UK Reading Experience Database - Browse Author Writings

'When asked how books had shaped him, Labour M.P. F.W. Jowett ranged widely: Ivanhoe made him want to read, Unto this Last made him a socialist, Past and Present made him think, Vanity Fair and Les Miserables taught him human sympathy, and Wuthering Heights taught him respect for man and nature.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: F.W. Jowett Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

Extract of letter from Thomas De Quincey to Mary Wordsworth, given in 30 December 1810 letter from Dorothy Wordsworth to Catherine Clarkson: '"W. Scott's last novel, the Lady of the Lake, is the grand subject of prattle and chatter hereabouts. I have read it aloud to oblige my Mother, and a more disgusting Task I never had. I verily think that it is the completest magazine of all forms of the Falsetto in feeling and diction that now exists ... I have given great offence to some of Walter's idolaters ... in particular, by calling it a novel (which indeed it is; only a very dull one)."'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas De Quincey

Walter Scott :

'By age fourteen Durham collier Jack Lawson... would find... emancipation at the Boldon Miners' Institute... "And didn't I follow the literary trail, once I found it. Like a Fenimore Cooper Indian I was tireless and silent once I started. Scott; Charles Reade, George Eliot; the Brontes; later on Hardy; Hugo; Dumas and scores of others. Then came Shakespeare; the Bible; Milton and the line of poets generally. I was hardly sixteen when I picked up James Thomson's Seasons, in Stead's 'Penny Poets'... I wept for the shepherd who died in the snow".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Jack Lawson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

William Wordsworth to R. P. Gillies, 25 April 1815: 'You mentioned Guy Mannering in your last. I have read it. I cannot say that I was disappointed, for there is very considerable talent displayed ... But the adventures I think are not well chosen or well executed ... '

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Wordsworth Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'In 1898 Armstrong organised the Ashington Debating and Literary Improvement Society, and his reading broadened out to Shakespeare, Burns, Shelley, Keats, Tennyson, Byron, Whitman, Wordsworth, Scott, Robert Browning, Darwin and T.H. Huxley. Robertson Nicoll's British Weekly had introduced him to a more liberal Nonconformity that was hospitable to contemporary literature. The difficulty was that the traditional Nonconformist commitment to freedom of conscience was propelling him beyond the confines of Primitive Methodism, as far as Unitarianism, the Rationalist Press Association and the Independent Labour Party. His tastes in literature evolved apace: Ibsen, Zola. Meredith, and Wilde by the 1890s; then on to Shaw, Wells, and Bennett; and ultimately Marxist economics and Brave New World'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Chester Armstrong Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley Novels

[According to Flora Thompson], "Modern writers who speak of the booklessness of the poor at that time must mean books as possessions...there were always books to borrow"... One could borrow Pamela and the Waverley novels from a neighbour, Christies Old Organ from the Sunday School library. Her uncle, a shoemaker, had once carted home from a country-house auction a large collection of books that no-one would buy: novels, poetry, sermons, histories, dictionaries. She read him Cranford while he worked in his shop... Later she could borrow from her employer (the village postmistress) Shakespeare and Byron's Don Juan, as well as Jane Austen, Dickens and Trollope from the Mechanics' Institute library.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Flora THompson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake, The

'C[oleridge] was a reader of ... [The Lady of the Lake]: he read Southey's copy in Sept. 1810 ... '

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Taylor Coleridge Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

Byron to John Murray, 24 July 1814: 'Waverley is the best & most interesting novel I have redde since -- I don't know when -- I like it as much as I hate Patronage and Wanderer -- & O'donnel and all the feminine trash of the last four months ... '

Century: Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : Review of Byron, Childe Harold Canto III and The Prisoner of Chillon, a Dream, and other Poems

Byron to John Murray, 3 March 1817, on review of his work in Quarterly Review received two days previously: '... I ... flatter myself that the writer ... will not regret that the perusal of this has given me as much gratification -- as any composition of that nature could give -- & more than any other ever has given ...'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord

Byron to John Murray, 9 May 1817: 'The "Tales of my Landlord" I have read with great pleasure ...'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

Either at school or at home I read all the classics considered necessary for children: 'Treasure Island', 'Kidnapped', 'Little Women', 'David Copperfield', 'Ivanhoe', 'Robinson Crusoe'. I suppose I enjoyed them; I certainly did not resent or avoid them. Very occasionally some incident would seem to connect with my own life: the doings of the Spanish Inquisition in 'Westward Ho!' for example, fitted in exactly with what I had heard about Roman Catholics. But on the whole the themes appeared completely abstract and impersonal, even when the author intended a message to strike home. 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' did not cause me a moment's concern for the plight of Negro slaves in America, and neither did 'The Water Babies' for the sufferings of the child chimney-sweeps, not because these situations had been done away with, but because no book stirred me in that way...

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Patricia Beer Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

Byron to John Murray, 17 July 1818: 'I have seen one or two late English publications -- which are no great things --except Rob Roy.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lay of the Last Minstrel

'When he was finally exposed to Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel, [Robert Story] reeled from the shock of the new. Pope may have been too refined, but this, Story insisted, was "uncontrolled barbarism", poetic anarchy, "harsh, puerile and fantastic".'

Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Story Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

'Robert White... had somewhat more progressive tastes [than Robert Story], which extended to Shelley, Keats, Childe Harold, and The Lady of the Lake. But his reading stopped short at the Romantics. In 1873 he confessed that he could not stomach avant-garde poets like Tennyson. "As for our modern novel-writers - Dickens, Thackeray and others I do not care to read them, since Smollett, Fielding and Scott especially are all I desire".'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert White Print: Book

Walter Scott :

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert White Print: Book

Walter Scott : [novels]

Byron to William Bankes, 26 February 1820: 'I have more of Scott's novels (for surely they are Scott's) since we met, and am more and more delighted. I think that I even prefer them to his poetry, which ... I redde for the first time in my life in your rooms in Trinity College.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: BookManuscript: Letter

Walter Scott : [poems]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: BookManuscript: Letter

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

Byron to John Murray, 3 March 1820: 'Pray send me Walter Scott's new novels ... I read some of his former ones at least once a day for an hour or so. The last are too hurried -- he forgets Ravenswood's name ... and he don't make enough of Montrose -- but Dalgetty is excellent ...'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: BookManuscript: Letter

Walter Scott : A Legend of Montrose

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : [novels]

'[the father of C.H. Rolph] read diligently through a list of the "Hundred Best Books" compiled in 1886 by Sir John Lubbock. "It included nearly all of the books that one didn't want to read or gave up if one tried", Rolph recalled: "Aristotle's Ethics, The Koran, Xenophon's Memorabilia, The Nibelunglied, Schiller's William Tell; and it ended with 'Dickens's Pickwick and David Copperfield' (only) but 'Scott's novels' (apparently the lot). For the most part they were the books which it seemed, you should expect to find in every intelligent man's private library; with, in most such libraries, their leaves uncut'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Rolph Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord (3rd series)

Byron's Ravenna Journal (4 January-27 February 1821), 5 January 1821: 'Read the conclusion, for the fifitieth time (I have read all W. Scott's novels at least fifty times) of the third series of "Tales of my Landlord" ...'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord (2nd series)

Byron's Ravenna Journal (4 January-27 February 1821), 7 January 1821: 'Read the 4th. vol of W. Scott's second series of "Tales of my Landlord".'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

Byron's Ravenna Journal (4 January-27 February 1821), 8 January 1821: 'Came home [from ?Guicciolis', where visited at 8pm] -- read History of Greece -- beore dinner had read Walter Scott's Rob Roy.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord

Byron's Ravenna Journal (4 January-27 February 1821), 16 February 1821: 'At nine [pm] went out -- at eleven returned ... Read "Tales of my Landlord" ...'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : [various novels]

Byron to John Murray, 1 March 1821: 'Give my love to Sir W. Scott -- & tell him to write more novels; -- pray send out Waverley and the Guy M[annering] -- and the Antiquary -- It is five years since I have had a copy -- -- I have read all the others forty times.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: BookManuscript: Letter

Walter Scott :

'Rose... remembers her father reading to them - Dickens, Scott, Robinson Crusoe, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Meredith, Tom Jones, The Three Musketeers, Don Quixote, and, curiously, The Origin of Species'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Macaulay Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'When old enough to read for herself, Rose Macaulay entered into other realms of fictitious brave adventure. She devoured Masterman Ready, Ivanhoe, The Talisman, Coral Island, Treasure Island, A Tale of Two Cities, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Prince and the Page

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Rose Macaulay Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Talisman

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Rose Macaulay Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'[Philip Ballard] had no exposure to contemporary writers until the 1890s: "I gained a nodding acquaintance with the life and letters of Ancient Greece and Rome, and... I had read most of Dickens, much of Thackeray and some of Scott; but I had never read a line of Henry James, of Meredith or of Hardy".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Philip Ballard Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'"Thinking back, I am amazed at the amount of English literature we absorbed in those four years", recalled Ethel Clark, a Gloucester railway worker's daughter, "and I pay tribute to the man who made it possible... Scott, Thackeray, Shakespeare, Longfellow, Dickens, Matthew Arnold, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Rudyard Kipling were but a few authors we had at our fingertips. How he made the people live again for us!".'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ethel Clark Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'H.M. Tomlinson, a successful author and dockworker's son, credited his East End Board school with encouraging free expression in composition classes and giving him a solid literary footing in the Bible, Shakespeare and Scott'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: H.M. Tomlinson Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : The Monastery. A romance

I was on the amoroso till M- made me read aloud the first 126pp, vol 2, of Sir walter Scott's(he has just been made a baronet) last novel The Monastery, in 3 vols, 12 mo stupid enough. Tea at 7:30.

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Lister

Walter Scott : [unknown]

'The son of a barely literate Derbyshire collier recalled a sister, a worker in a hosiery factory, who was steeped in the poetry of Byron, Shelley, Keats and D.H. Lawrence. Their mother's reading "would astonish the modern candidate for honours in English at any university", he claimed. "Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Turgeniev, Dumas, Hugo, Thackeray, Meredith, Scott, Dickens, all the classics, poetry etc., all these gave her immense joy".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Sutton Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : poems

'Frances Stevenson, born in 1888, recollected [in The years that Are Past, 1967] that she "read greedily [pre-1914] ... I formed an early acquaintance with Dickens, weeping copiously over Little Dorrit and Little Nell, and I knew by heart many of the passages in the Ingoldsby Legends, a volume that had been given me ... when I was ten years old! ... I lost myself in a magical world while reading the poems of Scott. I think I read them all one summer holiday, in a special spot in our garden ..."'

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Frances Stevenson Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : unknown

'[William Robertson] Nicoll's boyhood reading included Scott, Disraeli, the Brontes, Bulwer Lytton, Shelley, Johnson, Addison, Steele, Goldsmith, Emerson, Lowell, Longfellow ...' [Nicoll's father a Scottish clergyman who amassed library of 17,000 volumes.]

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: William Robertson Nicoll Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : unknown

Philip Gibbs in The Pageant of the Years (1946), on work as writer of series of articles under name "Self-Help" in early 1900s: "'All the reading I had done as a boy, all my youthful enthusiasm for Shakespeare, Milton, Scott, Thackeray, Dickens, George Eliot, and Hardy ... was a great source of supply now when I sat down to write aout great books ..."

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Philip Gibbs Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'Walt Whitman ... recalled in old age ... [having read The Heart of Midlothian] "a dozen times or more"'.

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Walt Whitman Print: Book

Walter Scott : unknown

'"I owe more to Scott than to any other writer," [William] Robertson Nicoll stated. "Every year even in the busiest times I have read over his best stories."'

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: William Robertson Nicoll Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'[William] Robertson Nicoll ... reckoned he had read ... [Rob Roy] sixty times.'

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: William Robertson Nicoll Print: Book

Walter Scott : unknown

'For Hugh Walpole ... Scott was a lifelong passion ... from a subscription library in Durham he proceeded to read all of Scott, who influenced his own first writings.'

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hugh Walpole Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'However many times [Hugh] Walpole read Scott, he never ceased to be moved, as in 1918, when he "read a little Heart of Midlothian and actually wept, at my age too, over Jeanie's meeting with the Queen ..."'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hugh Walpole Print: Book

Walter Scott : Journal

'Whatever little agues beset [Hugh] Walpole, there was always a cure in Scott: a cold would send him to bed, where he would happily read the Abbotsford Correspondence or Scott's Journal (1890) ...'

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hugh Walpole Print: Book

Walter Scott : Katherine Christian

'[Hugh] Walpole's last reading of Scott was in the month before his death, when he was endeavouring to finish Katherine Christian (1941).'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hugh Walpole Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley Novels (12)

'In 1917 ... [John Buchan] was treated for a duodenal ulcer. Recuperating after the operation, he read through a dozen of the Waverley Novels, the Valois and D'Artagnan cycles of Dumas, then Victor Hugo's "Notre Dame" and the immense "Les Miserables" ... ending up with half a dozen of Balzac ...'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: John Buchan Print: Book

Walter Scott : Wandering Willie's Tale (in Redgauntlet)

'In his Scrap Book in 1922 ... [George Saintsbury] recorded that he was 'reading for the hundredth time the Short Story of the World -- Scott's "Wandering Willie's Tale".'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: George Saintsbury Print: Book

Walter Scott : unknown

'... [Walter Scott's] books captivated ... [Andrew Lang] as a boy and 'grow better on every fresh reading."'

