Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since is a historical novel by Walter Scott (1771–1832). Scott was already famous as a poet, and chose to publish Waverley anonymously in 1814 as his first venture into prose fiction. It is often regarded as one of the first historical novels in the Western tradition.
Edward Waverley, a young English gentleman, is commissioned into a Scottish regiment shortly before the Jacobite rising of 1745. He goes on leave to visit a family friend, the Baron of Bradwardine, and is shocked to find that Bradwardine and his followers are supporters of Charles Edward Stuart, the exiled Jacobite prince. Waverley is forced to choose between his loyalty to the Crown and his admiration for the Jacobites' romantic cause. His gentlemanly actions gain him friends in this precarious situation, on both sides of the rising, who stand him in good stead when the Jacobites are eventually defeated.
Scott chose to publish his later novels as being "by the author of Waverley". In a letter shortly after publication, Scott writes: "I shall not own Waverley; my chief reason is that it would prevent me of the pleasure of writing again." His series of works on similar themes written during the same period have become collectively known as the "Waverley novels". The novel was well received by contemporary critics, and well liked by those who purchased novels in the early 19th century. It has continued in favour with later critics.
In 1818 Scott was granted a baronetcy, becoming Sir Walter Scott. It was an open secret that he was "the author of Waverley", and he admitted this at a public dinner in 1827.
Composition and sources Evidence about the composition of the first volume of Waverley is inconclusive, but it was probably begun in 1808 and laid aside, continued in 1810 and again laid aside, and eventually taken up and completed in the later part of 1813. The second and third volumes were written in the spring and early summer of 1814.Walter Scott, Waverley, ed. P. D. Garside (Edinburgh, 2007), 367–83. Scott had an intimate acquaintance with Jacobite history, and Waverley draws on an extensive range of anecdotal and historical literary material. He had talked to people who had been involved in the 1745 uprising, or to those who had known them. He drew on the resources of his extensive library for relevant printed material. Among the most consistently helpful books were: John Home, The History of the Rebellion in the Year 1745 (1802) Edmund Burt, Letters from a Gentleman in the North of Scotland (1754) Donald Macintosh, A Collection of Gaelic Proverbs, and Familiar Phrases (1785).Ibid., 503–09.
Editions The first edition of Waverley, in three volumes, consisting of 1,000 copies, was published in Edinburgh on 7 July 1814 by Archibald Constable and Co. and in London later in the month by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown.For a full account of the early editions see ibid., 383, 404–29. As with all the Waverley novels before 1827, publication was anonymous. The price was one guinea (£1.05). The first edition was followed by two further editions, together comprising 4,000 copies, in the same year, with small authorial revisions, and by several more editions extending into the early 1820s: Scott was involved in at least one of these, the sixth edition of 1816. In early 1826 Scott returned to Waverley, revising the text and writing an introduction and notes for a complete edition of the Waverley novels: this took some time to materialise after the 1826 financial crash, but eventually the novel appeared as the first and second volumes of the "Magnum" edition in June and July 1829.
The first critical edition, by Claire Lamont, was published by the Clarendon Press, Oxford, in 1981. The standard edition is now that edited by P. D. Garside in 2007, as the first volume of the Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels: this is based on the first edition with emendations to restore authorial readings from the manuscript and the second and third editions. The new Magnum material is included in Volume 25a.
Plot
Background It is the time of the Jacobite uprising of 1745 which sought to restore the Stuart dynasty in the person of Charles Edward Stuart, known as "Bonnie Prince Charlie". A young English dreamer and soldier, Edward Waverley, is sent to Scotland that year. He journeys north from his aristocratic family home, Waverley-Honour, in the south of England, first to the Scottish Lowlands and the home of family friend Baron Bradwardine, then into the Highlands and the heart of the rebellion and its aftermath.
Plot summary Edward is at ease in the family estate owned by his uncle, Sir Everard Waverley, who maintains the family's traditional Tory and Jacobite sympathies. He spends time with his parents as well, though less time after his mother dies when he is about 12 or 13 years old. His Whig father works for the Hanoverian government in nearby Westminster. Edward has a sense of his honour, but he starts life with no political affiliation. Edward is given a commission in the Hanoverian army by his father and posted to Dundee. After some military training, he takes leave to visit the Baron of Bradwardine, a friend of his uncle, and meets the baron's lovely daughter Rose.
When Highlanders visit Bradwardine's castle, Edward is intrigued and goes to the mountain lair of the Clan Mac-Ivor, meeting the Chieftain Fergus and his sister Flora, who turn out to be active Jacobites preparing for the insurrection. Edward has overstayed his leave and is accused of desertion and treason, then arrested. The Highlanders rescue him from his escort and take him to the Jacobite stronghold at Doune Castle, then on to Holyrood Palace, where he meets Bonnie Prince Charlie, with whom he is charmed.
Encouraged by the beautiful Flora Mac-Ivor, Edward goes over to the Jacobite cause and takes part in the Battle of Prestonpans of September 1745. The battle is recounted in some detail. Undaunted by the light, inaccurate guns, the Highlander army continues its charge; however, the centre becomes bogged down in marshy land, and in driving forward the men's different speeds of advance cause them to form into a "V". One of the soldiers who tumbles into the marsh is the Hanoverian Colonel Talbot, whom Waverley picks up on his horse, saving his life. This man is a close friend of his Waverley uncle. Edward gets separated from Fergus and both their bands in one battle that the government troops were winning. Edward finds local people who take him in until he can leave safely after events are calmer and the snows are gone. He sees a newspaper that informs him that his father has died, so he heads to London.
