recognised by Hogg as a portrait of the author himself. ‘The Antiquary,’ which, as he told Basil Hall (Fragments, iii. 325; and see Archdeacon Sinclair, Old Times and Distant Places), was his own favourite, appeared in May 1816. The ‘Black Dwarf’ and ‘Old Mortality’ appeared together, as the first series of the ‘Tales of my Landlord,’ on 1 Dec. 1816. The ‘author of “Waverley”’ was not mentioned on the title-page, but the identity was instantly recognised. Scott himself reviewed this in the ‘Quarterly,’ inserting, however, as Lockhart says, a general estimate of the novels written by W. Erskine. The main purpose of the article is to give facts in justification of some of his Scottish portraits, especially his account of the covenanters in ‘Old Mortality,’ which had been attacked by Thomas McCrie (1772–1835) [q. v.] (the article is in his ‘Miscellaneous Works’). ‘Rob Roy’ appeared on 31 Dec. 1817, and the ‘Heart of Midlothian’ in June 1818. This representation of the nobler side of the covenanting temper gave the best answer to McCrie's criticism, and the story caused, says Lockhart, an unequalled burst of enthusiasm throughout Scotland. The third series of ‘Tales of my Landlord,’ including the ‘Bride of Lammermoor’ and the ‘Legend of Montrose,’ appeared on 10 June 1819.
The arrangements for publishing these novels were unfortunately carried on by Scott through the Ballantynes, of whom other publishers, such as Cadell and Blackwood, seem to have felt thorough distrust (see Constable, iii. 108, &c.; Smiles, Murray, i. 462). John Ballantyne tried to work upon the eagerness of various competitors for the works of the popular author. The books were printed by James Ballantyne. Scott retained the permanent copyright, but sold the early editions for such a sum as would give half the profits to the publisher. ‘Guy Mannering’ was thus sold to the Longmans for 1,500l. on condition of taking 500l. of John Ballantyne's stock. Constable was vexed on being passed over, and the ‘Antiquary’ was given to him on the usual terms; but the first ‘Tales of my Landlord’ were sold to Murray and Blackwood, who again took some of Ballantyne's stock (Constable, iii. 35). Constable, it seems, resented some of John Ballantyne's proposals, and was unwilling to be connected with the firm. On the appearance of ‘Rob Roy,’ however, John Ballantyne again agreed with Constable, who gave 1,700l. for the copies, besides taking more stock, and Ballantyne himself gained 1,200l. by the bargain. On the next occasion Ballantyne worked so successfully upon Constable's jealousy of Murray that the publisher, besides taking the second series of the ‘Tales of my Landlord,’ ‘cleared the Augean stable’ by taking the remainder of Ballantyne's stock for 5,270l.—two thirds of which was ultimately a dead loss. [This transaction, according to Constable (iii. 96), took place later.] Scott thus got rid of the last remains of the publishing business, and now supposed himself to be emerging from his difficulties. He was able, in consequence of some arrangement with Constable, to return the Duke of Buccleuch's bond discharged (7 Jan. 1818). Finally, in December 1818, Scott, who required money for land-purchases, building, and the expense of obtaining a commission for his son, made a bargain by which Constable bought the copyrights of all his works published up to that date for 12,000l. This included all the novels above mentioned and the poetry, with the exception of a fourth share of ‘Marmion’ belonging to Murray. The Constables signed bonds for this amount on 2 Feb. 1819, but failed to pay them off before their insolvency. Scott therefore retained some interest in the copyrights. Longman published the ‘Monastery,’ and joined Constable in publishing the ‘Abbot.’ But Constable published all Scott's other works, and came into exceedingly intricate relations with Scott and the Ballantynes.
‘Ivanhoe,’ which appeared at the end of 1819, marked a new departure. Scott was now drawing upon his reading instead of his personal experience, and the book has not the old merit of serious portraiture of real life. But its splendid audacity, its vivid presentation of mediæval life, and the dramatic vigour of the narrative, may atone for palpable anachronisms and melodramatic impossibilities. The story at once achieved the popularity which it has always enjoyed, and was more successful in England than any of the so-called ‘Scottish novels.’ It was Scott's culminating success in a bookselling sense, and marked the highest point both of his literary and his social prosperity.
The year was indeed a sad one for Scott. He had been deeply grieved by the death of the (fourth) Duke of Buccleuch on 20 April 1819. He lost his mother, between whom and himself there had been a cordial affection, on 24 Dec. Her brother, Dr. Rutherford, and her sister had died on the 20th and 22nd of the same month. His own health was in so serious a state at the publication of the ‘Tales’ in June that the general impression was that he would write no more. He had been suddenly attacked, in March 1817, by violent cramps