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Andrew Lang Print: Book

Walter Scott : novels

June Badeni on readings by 13-year-old Alice Thompson, as recorded in her notebook: 'She has been reading more of Scott and Dickens, is plunging through the novels of George Eliot... has sampled Bulwer Lytton, Thackeray, and Nathaniel Hawthorne.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Alice Thompson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Quentin Durward

[A Sheffield Survey organised by Arnold Freeman in 1918, assessing 816 manual workers, gives the following case:] 'Private in an infantry regiment, formerly a skilled painter, age eighteen. Spends evenings painting, reading, working on model airplanes. Has attended art school....Patronizes Free Library. Has read The Pickwick Papers, The Old Curiosity Shop, David Copperfield, Bulwer Lytton, Ballantyne, Henty, Robinson Crusoe, Quentin Dirward, Ivanhoe, Waverley, Kidnapped, Treasure Island and Two Years before the Mast, as well as the travels of David Livingstone, Fridtjof Nansen, Matthew Peary and Scott of the Antarctic'.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: questionaire respondent Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: questionaire respondent Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: questionaire respondent Print: Book

Walter Scott : [unknown]

[analysis of a female respondent in Arnold Freeman's 1918 Sheffield Survey] 'Machinist in a shell factory, age twenty-four... Has read Shakespeare, Burns, Keats, Scott, Tennyson, Dickens, Vanity Fair, The Rubiyat of Omar Khayyam, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, biography and history'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: questionaire respondent Print: Book

Walter Scott : Fortunes of Nigel

'Just a little note of this night. I had been working very hard and came to my room very late and tired, but took up a book, the "Fortunes of Nigel" and read on and on till it was three o'clock in the morning.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Margaret Oliphant Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott :

Letter 16/8/1863 - Following a description of rural walk - "it was just like the beginning of a new novel of Sir Walter's. - Do you see what the French call him now: - (so truly! - the epithet being one of praise or contempt according to the feeling of the speaker) - 'l'enfantin Sir Walter'!"

Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

Letter H. 29 - (30/12/1855) - "and she is as proud as - Flora Mac Ivor."

Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Walter Scott : Journal

'What a wonderful record is that journal of Sir Walter's which dear Annie Ritchie has sent me - and with what love one watches everything he does. I have read over and over again what he says of his wife's death. It is so sober, so chastened, so true: "I wonder how I shall do with the thoughts which were hers for thirty years".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Margaret Oliphant Print: Book

Walter Scott : [novels]

'[R. L. Stevenson] ... nominated ["The Egoist"], together with a couple of Scott's novels, a Dumas, Shakespeare, Montaigne, and Moliere, as one of that handful of books which ... he read repeatedly -- four or five times in the case of "The Egoist", he declared in 1887.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : complete works to 1820

?Of Sir Walter Scott I have heard Maturin speak in terms of rapture. He considered his extraordinary productions the greatest efforts of human genius, and often said that in the poetry of universal nature he considered him equal to Shakespeare. So sensibly imbued was he with the characteristics of those magic fictions, that he apprehended the publication of an intentional imitation of Ivanhoe. I believe the public however never perceived any imitation beyond that into which every novelist falls who happens to write after Sir Walter.?

Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Robert Maturin Print: Book

Walter Scott : [novels]

'The novels of Scott and Dickens had long been her favourite reading, but of late years she had become interested in the work of George Borrow, a Norfolk man who had recently gained a certain measure of fame.'

Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Amelia Opie Print: Book

Walter Scott : [unknown]

[Communist activists often displayed hostility to literature, including Willie Gallacher. However his 'hostility to literature abated' in later years and in his later memoirs] 'he confessed a liking for Burns, Scott, the Brontes, Mrs Gaskell, children's comics and Olivier's film of Hamlet... Of course he admired Dickens, and not only the obvious Oliver Twist: the communist MP was prepared to admit that he appreciated the satire of the Circumlocution Office in Little Dorrit'.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: William Gallacher Print: Book

Walter Scott : Old Mortality

'[In The Saturday Review, 19 November 1904], "A Mother" records the books consumed since July by her sixteen-year-old daughter ... [who is] on the point of going in for the "Senior Cambridge" ... : "Old Mortality", "The Farringdons", "By Mutual Consent" (L. T. Meade), "To Call Her Mine", "Kathrine Regina", and "Self or Bearer" (Besant); "Christmas Carol", "The Cricket on the Hearth", "Hypatia", "Concerning Isabel Carnaby", "The Virginians", "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", "The Head of the House" (E. Everett-Green), "A Double Thread", "The Heir-Presumptive and the Heir-Apparent", "Sesame and Lilies", "A Tale of Two Cities".'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Talisman

Sybil Lubbock remembers ... the reading which prefaced Christmas: as she and her sister embroidered their father's slippers, or prepared things for the Hospital Box, 'our mother read aloud to us from Mrs Ewing or Miss Yonge, from "The Talisman" or "Quentin Durward".'

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

Walter Scott : Quentin Durward

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'One of the daughters of Florence Barclay, a writer of popular fiction ... recounts how her mother used, in the 1880s, to read aloud to them a great deal: Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales, children's books like "Little Lord Fauntleroy" and "The Little Duke" [as well as Scott] ...'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Florence Barclay Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'Lucy Cavendish's diary, kept both before and after her marriage, provides one of the fullest accounts we have of the day-to-day reading of a Victorian girl and woman. It ranges from gift books ... bowdlerized Shakespeare, Longfellow, and Scott when she was still in the schoolroom, to the combination of religious debate, historical studies, and modern novels which characterised the literary consumption of her adult life.'

Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Lucy Lyttelton Print: Unknown

Walter Scott : novels

'Mary Paley Marshall ... one of Newnham's first students, recalls her father in the 1860s reading aloud "The Arabian Nights", "Gulliver's Travels", the "Iliad" and "Odyssey", Shakespeare, and, above all, Scott's novels ...'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Paley Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

"Forbidden David Copperfield, Bleak House, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Vicar of Wakefield ... [H. M. Swanwick] read them none the less ... When she was lent Dante Gabriel Rosetti's poems by a friend, 'Jenny' ... came as a welcome antidote [to Dickens's and Scott's treatments of fallen women]."

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: H. M. Swanwick Print: Book

Walter Scott : Works including The Tapestry Chamber

"Cicely Hamilton, who had read all of Scott by the time she was eleven, wrote that one of his short stories, 'The Tapestry Chamber': 'was a disturber of my rest for years. So too was an illustrated version of The Ingoldsby Legends ...'"

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Cicely Hamilton Print: Book

Walter Scott :

" ... Elizabeth Sewell's consumption of 'modern' works in the late 1820s and 1830s, she records [in her autobiography], specifically mentioning Scott and Byron, led to worry and 'hysteria' based on the feeling that it would be pleasant to have someone caring for her. She had not yet learnt, she claims, the joy that comes through caring for others."

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Sewell Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering, or the Astrologer

Was engaged this forenoon sorting some lint yarn, and all the rest of my spare time reading [Guy] Mannering

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Adam Mackie Print: Book

Walter Scott : Redgauntlet

I have been in the shop all day and during the intervals of business reading Scott's novel of Redgauntlet

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Adam Mackie Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Abbot

I continue in the shop; am occupying my spare time reading Scott's novel of the Abbot. The subject is cheifly on the manner of Queen Mary's imprisonment in the Castle of Loch Leven, with her escape from that imprisonment and from Scotland

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Adam Mackie Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Pirate

I have been engaged this day posting my shop books etc. during my spare time reading a novel- The Pirate [Scott]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Adam Mackie Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Reading Scott's Tales of My Landlord. Consists of the prosecutions and slaughters by the Military [of] Covenanters in Charles 2nd's time. Scene of the story lies in the County of Lanark

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Adam Mackie Print: Book

Walter Scott : [unknown]

'The celebrated singer Sir Harry Lauder, when he was still a mineworker, acquired a fair knowledge of American history: "George Washington and Abraham Lincoln ranked second only in my estimation to Robert Burns and Walter Scott. One of his ...favourite books was a popular biography of James Garfield, 'From Log Cabin to White House'".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Harry Lauder Print: Book

Walter Scott : [unknown]

'Though miners' MP Robert Smillie surreptitiously gorged on Dick Turpin and Three Fingered Jack as a boy, they... "led to better things": by fourteen he had seen RIchard III, read some of the Sonnets, discovered Burns, Scott and Dickens.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Smillie Print: Book

Walter Scott : [various works, abridged]

'Children's Papers could lead readers to great literature in more direct ways. As Willis noted, "Union Jack" serialised abridgements of Walter Scott novels, with more sensational titles, and the "Chatterbox Christmas Annual" for 1890 introduced him to Dr Johnson'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Frederick Willis Print: Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : [Waverley Novels]

'East End socialist Walter Southgate remembered that Dick Turpin and Buffalo Bill stories "were condemned by our teachers (all from middle class backgrounds) who would confiscate them", but he appreciated the generic similarities to "Robinson Crusoe", the Waverley novels and "The Last of the Mohicans".'

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Walter Southgate Print: Book

Walter Scott : [unknown]

'[Edwin] Whitlock... borrowed books from a schoolmaster and from neighbours: "Most of them would now be considered very heavy literature for a boy of fourteen or fifteen, but I didn't know that, for I had no light literature for comparison. I read most of the novels of Dickens, Scott, Lytton and Mrs Henry Wood, 'The Pilgrim's Progress' and 'The Holy War' - an illustrated guide to Biblical Palestine, 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', several bound volumes of religious magazines, 'The Adventures of a Penny', and sundry similar classics". With few books competing for his attention, he could freely concentrate on his favorite reading, "A set of twelve thick volumes of Cassell's 'History of England'".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Edwin Whitlock Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'James Williams admitted that, growing up in rural Wales, "I'd read anything rather than not read at all. I read a great deal of rubbish, and books that were too 'old', or too 'young' for me". He consumed the Gem, Magnet and Sexton Blake as well as the standard boys' authors (Henty, Ballantyne, Marryat, Fenimore Cooper, Twain) but also Dickens, Scott, Trollope, the Brontes, George Eliot, even Prescott's "The Conquest of Peru" and "The Conquest of Mexico". He picked "The Canterbury Tales" out of an odd pile of used books for sale, gradually puzzled out the Middle English, and eventually adopted Chaucer as his favourite poet'.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: James Williams Print: Book

Walter Scott :

Elizabeth Segel, in "'As the Twig is Bent ...': Gender and Childhood Reading," notes that Mary Ann Evans began reading Scott when aged seven.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Ann Evans Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'Stella Davies's father would read to his children from the Bible, "Pilgrim's Progress", Walter Scott, Longfellow, Tennyson, Dickens, "The Cloister and the Hearth", and Pope's translation of the "Iliad", though not in their entirety: "Extracts suitable to our ages were read and explained and, when we younger ones had been packed off to bed, more serious and inclusive reading would begin... We younger ones often dipped into books farf beyond our understanding. It did us no harm, I believe, for we skipped a lot and took what we could from the rest".'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Stella Davies Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'George Howell, bricklayer and trade unionist..."read promiscuously. How could it be otherwise? I had no real guide, was obliged to feel my way into light. Yet perhaps there was a guidance, although indefinite and without distinctive aim". Howell groped his way through literature "on the principle that one poet's works suggested another, or the criticisms on one led to comparisons with another. Thus: Milton - Shakespeare; Pope-Dryden; Byron-Shelley; Burns-Scott; Coleridge-Wordsworth and Southey, and later on Spenser-Chaucer, Bryant-Longfellow, and so on". By following these intertextual links, autodidacts could reconstruct the literary canon on their own'.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: George Howell Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy: By the author of Waverley

'Read Golownins Captivity in Japan, well told but he was a silly man, suspicious yet not cautious. Read Rob Roy.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Benjamin Newton Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

"How much a book gains by the appropriate surroundings of the person reading it, was forcibly impressed upon me [by the circumstances described in RED ID 5432], and this fact was farther corroborated years after, when I read Scott's 'Lady of the Lake', during a walk from the Trosachs [sic] to Stirling."

Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Bedford Leno Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

'I have been reading, and am enchanted with The Lady of the Lake. It has all the spirit of either of its predecessors, (have you read it?) and ten times the interest. When I had finished it, I remained with such a relish for Walter Scott, that I immediately borrowed and sat down to a second perusal of Marmion.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion: a Tale of Flodden Field

'I immediately borrowed and sat down to a second perusal of Marmion. I like the brave villain much for being so wholly divested of sneakiness...'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Quentin Durward

" ... [S. T. Coleridge's] copy of Quentin Durward includes a note that reveals his sense of public duty as an annotator [Coleridge takes issue with Scott's narrator's suggestion that traders miss their customers when they travel abroad]."

