseIrishcharactershavegonesofartomaketheEnglishfamiliarwiththecharacteroftheirgayandkind-heartedneighboursofIreland，thatshemaybetrulysaidtohavedonemoretowardscompletingtheUnionthanperhapsallthelegislativeenactmentsbywhichithasbeenfollowedup。
Withoutbeingsopresumptuousastohopetoemulatetherichhumour，pathetictenderness，andadmirabletact，whichpervadetheworksofmyaccomplishedfriend，IfeltthatsomethingmightbeattemptedformyowncountryofthesamekindwiththatwhichMissEdgeworthsofortunatelyachievedforIreland-somethingwhichmightintroducehernativestothoseofthesisterkingdominamorefavourablelightthantheyhadbeenplacedhitherto，andtendtoprocuresympathyfortheirvirtuesandindulgencefortheirfoibles。
IthoughtalsothatmuchofwhatIwantedintalentmightbemadeupbytheintimateacquaintancewiththesubjectwhichIcouldlayclaimtopossess，ashavingtravelledthroughmostpartsofScotland，bothHighlandandLowland；havingbeenfamiliarwiththeelderaswellasmoremodernrace；andhavinghadfrommyinfancyfreeandunrestrainedcommunicationwithallranksofmycountrymen，fromtheScottishpeertotheScottishploughman。Suchideasoftenoccurredtome，andconstitutedanambitiousbranchofmytheoryhoweverfarshortImayhavefallenofitinpractice。
ButitwasnotonlythetriumphsofMissEdgeworthwhich，workedinmeemulation，anddisturbedmyindolence。Ichancedactuallytoengageinaworkwhichformedasortofessaypiece，andgavemehopethatImightintimebecomefreeofthecraftofRomance-writing，andbeesteemedatolerableworkman。
Intheyear18078Iundertook，attherequestofJohnMurray，Esq。，ofAlbemarleStreet，toarrangeforpublicationsomeposthumousproductionsofthelateMr。JosephStrutt，distinguishedasanartistandanantiquary，amongstwhichwasanunfinishedromance，entitledQueenhoo-Hall。’’ThesceneofthetalewaslaidinthereignofHenryVI。，andtheworkwaswrittentoillustratethemanners，customs，andlanguageofthepeopleofEnglandduringthatperiod。TheextensiveacquaintancewhichMr。StrutthadacquiredwithsuchsubjectsincompilinghislaboriousHordaAngelCynnan，’’hisRoyalandEcclesiasticalAntiquities，’’andhisEssayontheSportsandPastimesofthePeopleofEngland，’’
hadrenderedhimfamiliarwithalltheantiquarianlorenecessaryforthepurposeofcomposingtheprojectedromance；andalthoughthemanuscriptborethemarksofhurryandincoherencenaturaltothefirstroughdraughtoftheauthor，itevincedinmyopinion
considerablepowersofimagination。
AstheWorkwasunfinishedIdeemeditmyduty，asEditor，tosupplysuchahastyandinartificialconclusionascouldbeshapedoutfromthestory，ofwhichMr。Strutthadlaidthefoundation。
ThisconcludingchapterisalsoaddedtothepresentIntroduction，seeAppendixNo。II。p。。
forthereasonalreadymentionedregardingtheprecedingfragment。
Itwasastepinmyadvancetowardsromanticcomposition；andtopreservethetracesoftheseisinagreatmeasuretheobjectofthisEssay。
Queenhoo-Hallwasnot，however，verysuccessful。IthoughtI
wasawareofthereason，andsupposedthat，byrenderinghislanguagetooancient，anddisplayinghisantiquarianknowledgetooliberally，theingeniousauthorhadraisedupanobstacletohisownsuccess。Everyworkdesignedformereamusementmustbeexpressedinlanguageeasilycomprehended；andwhen，asissometimesthecaseinQueenhoo-Hall，theauthoraddresseshimselfexclusivelytotheAntiquary，hemustbecontenttobedismissedbythegeneralreaderwiththecriticismofMungo，inthePadlock，ontheMauritanianmusic，Whatsignifiesmehear，ifmenounderstand？’’
Iconceiveditpossibletoavoidthiserror；andbyrenderingasimilarworkmorelightandobvioustogeneralcomprehension，toescapetherockonwhichmypredecessorwasshipwrecked。ButI