When the Jacobite cause fails in 1746, Talbot intervenes to get Edward a pardon. Edward visits the decrepit estate of Baron Bradwardine, attacked by soldiers. After making contact with the baron, he asks for his daughter's hand in marriage, and soon is the established lover of Rose. The baron is also pardoned. Edward seeks Flora the day before her brother's trial; she plans to join a convent in France. Edward then attends the trial in Carlisle at which Fergus Mac-Ivor is condemned to death, and is with him in the hours before his execution. Edward then returns to his uncle and aunt on the Waverley Honour and begins preparations for their wedding and also to make the legal appearances to assure the pardons of Edward and his future father-in-law. The Talbots restore the Baron's estate, taken from him for his Jacobite activities, and repair it completely, restored to the original appearance with Bradwardine's family crests. The Talbots bought their own estate near Waverley Honour, while the Baron's family estate is restored to his ownership by Edward Waverley, using the funds from selling his late father's home.
Characters Principal characters in bold Sir Everard Waverley, of Waverley-Honour Richard, his brother Rachael, his sister Edward, his nephew Mr Samuel Pembroke, his chaplain Serjeant Humphrey Houghton, Edward's subordinate John Hodges, another subordinate Miss Cæcilia Stubbs, a beauty Colonel Gardiner, Edward's commanding officer Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine, of Bradwardine and Tully-Veolan Rose, his daughter Bailie Duncan Macwheeeble, his steward Alexander Saunderson, his butler David Gellatley, his half-wit servant Janet, Gellatley's mother Mr Falconer, laird of Balmawhapple Mr Bullsegg, laird of Killancureit Mr Rubrick, a nonjuring clergyman Fergus Mac-Ivor, a Highland chieftain Flora, his sister Callum Beg, his page Evan Dhu Maccombich, his lieutenant Mrs Flockhart, his Edinburgh landlady Donald Bean Lean, a freebooter (also as Ruthven and Ruffin) Alice, his daughter Ebenezer Cruickshanks, an innkeeper John Mucklewrath, a blacksmith Mrs Mucklewrath, his wife Mr Morton, a minister Major Melville, a Justice of the Peace Mr Habakkuk Gilfillan, a Cameronian leader Colonel Donald Stewart, governor of Doune Castle Charles Edward, the Young Pretender Colonel Talbot Lady Emily Blandeville, his wife Mrs Nosebag, a military wife
Chapter summary
Volume One
Ch. 1 Introductory: The author introduces his work to the reader.
Ch. 2 Waverley Honour.—A Retrospect: Edward Waverley's father Richard defects to the Whigs, which almost leads his older brother Sir Everard, a confirmed Tory and bachelor, to disinherit him and his family, but he has second thoughts and warms to Edward as a young boy.
Ch. 3 Education: Transferred to Sir Everard's seat, Waverley-Honour, to be educated by his chaplain Mr Pembroke, Edward is allowed to follow a lively but undisciplined course of reading which stimulates his imagination rather than benefiting his understanding.
Ch. 4 Castle-building: The adolescent Edward is induced by stories of family history told by his aunt Rachael to indulge in fanciful meditation.
Ch. 5 Choice of a Profession: To prevent Edward succumbing to the charms of a local beauty Miss Cæcilia Stubbs, Rachael sets in train negotiations which result in his receiving an army commission. The author apologises for the lengthy but necessary introductory chapters.
Ch. 6 The Adieus of Waverley: Sir Everard gives Edward a letter of introduction to Cosmo Bradwardine, Baron of Tully-Veolan, whom he had befriended after the 1715 uprising, and Mr Pembroke saddles him with a voluminous set of his manuscript sermons.
Ch. 7 A Horse-quarter in Scotland: Edward finds military life in Angus boring and obtains from his commanding officer Colonel G——— a few weeks' leave of absence to make an excursion.
Ch. 8 A Scottish Manor House Sixty Years Since: Edward arrives at the hamlet and estate of Tully-Veolan.
Ch. 9 More of the Manor House and its Environs: Edward encounters a half-wit servant David Gellatley who introduces him to the butler.
Ch. 10 Rose Bradwardine and her Father: Edward encounters Rose Bradwardine and her father, who gives an account of four guests expected for dinner.
Ch. 11 The Banquet: After a bibulous meal Balmawhapple insults Edward at the local inn.
Ch. 12 Repentance, and a Reconciliation: Bradwardine reconciles Edward and an apologetic Balmawhapple. Rose tells Gellatley's story.
Ch. 13 A More Rational Day than the Last: After hunting with Bradwardine, Edward is entertained by Rose, who tells how Gellatley's mother Janet had been regarded as a witch.
Ch. 14 A Discovery—Waverley becomes Domesticated at Tully-Veolan: Prompted by Gellatley, Edward discovers that Bradwardine has fought Balmawhapple on his behalf. Rose is increasingly attracted by Edward.
Ch. 15 A Creagh, and its Consequences: Some six weeks into Edward's stay the Tully-Veolan cattle are stolen, Bradwardine having refused to continue paying 'black-mail' to Fergus Mac-Ivor.
Ch. 16 An Unexpected Ally Appears: Evan Dhu Maccombich arrives from Fergus to make peace, and Edward sets out with him to experience the Highlands.