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Taylor Coleridge Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lay of the Last Minstrel

'He [Macaulay] was so fired up with reading Scott?s "Lay" and "Marmion", the former of which he got entirely, and the latter almost entirely, by heart, merely from his delight in reading them, that he determined on writing himself a poem in six cantos which he called the "Battle of Cheviot"'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Babington Macaulay Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Babington Macaulay Print: Book

Walter Scott :

[Shelley encouraged her to read] 'some key Romantic texts (Coleridge, Scott, Southey, Volney's "Les ruines"), radical politics ("The Rights of Man" and "The Age of Reason") and radical sexual politics (Wollstonecraft's "Vindication of the Rights of Woman" and James Lawrence's anti-marriage utopia, "The Empire of the Nairs").'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Westbrook

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord or Black Dwarf and old Mortal

'Finished the last "Tales of My Landlord" of which the fourth volume is the worst. I think Walter Scott has the peculiar art of growing worse and worse yet preserving his popularity. One poem after another was worse than the former; just so his tales and every volume of every tale continues in a similar climax of deterioration.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Benjamin Newton Print: Book

Walter Scott : [novels]

'it was many, many years before any of us was able to look with unprejudiced eyes at anything Scotch again. Always excepting Scott's novels, which we loved.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Gwen Raverat Print: Book

Walter Scott : [novels]

'Along with her old school books [Maud Montgomery] read whatever she could find both for pleasure and to learn from their authors how to improve her own writing: religious tracts, newspapers, the Godey's Lady's Book, Charles Dickens's "Pickwick Papers", Sir Walter Scott's novels, Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The House of the Seven Gables", Washington Irving's "The Sketch Book", and Ralph Waldo Emerson's essays.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Lucy Maud Montgomery Print: Book

Walter Scott : [novels]

'The books [Uncle George] read to us were all in the romantic vein: Shakespeare's "Histories", Chaucer, Percy's "Reliques", Scott's novels'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Darwin Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

[List of books read in 1943, in diary for 1943]: 'The Farthing Spinster; Guy Mannering; Whereas I was Blind; And So to Bath; The Story of San Michele; Attack Alarm; The Murders in Praed Street; Lover's Meeting; The Secret Battle; Witch Wood; MD - Doctor of Murder; Murder at the Keyhole; That Girl Ginger; Ten Minute Alibi; Diary of a District Officer; Tarzan the Untamed; Peter Abelard; Pip; Pied Piper; A Man Lay Dead; Random Harvest; Madame Curie; Stalky and Co; Bellarion; Down the Garden Path; The Three Musketeers vol 1; The House in Cornwall; A Tall Ship; The Two Saplings; Farewell Victoria; Quinneys; House of Terror; Penguin Parade 4; Guy Mannering[presumably a re-reading]; The Man Born to be King; Casterton Papers; Old Saint Paul's; The Moon is Down; 1066 and all That; My Brother Jonathon; Gulliver's Travels; Ensign Knightley; Men Against Death; Fame is the Spur; Gone with the Wind; Mesmer; First Nights; The Hound of the Baskervilles; Little Gidding; Beau Geste; Beau Sabreur; The Amazing Theatre; The Pleasure of Your Company; Dandelion Days; Humour and Fantasy; Juno and the Paycock; The Beautiful Years; Teach Yourself to Think; Salar the Salmon; The Cathedral; The Mysterious Mr I; The Picts and the Martyrs; The Dream of Fair Women; The Star-born; Three Short Stories; A Thatched Roof; The Surgeon's Log; The Healing Knife; Nine Ghosts; While Rome Burns; The Star Spangled Manner; The Day Must Dawn; The Tower of London; Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; The Old Man's Birthday; A little Princess; Ego 5; The Lighter Side of School Life; Kidnapped; The Trail of the Sandhill Stag; Ballet Lover's Notebook; Lorna Doone; The Plays of JM Barrie; Jane Eyre; I'll Leave it to You; Henry Fifth; Longer Poems; Antony and Cleopatra; The Man in Grey; The House in Dormer Forest; The Writing of English; Miss Mapp; The Song of Bernadette; Happy and Glorious; Sixty Poems; The Birth of Romance; The Comedy of Life; Some Little Tales; Dream Days; Royal Flush.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hilary Spalding Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hilary Spalding Print: Book

Walter Scott : Antiquary, The

'I read quite a lot of the "Antiquary" and felt quite virtuous.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hilary Spalding Print: Book

Walter Scott : Antiquary, The

[Three days after V.E. day] 'I finished the "Antiquary" at last. It's pretty awful, though quite exciting in patches.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hilary Spalding Print: Book

Walter Scott : [from 'The Lady of the Lake']

'Despite his grandmother's strictures on reading, Davies read widely. His first attraction was to the penny dreadfuls of his day, which he read in secret... The school books he read contained poems that stirred him deeply. One of the school texts he used contained long passges from "The Lady of the Lake" with a prose commentary attached. And then there was a favourite schoolboy poem starting with the resounding line: "The Soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers", with a refrain that the boys loved to chant at play. There were extracts from Shakespeare, the usual lyrics, and a few heavily didactic poems intended to inculcate morality in the boyish heart'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

March 16, 1884 [Lisbon] 'I am now reading to C.S. [Charles Schreiber] that charming book Rob Roy. Scott never palls. In the steamer we amused ourselves with Barnaby Rudge and the Old Curiosity Shop, which, with Pickwick which we read at Ceres, is enough of Dickens for the present. C. S. likes my reading, and it has the blessed effect of often sending him to sleep, when he seems indisposed and restless.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Charlotte Schreiber Print: Book

Walter Scott : [works]

'From that time [summer 1840] to the present [1845] I have not read much. I have, however, looked through Lord Byron's works, the "Memoirs of Mr William Hutton", and Dr Stilling's Autobiography; with some of the works of Sir Walter Scott, Dr Southey, and Miss Martineau.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carter Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram Print: Book

Walter Scott : St Ronan's Well

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Monastery

'My father, who was in the employment of Mr Cadell, Sir Walter's publisher, brought home "The Monastery" and "The Fortunes of Nigel", and several others, much to the delight of my mother, who never could understand how so voracious a reader as myself did not take to them; but so it was, and now my children express the same surprise, and unsuccessfully recommend me to try once more.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bertram Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Fortunes of Nigel

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bertram Print: Book

Walter Scott : novels

'the diverse collection of literature that Christopher Thomson, a sometime shipwright, actor and housepainter, worked his way through [...] included adventure stories such as "Robinson Crusoe" and the imitative "Philip Quarll", books of travel, such as Boyle's "Travels", some un-named religious tracts, a number of "classics" including Milton and Shakespeare, some radical newspapers, particularly Cobbett's "Register" and Wooller's "Black Dwarf", mechanics' magazines, and some occasional items of contemporary literature, including the novels of Scott and the poetry of Byron.'

Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Christopher Thomson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Heart of Midlothian

'I have heard, too, that several workmen in shops adjacent to Sutherland's library arranged with him for a reading of "The Heart of Midlothian" and "Rob Roy", one of the men reading the book aloud to his comrades.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: workmen Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: workmen Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

'I cried over Meg Merrilies when she met Brown again--at a little Inn at Cumberland & my tears are not apt to flow'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Caroline Lamb Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

'I entirely deprecate your opinion concerning Manwaring [sic--Mannering] or sooner the opinion you had borrowed for I am convinced if you had read it through or even half you would have admired it excessively--I judge by myself who never can get over ten pages of any Book[--]yesterday--I finished it--I liked it better than I did Waverly [sic] --the story is better told the Hero more interesting the Gypsies delightful the Characters very well drawn indeed--all good in short except the love & the Ladies which are flippant & vulgar as is the Fashion now'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Caroline Lamb Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverly

'I entirely deprecate your opinion concerning Manwaring [sic--Mannering] or sooner the opinion you had borrowed for I am convinced if you had read it through or even half you would have admired it excessively--I judge by myself who never can get over ten pages of any Book[--]yesterday--I finished it--I liked it better than I did Waverly [sic]--the story is better told the Hero more interesting the Gypsies delightful the Characters very well drawn indeed--all good in short except the love & the Ladies which are flippant & vulgar as is the Fashion now'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Caroline Lamb Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'Do you remember when Jeannie Deans went to London for her sister the gentle Gertie [sic--Geordie] Robertson gave her a [illegible] among the Robbers.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Caroline Lamb Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion

Mary Berry, Journal, 9 March 1808: 'I went in the evening to Mrs. D[?amer]. Read "Marmion," just come out, to her.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Berry Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion

Mary Berry, Journal, 10 March 1808: 'Read some more of "Marmion".'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Berry Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles

'they read books together and discussed them; Scott's "Lord of the Isles" was sent to Byron by Murray. It they did not only discuss, for he pointed out to her, "with a miserable smile", the description of the wayward bridegroom'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Isabella (Annabella), Baroness Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon, Lord Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : [Waverley novels]

'By the age of ten he had gone through E.W. Lane's three-volume translation of "The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night", Scott's Waverley novels, Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass", the adventure stories of Captain Marryat, everything of Harrison Ainsworth, and other, now forgotten, works'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: William Somerset Maugham Print: Book

?Walter ?Scott : Life of Jonathan Swift

Mary Berry, Journal, 21 August 1814: 'I read "Swift's Life" in the new edition of his works by Walter Scott. It does not appear to me that there is much that is new.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Berry Print: Book

Walter Scott : novels

The elderly Harriet Martineau reflects upon her altered reading capacity: 'I could not now read "Lalla Rookh" through before breakfast, as I did when it appeared. I cannot read new novels [...] while I can read with more pleasure than ever the old favourites, -- Miss Austen's and Scott's. My pleasure in Voyages and Travels is almost an insanity'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Martineau Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

Harriet Martineau, in postscript to letter written in the month before her death, to 'Mr. Atkinson', 19 May 1876: 'I am in a state of amazement at a discovery just made; I have read (after half a lifetime) Scott's "Bride of Lammermoor," and am utterly disappointed in it. The change in my taste is beyond accounting for, -- almost beyond belief.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Martineau Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Kenilworth

'In another house I found a tattered copy of Scott's "Kenilworth" and a quite new copy of "Cranford". Among some old books in my grandmother's cottage I found a curious one entitled "Adam's First Wife". This was a sort of history of the Garden of Eden which rather discounted the "rib theory" and raised some doubt in my mind as to Adam's innocence in the pre-apple days.' [continuation of discussion of Adam etc]

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Hannah Mitchell Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : [works]

'I also found a small library, which meant that many copper really needed for food were spent on borrowing books. At this time I read all Mrs. Henry Wood's novels, most of Sir Walter Scott's works along with a good deal of poetry and history, as well as a good deal of rubbish I daresay. But as I have forgotten it it did me no harm.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Hannah Mitchell Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

?There are good characters I think in Guy [Mannering] ? the Scotch Lawyer ? the Farmer ? [...] the Gipsies[sic] & Brown himself as a Modern Tom Jones ? It certainly cannot be called a bad novel it is written by a clever man ? a man who knows human nature & has looked as closely as Claude Lauraine on views of skies & water & rocks ? but there is not much genius there as there was in Waverly'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Caroline Lamb Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Waverley

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Caroline Lamb Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Quentin Durward

'In 1823 I read in Scott?s novel of ?Quentin Durward? the prophetic words of Martivalle, ?Can I look forward without wonder and astonishment to the lot of a succeeding generation, on whom knowledge shall descend like the first and second rain, uninterrupted, unabated, unbounded.? The Printing Press had produced the first rain; the Printing Machine was the ?little cloud no bigger than a man?s hand? which promised the second rain.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Knight Print: Book

[Walter] [Scott] : [The monastery]

[Item transcribed into a commonplace book]: [Untitled]; [Text]'There are those to whom a sense of religion/ has come in storm and tempest, there are those/ whom it has summoned amid scenes of vanity/ there are those too who have heard "its still small voice"/ Amid rural leisure & placid contentment ?' [total = 10 lines]

Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Magdalene Sharpe- Erskine Print: Unknown

Sir Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

'"The Bride of Lammermoor" was one of the first books that Laura read with absorbed interest. She adored the Master of Ravenswood, his dark haughty beauty, his flowing cloak and his sword, his ruined castle, set high on its crag by the sea, and his faithful servant Caleb and the amusing shifts he made to conceal his master's poverty. She read and re-read "The Bride"'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Flora Thompson Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'Once Laura had the honour of choosing two passages for the father of one of her friends, who had been invited to read and could not, as he said, think of anything likely, not if his life depended upon it. She chose the scene from "The Heart of Midlothian" in which Jeanie Deans is granted an audience by Queen Caroline and the chapter about the Battle of Waterloo from "Vanity Fair"'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Flora Thompson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion, or A Tale of Flodden Field

'Ought I to be very much pleased with Marmion? - As yet I am not. James reads it aloud in the Eveng - the short Eveng - beginning at about 10, & broken by supper.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Austen Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

'We began Pease on Sunday, but our gatherings are very small - not at all like the gathering in the Lady of the Lake.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Jane Austen Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lay of the Last Minstrel

'You ask me (pertly enough- pardon the expression) whether I have read "The Lay of the Last Minstrel"- Alas only twice- And have, in addition, only the following catalogue to subjoin of pleasing works which have come under my examination.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah H. Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field

'Oh! Woman! In our hours of ease Uncertain, coy and hard to please...'[6 lines] 'Marmion'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Carey/Maingay group Print: Unknown

Walter Scott : Marmion

'Read with Cecilia a good deal of "marmion" the new poem of Sir Walter Scott, which I like.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Windham Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lord of the Isles

'Stranger! If e'er thine ardent... Lord of the Isles 4th canto'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bowly group

Walter Scott : The Lay of the Last Minstrel

'Call it not vain - they do not err, To murmur dirges round the grave.'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bowly group

Walter Scott : The Heart of Mid-Lothian

'Arthur's seat like a couchant lion of immense size - Salisbury crags, like a huge [belt or] girdle of granite, were dimly visible. Sir Walter Scott'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bowly group

Walter Scott : The Lay of the Last Minstrel

'"Call it not vain: - they do not err ... To murmur dirges round his grave". Scott.'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Devereux Bowly

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

'Harp of the North! that mouldering long hath hung, ..'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bowly group

Walter Scott : The Lord of the Isles (Canto One)

'Autumn departs - but still his mantles fold...' 'Introduction to the Lord of the Isles'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bowly group

Walter Scott : The Lay of the Last Minstrel

'Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, ... On a foreign strand! O Caledonia! Stern and wild, ...'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bowly group

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

'Prominent among these was a set of the poems of Walter Scott, and in his unwonted geniality and provisional spirit of compromise, my Father must do no less than read these works aloud to my stepmother in the quiet spring evenings. This was a sort of aftermath of courtship, a tribute of song, to his bride, very sentimental and pretty. She would sit, sedately, at her work-box, while he, facing her, poured forth the verses at her like a blackbird ... My Father read the verse admirably, with full, - some people ( but not I) might say with a too full - perception of the metre as well as of rhythm, rolling out the rhymes, and glorying in the proper names. He began, and it was a happy choice, with "The Lady of the Lake"...'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Philip Gosse Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Waverley Novels

'neither had read a romance since, in childhood, they had dipped into the "Waverley Novels" as they appeared in succession.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Philip and Emily Gosse Print: Book

Walter Scott : Kenilworth

'Your common student wrote to me about Blackwood's Magazine, shewing who wrote in it and who spoke of it; he talks about 'Kenilworth a Romance'; he then describes his stomach-complaints, and wishes me better fortune, sometimes the dog even pities me.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: [unknown student] anon Print: BookManuscript: Letter

Sir Walter Scott : Old Mortality

'Our syllabus was large, covering at least twelve set books: two plays of Shakespeare's, two volumes of Milton and two of Keats; Chaucer, Sheridan, Lamb, Scott's "Old Mortality" and the first book of "The Golden Treasury", with its marvellous pickings of Coleridge, Shelly, Byron and, especially, Wordsworth, which excited me, at that age, more than any other poetry written.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Norman Nicholson Print: Book

Walter Scott : [unknown]

'It [central London] was truly a wonder world, for I seeing it not merely with my eyes of flesh but with the eyes of heightened imagination; -seeing it not only through spectacles manufactured by an optician, but through glasses supplied by magicians names Charles Dickens, Walter Scott, William Makepeace Thackeray, Joseph Addison, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Toby Smollett, Sam Johnson and Will Shakespeare himself. Had I scraped an acquaintance with all these before I was fifteen? I knew them well! -and that was the trouble. I was book hungry, and I found a land where books were accessible in a quantity and variety sufficient to satisfy even my uncontrolled voracity.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas A. Jackson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley Novels

'Later on I found at the bottom of a cupboard some of volumes -Addison's "Spectator", Pope's "Homer", and a few other things. My grandmother -who also devoured books in great gulps -gave me a "Robinson Crusoe", and lent me volumes containing four "Waverley Novels" apiece. Much about the same time my father got bound up a set of Dickens's novels he had bought in weekly parts. They were in the popular quarto edition with drawings by Fred Barnard, John Mahony and others. These were a real treasure -and all the more so as my father was an ardent Dickens "fan" who rather despised Scott as a "romantic" and a "Tory". His mother (born in 1815, so old enough to have read the "Waverley Novels" when they were still comparatively new things) rather sniffed at Dickens, and definitely preferred both Scott and Thackeray. She gave me "Vanity Fair" as an antidote to "David Copperfield" and added a Shakespeare, and a bundle of "paperback" editions -Fielding, Smollett, Fennimore Cooper and Captain Marryatt.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Jackson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley Novels

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas A. Jackson Print: Book

Walter Scott : [Poetry]

'Walter Scott has no business to write novels, especially good ones. - it is not fair. - He has Fame & Profit enough as a Poet, and should not be taking the bread out of other people's mouths. - I do not like him, & do not mean to like Waverley if I can help it - but fear I must[...] I have made up my mind to like no Novels really, but Miss Edgeworth's, Yours & my own.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Jane Austen Print: Book

Walter Scott [anon] : review of Emma

'I return you the Quarterly Reveiw [sic] with many Thanks. The Authoress of "Emma" has no reason I think to complain of her treatment in it - except in the total omission of Mansfield Park. - I cannot but be sorry that so clever a Man as the Reveiwer [sic] of "Emma" should consider it as unworthy of being noticed.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Jane Austen Print: Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : unknown

'I'm afraid I just pick any books. I go in for light reading mostly. I've get two detective books for light reading, one by Scott, and "Night club Murder" by Brandon, and then this ("Shabby summer," by Deeping) that's to spend Sunday afternoon with.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

Walter Scott : unknown

[I read] 'Good books - Dickens, and Scott, and all that, but I don't believe I've opened a book since I got married, and that's nearly 30 years now.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Waverley

'Readers of my generation owe a great debt of gratitude to the enterprise of Messrs. Dicks. My first introduction to great fiction dates from the publication by them of Scott's novels in threepenny paper-covered volumes, easily pocketable, when my apprenticeship, in its early days, consisted of sorting and picking - wearisome, dull, mechanical, solitary work. The appearance of "Waverley" marked an epoch. I read it and its succeeding volumes with absorbing interest, stealing at times scraps of hours which should have been devoted to my work.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Okey Print: Book

Walter Scott : unknown

'Coming upon a copy of "Don Quixote" in a warder's house, he thought it was "the most wonderful book [he] had ever seen". When he refused to give it up, the warder said he might keep it... "Don Quixote" awakened in Arthur a "passion for reading", and before long, he had read Scott, then Byron, who, he had been told was" a very, very great poet, and a very, very wicked man, an atheist, a writer whom it was dangerous to read".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Arthur Symons Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Fortunes of Nigel

'Thursday 2nd September ?Fortunes of Nigel? (Walter Scott)'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Gerald Moore Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Thursday 30th September ?Ivanhoe? (Walter Scott) Late work still the order of the ? night. All is still confusion and chaos. My life at present is a tale of mugging away at my desk. I read a book on my way down town. Have a little brisk conversation with Smith in the luncheon hour ? if he is in town, or a walk round the book shops if he is not. Another little talk with Pat over our evening coffee. A few laughs during the day at Blowers? profanity or Lauson?s buffoonery. Then home to a meal, a short read, a little writing and bed. I seldom see the children except on Sundays.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Gerald Moore Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

Elizabeth Missing Sewell on reading at her Bath boarding school: 'We learned passages from the best authors, and my delight in Walter Scott made me add to the regular lesson large portions of "The Lady of the Lake".'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Sewell Print: Book

Walter Scott : novels

Elizabeth Missing Sewell on her reading at home in the Isle of Wight, after leaving her Bath boarding school in 1830: 'I used to study by myself, for I knew that I was woefully ignorant. Such books as Russell's "History of Modern Europe" and Robertson's "Charles the Fifth", I read, and also Watts on the "Improvement of the Mind", and I plodded through an Italian history of the Venetian Doges, lent me by an intimate and valued friend of my father, Mr. Turnbull [...] I taught myself besides to read Spanish -- for having found a Spanish "Don Quixote" lying about, which no one claimed, I took possession of it, bought a grammar and dictionary, and set to work to master the contents of the books which I knew so well by name. The elements of botany on the Linnean system was another of my attempted acquirements, but I am afraid my studies were very superficial: I knew nothing perfectly, but I read everything that came in my way. There was an excellent town library in Newport, from which I could get any good modern works; and, beside the graver literature, I had always some lighter book on hand, and especially delighted in Walter Scott's novels and poetry. Byron, too was a great favourite.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Sewell Print: Book

Walter Scott : [poetry and novels]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Sewell Print: Book

Walter Scott : Paul's Letters to his Kinsfolk

'In 1835, [James] Edwards [Sewell, reader's brother] [...] had the curacy of Hursley. Mr. Gilbert Heathcote held the living, and Ellen [reader's sister] and I were sent to Hursley [...] whilst Lucy [reader's friend] was ill. We were at the old vicarage [...] [Mr. Heathcote's books] were very kindly left for our use, and I made an acquaintance with Sir Walter Scott's "Paul's Letters to his Kinsfolk", and read Shakespeare to Ellen, and led a quiet life, seeing no one.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Sewell Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Tired to death of reading books - at least all books of an instructive sort - and have now been devouring (for about the fifth time) "Ivanhoe" and "The Heart of the Mid-Lothian". My blessing on the memory of Walter Scott!'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Mitchel Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of the Mid-Lothian

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Mitchel Print: Book

Walter Scott : [Poems]

'What Books have you been perusing - and how did you like Sha[ke]spea[re]? - Since I saw you I have toil'd thro' many a thick octa[vo] - many of them to little purpose. Byron's and Scott's "Poems" I have read and must admire - tho' you recollect, we used to give Campbell a de[cided] preference - and I still think, with justice. Have you ever seen Hoole's "Tas[so?]" I have among many others read, it, "Leonidas", "The Epigoniad", "Oberon", "Savage[e's] Poems" &.c. Miss Porter's "Scottish Chiefs" and "Waverl[e]y" have been the principal of my Novels - With regard to "Waverl[e]y" I cannot help remarking t[hat] in my opinion it is the best novel that has been published these thirty years. The characters of Ebenezer Cru[i]ckshank[s] mine host of the garter, the Reverend Mr. Gowk - thrapple and Squire Bradwardian display a Cervantic vein of humour which has seldom been surpassed - whilst the descriptions of the gloomy caverns of the Highlands, and the delineations of the apathic Callum Beg and enterprising Vich Ian Vohr show a richness of [italics]Scottean[end italics] colouring which few have equalled. Give me your opinion of it if you have read it; - and if not - endeavour by all means to procure it.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

'? I had a sight of ?Waverley? soon after I received your letter, and I cannot help saying that, in my opinion, it is by far the best novel that has been written these thirty years - at least, that I know of. Eben. Cruickshanks, mine host of The Seven Golden Candlesticks, and Mr. Gifted Gilfillan, are described in the spirit of Smollett or Cervantes. Who does not shed a tear for the ardent Vich Ian Vohr, and the unshaken Evan Dhu, when perishing amid the shouts of an English mob, they refuse to swerve from their principles? And who will refuse to pity the marble Callum Beg, when, hushed in the strife of death, he finishes his earthly career on Clifton Moor, far from the blue mountains of the North, without one friend to close his eyes? 'Tis an admirable performance. Is Scott still the reputed author?' Editor's addition: [In this letter Carlyle mentions reading Euler's ?Algebra,? 1 Addison's ?Freeholder,? 2 Cuvier's ?Theory of the Earth,? 3 Moli?re's ?Comedies,? the monthly reviews, critical journals, etc.]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering, or The Astrologer

'I saw Scott's "Waterloo" and "Guy Mannering" when I was in Edinr[.] The former has been so dreadfully abused already - that I have nothing to add to the Newspaper puns, &c with which it has been assailed. The[re] are (as Gray said of the "castle of Indolence") some good lines in it I have far too little room for speaking of Mannerings beauties and defects at present - I will discuss it next time I write, if I can find nothing better.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Field of Waterloo, A Poem

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

'You have no doubt seen the "Tales of my Landlord". Certainly "Waverl[e]y" and "Mannering" and "the Black Dwarf" were never written by the same person. If I mistake not - Dr M'Crie's strictures are a little too severe, on some occassions - and his love of the Cameronians too violent. The Worthy Doctor's humour is as heavy as lead'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'There is a grat difference of opinion about Scott's new novel. At Holland House it is much run down: I dare not oppose my opinion to such an assay or proof-house; but it made me cry and laugh very often and I was very sorry when it was over, and so I cannot in justice call it dull'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'I am very desirous to hear what your Vote is about Walter Scott; I think it excellent, quite as good as any of his novels excepting that in which Claverhouse is introduced, and of which I forget the name. It made me laugh, and cry fifty times, and I read it with the liveliest interest. He repeats his characters but it seems that they will bear repetition'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

'I am truly obliged by your kindness in sendng me the last novel of Walter Scott. It would be profanation to call him Mr Walter Scott. I should as soon say Mr Shakespeare or Mr Fielding. Sir William and Lady Ashton are excellent, and highly dramatic. Drumthwackett is very well done; parts of Caleb are excellent. Some of the dialogues between Bucklaw and Craigengelt are as good as can be, and both these characters very well imagined. [italics] As the Author has left off writing [end italics], I shall not again be disturbed so much in my ordinary occupations. When I get hold of one of these novels, turnips, sermons and justice business are all forgotten'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

'Walter Scott seems to me the same sort of thing laboured in a very inferior way, and more careless, with many repetitions of himself. Caleb is overdone. Sir W. and Lady Ashton are very good characters, and the meeting of the two coaches and six the best scene in the book. The catastophe is shocking and disgusting'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'I waited to thank you until I had read the novel. There is [italics] no doubt [end italics] of its success. There is nothing very powerful and striking in it; but it is uniformly agreeable, lively and interesting, and the least dull, and most easily read of any novels I remember. Pray make the author go on; I am sure he has five or six more such novels in him, therefore five or six holidays for the whole kingdom'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Have you read "Ivanhoe"? It is the least dull, and the most easily read through, of all Scott's novels; but there are many more powerful. The subject, in novels, poems, and pictures, is half the battle. The representation of our ancient manners is a fortunate one, and ample enough for three or four more novels'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Monastery

'I am much obliged by your present of The Monastery, which I have read, and which I must frankly confess I admire less than any of the others - much less. Such I think you will find the judgement of the public to be. The idea of painting ancient manners in a fictitious story and in well-known scenery is admirable, and the writer has admirable talents for it; but nothing is done without pains, and I doubt whether pains have been taken in The Monastery, - if they have, they have failed. It is quite childish to introduce supernatural agency; as much of the terrors and follies of supersition as you please, but no actual ghosts and hobgoblins. I recommend one novel every year, and more pains. So much money is worth getting; so much deserved fame is worth keeping, so much amusement we ought all to strive to continue for the public good. You will excuse my candour - you know I am your wellwisher. I was the first to praise Ivanhoe, as I shall be to praise the next, if I can do so conscientiously'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Abbot

'I have just read "The Abbot"; it is far above common novels, but of very inferior execution to his others, and hardly worth reading. He has exhausted the subject of Scotland, and worn out the few characters that the early periods of Scotch history ould supply him with. Meg Merrilies appears afresh in every novel'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Pirate

'I am much obliged by your kindness in sending me The Pirate. You know how much I admire the genius of the author, but even that has its limits and is exhaustible. I am afraid this novel will depend upon the former reputation of the author, and will add nothing to it [...] I do not blame him for writing himself out, if he knows he is doing so, and has done his [italics] best [end italics] and his [italics] all [end italics]. If the native land of Scotland will supply no more scenes and characters, for he is always best in Scotland [...] pray (wherever the scene is laid) no more [italics] Meg Merrilies and Dominie Sampson [end italics] - very good the first and second times, but now quite worn out, and always recurring. All human themes have an end (except Taxation); but I shall heartily regret my annual amusement if I am to lose it'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Fortunes of Nigel

'Many thanks for Nigel; a far better novel than The Pirate, though not of the highest order of Scott's novels. It is the first novel in which there is no Meg Merrilies. There is, however, a Dominie Sampson in the horologer. The first volume is admirable. Nothing can be better than the apprentices, the shop of old Heriot, the state of the city. James is quite excellent wherever he appears. I do not dislike Alsatia. The miser?s daughter is very good; so is the murder. The story execrable; the gentlemanlike, light, witty conversation always (as in all his novels) very bad. Horrors on humour are his forte. He must avoid running into length?great part of the second volume very long and tiresome; but upon the whole the novel will do?keeps up the reputation of the author; and does not impair the very noble and honourable estate which he has in his brains'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : Peveril of the Peak

'A good novel, but not so good as either of the two last, and not good enough for such a writer. The next must be better or it will be the last. There is I see Flibbertigibbet over again. Bridgenorth is not new, Charles is the best done. My opinion is worth but little but I am always sincere. There is one comfort, however, in reading Scott?s novels, that his worst are better than what are called the successful productions of other persons'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : Peveril of the Peak

'You have read Peveril, a middling production between his best and worst - rather agreeable than not'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: [Lady] Grey Print: Book

Walter Scott : St Ronan's Well

'Many thanks for St Ronan, by far the best that has appeared for some time,?I mean the best of Sir Walter?s, and therefore, of course, better than all others. Every now and then there is some mistaken and over-charged humour?but much excellent delineation of character,?the story very well told, and the whole very interesting. Lady Binks, the old landlady, and Touchwood are all very good. Mrs Blower particularly so. So are MacTurk and Lady Penelope. I wish he would give his people better names: Sir Bingo Binks is quite ridiculous. I was very glad to find Dryasdust and Meg Merrilies excluded; one was never good, and the other too often good. The curtain should have dropped on finding Clara?s glove. Some of the serious scenes with Clara and her brother are very fine,?the Knife scene masterly. In her light and gay moments Clara is very vulgar; but Sir Walter always fails in well bred men and women,?and yet, who has seen more of both? and who in the ordinary intercourse of Society is better bred? Upon the whole, I call this a very successful exhibition'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sydney Smith Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rokeby; a poem

'read man as he is - Hogg comes and reads Rokeby to me'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Jefferson Hogg Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rokeby; a poem

'go to the British Museum - see all the fine things - ores, fossils, statues, divine &c &c. - return - read Rokeby - go upstairs to talk with S. - read and finish Rokeby'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lord of the Isles: a poem

'read 3 Canto's of the Lord of the Isles'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley; or 'Tis Sixty Years Since

[Mary Shelley's Reading List for 1815. Only those titles not mentioned in journal entries are given separate database entries. xs denote books also read by Percy Shelley] 'Posthumous Works. 3. Sorrows of Werter Don Roderick - by Southey Gibbons Decline & fall. x Paradise Regained x Gibbons Life and Letters - 1st edition 2 x Lara New Arabian Nights 3 Corinna Fall of the Jesuits Rinaldo Rinaldini Fo[n]tenelle's Plurality of the Worlds Hermsprong Le diable boiteux Man as he is. Rokeby. Ovid's Meamo[r]phoses in Latin x Wordsworth's Poems x Spenser's Fairy Queen x Life of the Philipps x Fox's History of James II The Reflector Wieland. Fleetwood Don Carlos x Peter Wilkins Rousseau's Confessions. x Espriella's Letters from England Lenora - a poem Emile x Milton's Paradise Lost X Life of Lady Hamilton De l'Alemagne - by Made de Stael 3 vols. of Barruel x Caliph Vathek Nouvelle Heloise x Kotzebue's account of his banishment to Siberia. Waverly Clarissa Harlowe Robertson's Hist. of america x Virgil xTale of Tub. x Milton's speech on Unlicensed printing x Curse of Kehama x Madoc La Bible Expliquee Lives of Abelard and Heloise The New Testament Coleridge's Poems. 1st vol. Syteme de la Nature x Castle of Indolence Chattertons Poems. x Paradise Regained Don Carlos. x Lycidas. x St Leon Shakespeare's Play. Part of which Shelley reads aloud Burkes account of civil society x Excursion Pope's Homer's Illiad x Sallust Micromegas x Life of Chauser Canterbury Tales Peruvian letters. Voyages round the World Pluarch's lives. x 2 vols of Gibbon Ormond Hugh Trevor x Labaume's Hist. of the Russian War Lewis's tales Castle of Udolpho Guy Mannering Charles XII by Voltaire Tales of the East'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin

Walter Scott : [Elegy 1]

Letter to Miss Ourry June 4 1791 'My dear, you will excuse this digressive tribute to departed excellence. What havoc has been lately made in the little circle of those I loved!' "Yes, even here, amidst these secret shades/The simple scenes of unreproved delight/Affliction?s iron hand my breast invades/And death?s dread dart is ever in my sight?"'

Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Grant [nee MacVicar] Print: Book

Walter Scott : Antiquary, The

'read the first vol. of the antiquary and work'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin Print: Book

Walter Scott : Antiquary, The

'read the Edinburgh Review and the second vol. of the antiquary'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin Print: Book

Walter Scott : Antiquary, The

'Read Fazio - Love and madness. & some of Rienzi - work - in the evening finish the antiquary'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord, collected and arranged by Jedediah Cleishbotham (The Black Dwarf; Old Mortality)

'Read Tales of my Landlord'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord, collected and arranged by Jedediah Cleishbotham (The Black Dwarf; Old Mortality)

'Finish Tales of my Landlord'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since

'Read Waverly - Pliny's letters - Political Justice & Miltons Tenure of Kings and Magistrates. Shelley reads Waverly - Tales of my Landlord & several of the works of Plato'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since

'Read Waverly - Pliny's letters - Political Justice & Miltons Tenure of Kings and Magistrates. Shelley reads Waverly - Tales of my Landlord & several of the works of Plato'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Bysshe Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord [First Series - The Black Dwarf; Old Mortality]

'Read Waverly - Pliny's letters - Political Justice & Miltons Tenure of Kings and Magistrates. Shelley reads Waverly - Tales of my Landlord & several of the works of Plato'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Bysshe Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer

'Read Tacitus - Clarke's travels & Guy Mannering - S reads Gibbon'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer

'Finish Annals of Tacitus - begin Terence - read Guy Mannering'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Scott was the first great writer to draw me under his spell - the first to open for me the golden gates of poetry and romance. I can well remember the time when, a mere child, I would spend my half-holidays over "Ivanhoe" and "the Lay of the Last Minstrel", seated in rapt silence on a hassock in my father's library, in our old house at Bristol. I can well remember, too, how I would carry fragments of these enthralling stories to my fellows at school, resolved, with all the enthusiasm of boyhood, to make them willing or unwilling partakers of my pleasure. The men and women of whom I read and told were real figures to us then; and in the organization of our little school we lived out a kind of chivalrous life, even emulating, to the no small alarm of our elders, the scenes on sherwood forest, and the achievements at ashby-de-la-Zouche.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Hudson Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : The Lay of the Last Minstrel

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Hudson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'Read Clarke & 1st vol of Rob. Roy.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'Finish Rob. Roy'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Roby Roy

'read Aristippus of Wieland - Shelley read[s] Rob Roy'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'Friday. Feb 6th. Look at Work. Read Rob Roy.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'Saturday. Feb 7th. [...] Finish Rob Roy.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'Thursday June 10th. set out from Rome to Livorno [...] Arrive at Livorno Aquila Nera Thursday 17th. [June]. Stay there a week. [...] Remove to Villetta Valsovano near Monte nero Read Cobbett's Journal in America Birbeck's Notes on the Illinois Nightmare Abbey & the Heart of MidLothian by Walter Scott.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Thursday June 8th. [...] Read 1st Vol of Ivanhoe by Walter Scott. [...] 'Friday June 9th. [...] Read Ivanhoe [...] 'Saturday June 10th. [...] Finish Ivanhoe.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

'Friday June 16th. [...] Read Bride of Lammermoor.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : A Legend of Montrose

'Saturday June 17th. [...] Read A Legend of Montrose.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord, collected and arranged by Jedediah Cleishbotham (The Black Dwarf, Old Mortality)

'Read the Black dwarf'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Abbot

'Sunday June 24th. [...] Read the Abbot by Walter Scott'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : Kenilworth

'[Tuesday] August 28th. Read Kenilworth -- [...] 'Wednesday August 29th. Read Kenilworth. [...] 'Thursday August 30th. Finish Kenilworth. Begin Anastasius.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Thursday Oct. 4th. [...] Finish Ivanhoe.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

Elizabeth Barrett to her mother, Mary Moulton-Barrett, c.1817 (originally in French): 'I agree that Caroline [in Edgeworth's Patronage] is perfection. I admit that she is not entirely made to be a heroine [...] she has too much sense of mind. 'The few novels I have read confirm this thought -- for example, [in] Rob Roy -- the lofty and noble soul of Diana Vernon strikes us with admiration [...] she forgets womanly duties in the personality of a man; she is a heroine, Caroline is not [...] [when] she chooses to fill the character she sustains [with] grief for her parents [...] it pleased me greatly'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord (3rd series: The Bride of Lammermoor, A Legend of Montrose)

'Read Legend of Montrose - Indicators'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord (3rd series: The Bride of Lammermoor and A Legend of Montrose)

'Read the Bride of Lammermoor'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Read Ivanhoe'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Finish Ivanhoe'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

Elizabeth Barrett to Hugh Stuart Boyd, July 1832: 'Poor Sir Walter Scott! You have heard that he is dying [...] The other night Papa read a passage from the Lady of the Lake to me; and I did not like to hear it. It sounded like something unnatural -- as if you were looking at a broken instrument, & hearing its sweetest music at the same time. [...] You know I am not an admirer of Sir Walter's poetry.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Moulton-Barrett sr Print: Book

Walter Scott : Minstrelsy of the Scottish Borders

Mary Russell Mitford to Elzabeth Barrett, 13 October 1836: 'I have just read your delightful ballad. My earliest book was "Percy's Reliques," the delight of my childhood; and after them came Scott's "Minstrelsy of the Borders," the favourite of my youth; so that I am prepared to love ballads [...] Are you a great reader of the old English drama? I am -- preferring it to every other sort of reading; of course admitting, and regretting, the grossness of the age; but that, from habit, one skips, without a thought just as I should over so much Greek or Hebrew which I knew I could not comprehend. have you read Victor Hugo's Plays? (he also is one of my naughty pets), and his "Notre Dame?" I admit the bad taste of these, the excess; but the power and the pathos are to me indescribably great. And then he has [...] made the French a new language. He has accomplished this partly by going back to the old fountains, Froissart, &c. Again, these old Chronicles are great books of mine.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Russell Mitford Print: Book

Walter Scott : Abbot, The: a romance

'Read the Abbot'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

'I remember, when a little boy, getting my first introduction to the novels of Walter Scott - then the "Great Unknown". One of my sisters, when an infant, was sent to the country to be nursed; and I used to accompany Peg Nielson, our servant, to see the child on Saturday afternoons... Peg was a capital story-teller and many a time did she entertain us with "auld warld" tales of brownies, fairies, ghosts and witches, often making our flesh creep. But she could also be amusing and cheerful in the adventures she narrated. While on the way to Clerkington Mains, I asked her to tell me a story. "Yes she would: it was a story of a gypsy woman and a little boy who was carried away in a ship by the smugglers." And then she began, and told me, in a manner that seemed most graphic, the wonderful adventures of Harry Bertram and Meg Merrilies, as related in the well-known novel of "Guy Mannering". Many years after I read the book and found that she had omitted nothing of the story: her memory was so good and her power of narration so excellent.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Smiles Print: Book

Walter Scott (ed.) : Ancient English Drama

'Old Plays'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott (ed.) : Ancient English Drama

'Read Homer - Old plays'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Kenilworth: a romance

'finish Kenilworth'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Read Ivanhoe'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley, or 'tis Sixty Years Since

'Read Homer and Waverly'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Antiquary, The

'Read Homer and the Antiquary'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'Read Rob Roy'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Pirate, The

'Read the 1st vol of the Pirate'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake, The

'We learned passages from the best authors, and my delight in Walter Scott made me add to the regular lesson large portions of "The Lady of the Lake" which are fresh in my memory at this moment'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Missing Sewell Print: Book

Walter Scott : [unknown]

'The elements of botany on the Linnaean system was another of my attempted acquirements, but I am afraid my studies were very superficial: I knew nothing perfectly, but I read everything that came in my way. There was an excellent town library in Newport, from which I could get any good modern works; and, besides the graver literature, I had always some lighter book on hand, and especially delighted in Walter Scott's novels and poetry. Byron, too, was a great favourite'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Missing Sewell Print: Book

Walter Scott : Paul's Letters to his Kinsfolk

'We were at the old vicarage, which had then only one sitting room, or at least only one which we could use, for the floor of the other room was covered with Mr Heathcote's books. They were very kindly left for our use, and I made an acquaintance with Sir Walter Scott's "Paul's Letters to his Kinsfolk", and read Shakespeare to Ellen, and led a quiet life, seeing no one'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Missing Sewell Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'One gravestone was erected by Scott .. to the poor woman who served him as a heroine in the Heart of Mid-Lothian, and the inscription in its stiff Jedediah Cleishbotham fashion is not without something touching.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: gravestone

Walter Scott : Lay of the Last Minstrel, The

'You ask me (pertly enough - pardon the expression) Whether I have read The Lay of the Last Minstrel - alas, only twice - And have, in addition, only the following Catalogue to subjoin of pleasing works which have come under my examination - English - Thalaba. Cowper Walker on The Revival of Italian Tragedy Southey's Tour in Spain Tommy Jones Italian - Metastasio's Olympiade Demofoonte, Giusepe riconosciuto, Gioas, La Clemenza di Tito, Catone, Regolo, Ciro, Zenobia - Tassos's Aminta - Seven Canto's of Ariosto, Il Vero Amore, an Italian novel - La bella pelegrina, La Zingana Merope, del Maffei, &c, &c, &c, &c French - None If you wish to know how I came to poke my green eyes into so many Italian books, I have this reply at your service. there has been an Italian Master here for above a month - and he brushed up for me the rusty odds an [sic] ends of his dulcet language which I had formerly picked up, & whilst he was here, & since his departure, I have done nothing but peep & pry into the works of his countrymen' [The format of SHB's list was in two columns, English and french to the left and Italian to the right]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Unknown

Walter Scott : unknown

'Today we saw the cathedral at Chester; and, far more delightful, saw and heard a certain inimitable verger who took us round. He was full of a certain recondite, far away humour that did not quite make you laugh at the time, but was somehow laughable to recollect. Moreover, he had so far a just imagination, and could put one in the right humour for seeing an old place, very much as, according to my favourite text, Scott's novels and poems do for one.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake, The

'I have been reading, and am enchanted by The Lady of the Lake! It has all the spirit of either of its predecessors, (have you read it?) and ten times the interest. When I had finished it, I remained with such a relish for Walter Scott upon my mind, that I immediately borrowed and sat down to a second perusal of Marmion. I like the brave villain much for being so wholly divested of sneakingness - I admire his squabble with old Angus - his tranquil determination to gain possession of the Lady Clare, and [underlined] her lands, coute qui coute [end underlining], - And as for Constance de Beverley, and her infernal Trial, I think enough can never be said of her reprobate magnanimity, of the picturesque description of her person, of the surrounding gloomy objects - of scarcely any of the striking circumstances introduced throughout the whole harrowing scene. But here am I telling you of an old book just the sort of humdrum stuff I often tell myself with pen and ink in my little private reviews - And I wont say another word upon the subject. But have you seen a little volume of Westall's Poems, containing a Day in Spring, and other detached pieces, with four lovely engravings from his own designs? One of them representing a youthful Spenser, dreaming about Knights, and squires, & Dames of high degree, and Fairies, & other entertaining whimsies. And all these visionary personages are dancing around him in the prettiest groupes you can imagine - You will think me a deuce of a pedant to keep jabbering so much about books, when perhaps you would like to hear about people. but I see no people, and keep company continually with books-'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Unknown

Walter Scott : Marmion

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Unknown

Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake, The

'As I chose that my recent course of extravagance should die a melodious death [...] the last indulgence I gave it was the purchase of "The Lady of the Lake". How sweet, and to my fancy, bewitching a poem it is!'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

'Have you seen Guy Mannering? I perfectly doat upon it. There is such skill in the management of the fable, & it is so eminently original in its characters and descriptions, that I think it bears the stamp of real genius'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty years Since

'I am [underlined] so [end underlining] glad you like what you have read of "Emma", and the dear old man's "Gentle selfishness". - Was there ever a happier expression? - I have read no story book with such glee, since the days of "Waverley" and "Mannering", and, by the same author as "Emma", my prime favourite of all modern Novels "Pride and Prejudice"'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Kenilworth

'Of course you have read Kenilworth Castle, and i trust, liked it. I greatly prefer it to the Monastery, & am almost as much pleased with it as with the Abbot: but not quite; the catastrophe is painful, & Elizabeth figures not so appropriately in a Romance, as her beautiful Rival; neither is the false varnish given to Leicester's character capable of making one forget his historical turpitude. The introduction of Raleigh is a delightful relief; and I wanted Sir Philip Sidney to boot; and more about several others only incidentally mentioned. It would perhaps have been too hazardous to bring in dear Shakespear: I cannot, however, but wish that he had adventured it. May be, I am a fool, and Scott's enemy for desiring it: but with his versatility of power; his happy embodyings of fictitious characters, he might surely have given form and pressure (if any man could) to the realities of Shakespear mind, and manners, & person. - At all events, Raleigh being so well delineated, I hope he will soon take some other historical personage in hand.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Monastery, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Abbot, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Fortunes of Nigel, The

'I have read the first volume of The Fortunes of Nigel, which I like much better than the Pirate. I never could feel perfectly reconciled to having a Freebooter for a Hero, and a romantic, half crazy girl falling in love with him from mistaking him for an honest bold man'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Pirate, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : Life of Napoleon Buonaparte

'I have had the perseverance to read Sir W. Scotts Boney - and hackneyed as is the subject, I was lured on from page to page, with unwearied interest and entertainment. I am longing for Bishop Heber's Journal. Did you read, in one of the Quarterly's , an Article relating to him, remarkably well written, and worthy in all respects of its subject. - It must be now nearly a year ago that it appeared. I wish you could get it - and there is also a more recent article, published in the very last Review - quite excellent'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

Virginia Woolf to Molly MacCarthy, 20 June 1921: 'I am reading the Bride of Lammermoor -- by that great man Scott: and Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence, lured on by the portrait of Ottoline [Morrell] which appears from time to time [...] There is no suspense or mystery: water is all semen: I get a little bored, and make out the riddles too easily. Only this puzzles me: what does it mean when a woman [Gudrun] does eurythmics in front of a herd of Highland cattle?'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Virginia Woolf Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

Saturday 2 January 1915: 'I read Guy Mannering upstairs for 20 minutes'.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Virginia Woolf Print: Book

Walter Scott : Old Mortality

Tuesday 14 February 1922: 'I am reading [in convalescence, following week of illness] Moby Dick: Princesse de Cleves; Lord Salisbury; Old Mortality; Small Talk at Wreyland; with an occasional bite at the Life of Lord Tennyson, of Johnson; & anything else I find handy. But this is all dissipated & invalidish. I can only hope that like dead leaves they may fertilise my brain.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Virginia Woolf Print: Book

Walter Scott : Old Mortality

Wednesday 15 February 1922: 'Of my reading I will now try to make some note. 'First Peacock; Nightmare Abbey, & Crotchet Castle. Both are so much better than I remember. Doubtless, Peacock is a taste acquired in maturity. When I was young, reading him in a railway carriage in Greece, sitting opposite Thoby [Woolf, reader's brother], I remember, who pleased me immensely by approving my remark that Meredith had got his women from Peacock [...] And now more than anything I want beautiful prose [...] And I enjoy satire more. I like the scepticism of his mind more [...] And then they're so short; & I read them in little yellowish perfectly appropriate first editions. 'The masterly Scott has me by the hair once more. Old Mortality. I'm in the middle; & have to put up with some dull sermons; but I doubt he can be dull, because everything is so much in keeping [goes on to comment further on text]'.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Virginia Woolf Print: Book

Walter Scott : Letters

Friday 15 August 1924: 'When I was 20 I liked 18th Century prose; I liked Hakluyt, Merimee. I read masses of Carlyle, Scott's life & letters, Gibbon, all sorts of two volume biographies, & Shelley.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Virginia Stephen Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rokeby

'I received Walter Scott's Rokeby. I gazed at it with a transport of impatience, and began reading it in bed. I am already in the first canto: - my soul has glowed with what he justly terms "the art unteachable". My veins have thrilled; my heart has throbbed; my eyes have filled with tears - during its perusal. The poet who can thus master the passions to do his bidding, must be indeed a poet'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charlotte Bury Print: Unknown

Walter Scott : Vision of Don Roderick , The

'Since I have been in London I have read nothing but Miss Seward's letters and Miss Owenson's Missionary. Of Miss Seward I am bound to speak well, as she doth so of me; and her monodies are beauiful; but the letters are naught; they abound in false sentiment, and a great many other false things. As to the Missionary, Ambrosio is his father, and Matilde his mother; but, wanting the indelicacy of papa, and the delicacy of mamma, he's a dull fellow. I could think of nothing else but poor Margaret Stewart of Blantyre, and her presbyterian minister, while I read this. Miss Luxina brought her hogs to a bad market, for Hilarion was little better than a beast. Walter Scott's last poem I have also seen, but so hastily that I can be no competent judge of its merits. Talking of words, allow me to recommend to you Ford's plays, lately re-published. Some of them are excellent; the first in the series (which hath an awkward name, I must confess) and the Broken Heart, are particularly admirable. I am sure that you will be struck with them; for Ford is almost as moving as Otway or Lee, - who is the mad poet I adore, yet I can persuade nobody to read him. The History of the Somerville Family, which I have seen in MS., is soon to be printed, and that of Sutherland is to be out shortly'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

Tuesday 1 September 1931: 'And so a few days of bed & headache & overpowering sleep, sleep descending inexorable as I tried to read Judith Paris, then Ivanhoe. A note on Judith Paris: its a London museum book. Hugh bouncing with spurious enthusiasm -- a collection of keepsakes bright beads -- unrelated. Why? No central feeling anywhere [...] All a trivial litter of bright objects to be swept up. 'Scott: a note. A pageant. And I know the man [Locksley] (I forget his name) will hit the mark. So I'm not excited. Almost incredible that my father [Leslie Stephen, in Hours in a Library vol. 1 p.158] shd. have taken this scene seriously. But I think some roots. A perfectly desire surely to amuse, now & then ruffled (but oh how seldom!) by some raid from the sub-conscious -- only in the humour tho. Rowena, Rebecca, hairdressers ornaments -- Madame Tussaud sham jewels [...] But I think I trust him & like him better than Hugh. Question of morality. That we are all moralists; with a temporary standard.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Virginia Woolf Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake, The

'I happened by chance when in this mood [melancholy], to open "The Lady of the Lake", and I thought, as I read it, so long as there were such sublime poems in the world to elevate and abstract the mind, that I could never be quite unhappy in any situation. There are so many interests and pleasures independent of the world! Everybody must be disappointed that the heroine's lover is nothing, and derives no interest from any circumstances except in being the object of her love; and I was sorry Fitz-James kills Roderick. Fitz-James, perhaps, could not help it, but Walter Scott could. It gives an uneasy sensation'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charlotte Bury Print: Book

Walter Scott : Antiquary, The

'I took a great pleasure in the "Antiquary", till I learnt who was the author. It is universally believed that it was written by a man of the name of Greenfield, once a popular clergyman, but whose name it is now a scandal to mention'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mrs [-] Print: Book

Walter Scott : Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, The

'I have been perusing your minstrelsy very diligently for a while past, and it being the first book I ever perused which was written by a person I had seen and conversed with, the consequence hath been to me a most sensible pleasure: for in fact it is the remarks and modern pieces that I have delighted most in, being as it were personally acquainted with many of the antient pieces formerly'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lay of the Last Minstrel, The

'I had a present of a very elegant copy of the "Lay" lately from a gentleman in Edin. to whom I was ashamed to confess that I had it not. This is g[TEAR] you a hint that the present should have [TEAR] from some other hand. I am delighted beyond measure with many of the descriptions and with none more than that of William of Deloraine but I have picked some faults which I have not now time to explain but in Stanza 3d 1.1st were the knights squires and yeomen all knights? Should it not be rather [italics] The knights were all of mettle true? [end italics] - I have not yet discovered what the terrible parade of fetching Michael Scott's black book from the tomb served or what was done with it of consequence before returned and fear it will be construed as resorted to for sake of furnishing the sublime and awefull description'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book, Unknown

Walter Scott : 'Glenfinlas; Or, Lord Ronald's Coronach'

'either I am grossly mistaken or there are more [italics] natural [end italics] beauties in Marmion than all your others and as long as that is admired (which it ever will be by a part) so will Marmion. You gave the truest picture of your manner of writing in the introduction to Mr Erskine that ever was given [SEAL] ever will and I am particularly partial to that epistle I think it extremely beautifull. I should like extremely well to see another poem of yours in the same stanza with Glenfinlas my first and I believe still greatest favourite'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book

Walter Scott : 'To Henry Erskine, Esq'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book

Walter Scott : Bridal of Triermain, The

'[italics] The Bridal [end italics] of Triermain is published. It is quite a romance of a lady that lay enchanted 500 years &c a servile imitation of Scott and possesses some poetical merit. It will not however be regarded'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Unknown

Walter Scott : [pre-publication comments and marginal notes on Hogg's 'The Hunting of Badlewe'

'I inclose you Roscoe's and Mr. Scott's letters of criticism but besides this Scott has written the margin from beginning to end and his hints are most rational - these letters will well make up to you what is unfilled up in my sheet. I send you likewise a volume of poems by a young friend of mine of very great poetical powers. I have been greatly instrumental in bringing them forward, and subscribed for ten copies and I beg you will accept of this as a small present to the neat collection upstairs which has erst been free to me'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Manuscript: presumably in MS

Walter Scott : Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since

'[Scott] denies "Waverly" [sic] which it behoves him to do for a while at least; indeed I do not think he will ever acknowledge it; but with regard to the author there is not and cannot be a doubt remaining - the internal evidence is of itself sufficient - it may be practical enough to imitate either your lordship or him for a few verses but that the same turn of thought characters and expression in a word that the whole structure of mind sholud so exactly coinincide in two distinct individuals is not in nature. - By the by this seems to have brought a curious fact to light. I heard Ballantyne with my own ears attest when Waverly went first to the press which is now a long while ago that it was by the author of "The Bridal of Triermain" who in all the surmises [italics] had never yet been named [end italics] What are we to think here my Lord? However I like Waverly exceedingly and never was more diverted than by some of the pictures there of Scottish manners and I am much pleased to hear you commend it'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book, Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : Bridal of Triermain, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book, Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon, Lord Byron Print: Book, Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles, The

'Wordsworth and Southey have each published a new poem price of each /2:2. Southey's is a noble work the other is a very absurd one but has many most beautiful and affecting passages - Scott is in the press - the beginning is beautiful'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Manuscript: Unknown

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles, The

'I have read "Ronald" with great care and much pleasure I think it is the most [italics] spirited [end italics] poem Scott ever wrote - He has availed himself of his particular forte, a kind of easy elastick rapidity which never once flags from beginning to end. It is a pity that the tale should be again butched the two females are but a clog upon it, and no one natural occurrence connected with them takes place - I likewise expected some finer bursts of feeling with regard to Scottish independence - the coaxing apology to England is below any Scot to have uttered - But these are quite subordinate matters and can never materially affect the poem and I have not a doubt, tho' the public seem to be receiving it with select caution, that it will finally succeed to the author's highest anticipation - If it do not none of his ever deserved to do so which is enough for you and me'

Century: Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles, The

'I confess I was pleased with ['The Lord of the Isles'] save the plot and augured good of it but I have heard very different breathings of late and some of these from headquarters but the Scots are chagrined at the fear he has shown of giving offence to the English in his description of the final battle and they maintain that he is himself the English bard who was taken captive there and [italics] compelled [end italics] to celebrate the Scotish [sic] victory If a right strong effort is not made to support Scott at this time, Like the snow on the mountain Like the foam on the river Like the bubbles on the fountain, He is gone! and for ever.'

Century: Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

' I have got hold of the "Quarterly" but have not yet got far on with it. The review of Gibbon is certainly a first rate article as indeed I think all your principal articles are, but O I am grieved to see such an ignorant and absurd review of Mannering so contrary to the feelings of a whole nation for I certainly never saw high and low rich and poor so unanimous about any book as that [... Hogg berates the reviewer] Scott has been the most strenuous supporter of the character of your Miscellany as excellent, and there is an indelicacy in the the [sic] whole thing that cannot be thought of'.

Century: Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book

Walter Scott : [letters in ] Edinburgh Weekly Journal

'It is amazing how many clever things are written about the embarrassments of the country there has one appeared in Blackwood and another in the weekly journal which I cannot but admire'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : Kenilworth

'I had the Sunday School girls here last Sunday, and Susanna came to help me, and I thought we went off gloriously, only - (everything has its only) - in repeating our subjects of conversation, I named an accidental five minutes conversation with one or two of the girls about Sir Walter Scott's novels (apropos of a picture of Queen Elizabeth, via 'Kenilworth', &c.) and Mrs J.J. Tayler is shocked at such a subject of conversation on a Sunday,- so there I am in a scrape'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake, The

'We like you amuse ourselves with reading: we are familiar with the Scenery of the North & Court of King James: we could guess that Snowdoun, Knight was King but not that [the - Crabbe uses the 'eth' symbol] Hospitable Foe was Rod'rick-Dhu'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Crabbe family Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rokeby

'I derived a three fold Pleasure from the Receipt of Rokeby, first from the book itself, the Article, the thing sold and bought, & for this I know how much I am indebted [;] not so for the 2d part of the favour, the Pleasure of the perusal, nor for the 3d, the Honour of the present: but in more direct terms my dear Sir I do sincerely & heartily thank you & I beg of you likewise to accept the Thanks of my Household Mrs Crabbe & her Sons'. [Crabbe goes on to say how 'we had scarsely gratified our own Curiosity' when petitions from villagers to borrow the boook began]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lay of the Last Minstrel, The

'[Crabbe relates how he has had a letter from a Lady who] 'enjoins and adjures me to go instantly & climb the Mountains & penetrate the Defiles & in short embue my Mind with the grand northern Scenery that they may appear in my beautiful and ---- now if this anonymous Lady had read the "Lay" or any one of the four finest descriptive poems & of that very Scenery in our Language, with what kind of Taste & Judgment could she so call upon me & if she have not read them, she had only to enquire of the first reading Friend she met, but thus People judge, if a Man has acquired the Knack of painting a Tinkers Hov[el] how admirably would he describe the ruins of Balbu'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rokeby

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles, The

'I will not mention my own nor my son's Judgment upon the Poem, which in spite of my Prohibition he stole for a solitary Perusal and came boasting, at the End of the first Book of the Discovery he made there in those admirable Verses but he soon found that he had no peculiar Discernment.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley; or, Tis Sixty Years Since

'We talk of Waverly [sic] and Guy Mannering: Lady Jersey sent me the former [italics] as yours [end italics]. I vote with the Multitude, yet some pretend to know more & talk of revisals & amendments. I have a private Reason for my Opinion viz. my own Vanity. who but a friend would haved quoted me so often & once in a peculiar Manner? - I ask no Question! I ought not but I tell you what we say & think. Waverley may be best but Guy is most entertaining.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Crabbe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Woodstock

'Colvin has brought home Woodstock from Nice and we have started reading it aloud, which is a huge institution.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Field of Waterloo, The

'Of his poem Waterloo she writes: "These are my honest opinions, just as I should give them to any third person: and let me fairly add that I by no means expected to be so much pleased. Whatever subject draws universal attention, sets 'every goose cackling', every newspaper declaiming, descanting, admiring, lamenting, exaggerating, it is harder for a poet to handle than Swift's broomstick itself, and I protest, I thought Waterloo such a hopeless one that I was almost vexed at your undertaking it. But you have wonderfully avoided the commonplace".'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Unknown

Walter Scott : Marmion

'Mr Scott must have thought me very ungrateful in returning no acknowledgements for being [italics] entrusted [end italics] with "Marmion", but I was prisoner with so severe a cold the last week I stayed at Dalkeith that I could not attempt writing. Lady Dalkeith undertook the care of the parcel, which I hope has been safely restored; but now my head is clear enough, I must tell you how much pleasure it gave me, and that this pleasure rose still higher on reading it over and over again. Like the "Lay", it carries one on, and one cannot lay it down. It is, I feel, a great piece of presumption in me either to commend or criticise; but one passage, I confess, strikes me as more feeble than the rest, though by itself, or in a less spirited poem, I should never have affix'd to it that epithet. What I mean is that part of the introduction to the third Canto where you begin to give Mr Erskine your reasons for not adopting his advice; it immediately follows the compliment to Miss Baillie. Yet even in this the picture of the old Highland drover is beautiful. What ensues upon Smailhome Tower, etc., I was particularly charmed with, but I shall not pretend to point out all the beauties in this note'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Manuscript: Unknown

Walter Scott : Lay of the Last Minstrel, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord

'With the same amusement [of secret knowledge about Scott's authorship] I now sit by the fire, sucking in the sagacious remarks I hear. Says one, who has a favourite relation that writes - what nobody reads - "I am clear this is not by the author of "Waverley"; it is too good. "Waverley" was certainly Scott's: now Scott could not write this, it is above him, and there is not that constant description of scenery that makes him so tiresome".'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord

'In general the coterie here are disposed to think it not by the same author as "Waverley", etc., and to think it superior to all three. I myself place it above Guy and Monkbarns, but "Waverley" being my first love, I canot give him up. [italics] as a whole [end italics], however, I believe it does bear the palm, and it surprises me by not sinking into flatness, after the return of Morton from abroad; which was a very slippery place for [italics] you [end italics], who profess never knowing what you are going to write.... I must mention a remark Mrs Weddell has repeatedly made: "this has the [italics] nature [end italics] of Daniel Defoe's novels, tho' with a higher style of writing. I can hardly forbear fancying every word of it true". And we are all agreed that instead of perverting history, it elucidates it, and would give a person partially acquainted with it the desire to be more so'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: acquaintances of Louisa Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: acquaintances of Louisa Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Antiquary, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mrs Weddell Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley novels

'I am still ... doing a pleasanter spell of work over the Waverley novels.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Fortunes fo Nigel

'I have read one after another ... The Fortunes of Nigel.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

'Waverley is so poor and dull.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Bride of Lammermoor, The

'Do not suppose, however, that I am at present reading the ["Bride of Lammermoor" and "Legend of Montrose"] for the first time. I have had it by heart these five weeks. It possesses the same power of captivating the attention as its predecessors; one may find this or that fault but who does not read on? The Master of Ravenscroft is perhaps the best [italics] lover [end italics] the author ever drew; and oh! how glad I was to hear the true notes of the old lyre in Annot Lyle's matin song!'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : [Works]

'I believe most people would say of the four-and-twenty volumes, what I have known parents of large families do of their children: "you may think them a great many, yet there is not one we could spare". For my own part I acknowledge I am not a fair judge; all these writings, all the author's works confessed and unconfessed, are so much associated in my mind with, not the earliest, but the pleasantest, part of my life, that they awaken in me many feelings I could hardly explain to another. They are to me less like books, than like the letters one treasures up, "pleasant yet mournful to the soul", and I cannot open one of them without a thousand recollections that as time rolls on, grow precious, although they are often painful. Independent of this, how many hours of mine have they soothed and softened! and still do soothe and soften, for I can read them over and over again'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Legend of Montrose, A

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'I am very glad you have enjoyed the court of Hayti, much the best part of the book in my opinion. I only barred your reading it out of propriety and for fear the other Lady Louisa should be scandalized; pray tell her so. My own notions are that comical books rarely do harm, unless when they try to throw ridicule on sacred subjects; and, I am tempted to say, "Have fixed principles deeply rooted, and then read what you please". I agree with her that Tardif de Courtrac, tho' always clever, is sometimes very tedious, especially in America, from one's indifference respecting the subject. For "Ivanhoe", make yourself easy, I am its sincere partisan and Rebecca's devoted admirer. I would rather the templar had burst a blood vessel, because that it really often the effect of a conflict of violent passions and tho' they may bring on an apoplexy also , it is not apt to ensue so immediately'. [LS then discusses several characters in Ivanhoe at length]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa Clinton Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'I know not what Prince Leopold will say to it [the character of Athelstane]. He had a bad cold and Sir Robert Gardiner went to keep him company and read "Ivanhoe" to him last Saturday. He was so delighted he would not let him leave off till one in the morning, and entered with the zeal of a contemporary into the Saxon cause'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Gardiner Print: Book

Walter Scott : [Waverley Novels]

'Your observation on the Waverley novels is perfectly just; instead of misleading one concerning the true history, or giving one a distaste for it, they make one relish it the better. Whereas Mrs Radcliffe's, for example, always abound with the most disgusting species of anachronism, the polished manners and sentimental cant of modern times put in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The enlightened philosophy likewise! young ladies arguing with their maids against their belief in ghosts and witches, when a judge durst not have expressed his doubts of either upon the bench. This [italics] palavering [end italics] style has crept into history through Miss Aitken, the language of whose memoirs of Elizabeth is so suited to modern notions that Mrs Scott has said it reminded her of Puddingfield's newspaper in the Anti-Jacobin German play. "Magna Charta was signed on Friday three weeks, and their Majesties, after partaking of a cold collation, returned to Windsor".'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : [Waverley Novels]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa Clinton Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'This [talking about feuds between families] reminds me of "Ivanhoe". I take the introduction of Scripture phrases to be neither intentional profaneness in the author nor carelessness, but adherence to the strict letter of the time he describes. It was their constant language. They had few books to read, and they quoted [italics] a tort et a travers [end italics] the one they knew, just as in the 17th century they did the Classics. Even Jeremy Taylor cannot bid us do as we would be done by without bringing in a passage from Plato or Homer'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : [Waverley Novels]

'Mrs Scott (here) is as thorough-paced a lover of those books [The Waverley Novels] as either of us. I have been looking over the Ayrshire Legatees, which I do not like at all. Mme de Stael's "Dix Annees d'Exil" is here, but a lord of the creation has got possession of it and reads so slowly that I have no chance of it while I stay'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mrs Scott Print: Book

Walter Scott : Peveril of the Peak

'We have begun "Peveril", but not gone far in it. It is read aloud, and, [italics] entre nous [end italics], ill-read, and I can yet form no judgement, only I am indignant at the liberties taken with so fine a character as the Countess of Derby, who was a heroine, but no virago'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Redgauntlet

'I ought to have thanked you for "Redgauntlet" a fortnight ago, but I stayed to read it, and then to read it again. It has taken my fancy very particularly, though (not to flatter you) I could almost wonder why: for there is no story in it, no love, no hero - unless Redgauntlet himself, who would be such a one as the Devil in Milton; yet in spite of all these wants, the interest is so strong one cannot lay it down, and I prophesy for it a great deal of mauling and abuse, and a second edition before the maulers know where they are'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Wandering Willie's Tale

'I read her [Miss Murray] the legend of Steenie Steenson the other night, and we agreed it was in the author's very best manner. I felt disappointed, though, at Wandering Willie's not coming forward more effectually after that very interesting scene of using old times as a sort of telegraph. I thought he was to be a prime agent, and then I heard no more of him; that is to say, the aforesaid author grew tired and flung the cards into the bag as fast as he could. I know his provoking ways.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft

'I have been feasting upon the Demonology and Witchcraft; yet some stories freshly rung in my ears, and I am sure fully equal to any of those you tell, give me a longing to attack you for civilly supposing the present [italics] enlightened age [end italics] rejects the superstitions of our forefathers because they were absurd' [LS then talks about the vogue for 'Animal Magnetism', saying superstitions are a matter of fashion]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley; or, Tis Sixty Years Since

'I am afraid that we do not admire "Waverley" as much as it deserves. The praise you give it would almost induce me to change my opinion, but I must be honest above all things; I did not like the hero, and thought the whole more a portraiture of individual than of general manners, but this may have arisen from ignorance, and I find in general the Scotch pleased with it. Walter Scott, if he did not write it, certainly must have had a good deal to do with it, but there is a sort of notice prefix'd to the last edition which they seem to say makes it very improbable that it should have been written by him'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Romilly Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley; or, Tis Sixty Years Since

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Maria Edgeworth Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

'The "Edinburgh Review" will have praised "Waverley" to your hearts content. I think however they left out one of the most affecting parts of the work, which is the return of W. to the Barons, and the conduct of the poor innocent David Gellatley. Surely there is no doubt but that Walter Scott is the principal Author of it. The learned here do not affect to speak of it as belonging to anyone else -- I read "The Lord of the Isles" last night it being lent me for the Evening. There is some beautiful description indeed in it, particlarly to my fancy a barren scene in one of the Isles. I own I expected more from the two opening cantos than I afterwards found, and on the whole was disappointed. The story of the Page is so hackneyd, and there is nothing to redeem it but a greater power of holding the tongue than is commonly given to Women, and, as in every thing Walter Scott writes one can never feel great interest for the Lover, which one certainly ought to do, Malcolm Graeme in the "Lady of the Lake", "Waverley", and the Lover in "Marmion", and now Ronald, altho' I expected a great deal from him from the opening. I am however in love with the description of Robert Bruce, I think it beautiful. It is very presumptuous in me thus to give my opinion, [particularly as I have this morning heard that Sir James Mackintosh says it is by far the best thing Walter Scott has done, but then he is puffer general particularly to Scotsmen.] ' [Words inside brackets crossed out in original]

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Romilly Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Romilly Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Romilly Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Romilly Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles, The

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Mackintosh Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lord of the Isles, The

'Since I wrote the first two pages of this letter I have read Eugene and Guilliaume, and quite agree with you. Pray correct Sir James Mackintosh's opinion [about "Waverley"], and for [italics] best [end italics] read [italics] worst [end italics] which was his opinion, altho' I was told the contrary. He is now I understand a little softened, and says it comes before Rokeby but after all the others. Have you read "Discipline" by Mrs Brunton? With many defects it is much above the common class, and the last Volume is very pretty indeed some scenes nearly as good as "Waverley" who I might have added to my list of Lovers belonging to Walter Scott one can take no interest in. - Have you read La Baume's act. of the Campaign in Russia? I am told it is very well done. I am sure you will be pleased with Mr Rocca's Book if you read it'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Mackintosh Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rokeby

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: James Mackintosh Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord

'Pray read "Tales of my Landlord". They are charming. I think there can be no doubt but that they are written by the Author of "Waverley" altho' it is not avow'd who that is. If it is not Walter Scott it is marvellous. I saw a gentleman the other day who told me that he had seen the manuscript in America in the hands of Walter Scott's Brother who there avow'd himself the Author'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Romilly Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of my Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Manuscript: Unknown

Walter Scott : [unknown]

'At home there were daily Bible-readings in the family circle for many years, but secular reading aloud happily also found a place. Lucy was "A good reader" and gave them Scott and Thackeray and Tom Moore as well as Shakespeare; Edward read Pickwick.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Lucy Housman Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Antiquary

'Uncle Henry writes very superior Sermons. You & I must try to get hold of one or two & put them into our Novels; it would be a fine help to a volume; & we could make our Heroine read it aloud of a Sunday Evening, just as Isabella Wardour in the Antiquary, is made to read the History of the Hartz Demon in the ruins of St Ruth - tho I beleive, on reflection, Lovell is the Reader.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Jane Austen Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

'After reading the Bride of Lammermoor [Tennyson] wrote the following [reproduces juvenile poem "The Bridal"]'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Tennyson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Redgauntlet

'He [George Gissing] recommended [in letters to his siblings] books like Morris's "Earthly Paradise", a poem "abounding in the quaintest archaisms"; Ruskin's "Unto this last", which Gissing liked as a "contribution to - or rather onslaught upon - Political Economy"; Landor's "Imaginary Conversations", for its "perfect prose"; and Scott's "Redgauntlet", for the romantic situations of which he must "try to find parallel kinds in modern life". Gissing kept up the habit throughout his life: he was always reading and always recommending books to his friends and family. In the early 1880s he read a lot of German, and to his brother, Algernon, particularly recommended Eckerman's "Conversations with Goethe", "a most delightful book". Meanwhile his sister, Margaret, was reading Schiller under his direction'.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gissing Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

'[from] April 25th [...] [Tennyson] "copied out 'Maud' for the press, and read 'The Lady of the Lake,' having just finished Goethe's 'Helena.'"'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Tennyson Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'His books, over three hundred of which are preserved as he left them in 1918, show the range - and limitations - of his interests at school and later. Shakespeare, Scott, Keats and Dickens predominate, but he also worked on Milton, several eighteenth-century authors, and some Elizabethan and late Medieval poets. About two thirds of his library can be classified as "English literature", including biographies of at least twenty authors [explanatory sentence about dominance of biography not criticism in those days]. There are also nearly fifty books in or about French, a high proportion for someone of Owen's respectable but ordinary educational background. the rest are mostly botany, history and classics. The imprints are often those of the popular "libraries" of the time - Everyman's Library, the People's Books, the Home University Library, Penny Poets - cheap editions aimed at the growing market of young people like himself who were keen on self-improvement'.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Wilfred Owen Print: Book

Walter Scott : unknown

'She announced among other things that Longfellow was her favourite poet. “Byron is nice too” she added “Especially his Elegy on the death of a mad dog.”!!! Shakespeare she has some little knowledge of – His fairies & pucks are nice – but he can’t come up to Longfellow. I nearly died with inward mirth. She vows she is going to devote herself to Literature when she grows up: but she really does appreciate good poetry – I read her some Scott one afternoon, & she understood & liked it – and then I found her an Austin-Dobson – and read her things for nearly an hour, out of his Idylls – and you should have seen how her eyes glistened as she took it all in. She expressed a wish to have something of his – and in half an hour she had mastered both the spirit & matter of “the little blue Mandarin”.

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Cornelia Sorabji Print: Book

Walter Scott : Lochinvar

'Oddly, I remember little of what must have been read to us in the 'poetry' lessons. Apart from a fragment or two of strictly abbreviated nursery rhymes, there was the fact that Young Lochinvar came out of the west, and through all the wide Border his steed was the best. If anyone suggested just where in the west Young Lochinvar came out of, I don't recall it. As we were children in a Cornish school, I had a hazy notion that it might have been Penzance, or possibly Land's End. Then there were the lines of Tennyson: The splendour falls on castle walls And snowy ummits old in story.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Causley Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Antiquary

'These brave words of Scott remind me of the song in The Antiquary, which I have just re-read ...'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'The two middle verses of that song have haunted me ever since I was a child and used to go up into the dark drawing-room with a little wax taper in my hand ... a white towel over my head, intoning the dirge from Ivanhoe ...'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book

Walter Scott : novels including Old Mortality

'He [Tennyson] would always talk of Thackeray's novels, Esmond, Pendennis, and The Newcomes as being "delicious; they are so mature. But now the days are so full of false sentiment that, as Thackeray said, one cannot draw a man as he should be." He would read and re-read them as well as Walter Scott's and Miss Austen's novels. His comments on Walter Scott and Miss Austen were: "Scott is the most chivalrous literary figure of this century and the author with the widest range since Shakespeare. I think Old Mortality is his greatest novel. The realism and life-likeness of Miss Austen's Dramatis Personae come nearest to those of Shakespeare. Shakespeare however is a sun to which Jane Austen, tho' a bright and true little world, is but an asteroid."'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Tennyson Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

'Spent the evening at Home. Read portion of Waverley.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Buckley Castieau Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'Was at home in the evening. Read a Portion of Rob Roy to Polly.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Buckley Castieau Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'Read Rob Roy in the evening.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Buckley Castieau Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'Stopped at Home in the evening and read Rob Roy to Polly.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Buckley Castieau Print: Book

Walter Scott : Old Mortality

'I suffered unjustly in the eyes of the world with regard to that tale ['The Brownie of Bodsbeck'], which was looked on as an imitation of the tale of "Old Mortality", and a counterpart to that; whereas it was written long ere the tale of "Old Mortality" was heard of, and I well remember my chagrin on finding the ground, which I thought clear, pre-occupied before I could appear publicly on it, and that by such a redoubted champion.'

Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Hogg Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Quentin Durward

'Byron was a great genius. 'Don' Juan is a terrific work. But there is scarcely a page of it which does not show that an artistic conscience was not Byron’s strong point. . . . Not long since I re-read 'Quentin Durward'. What a book of hasty expedients, adroit evasions of difficulties, and artistic ‘slimness’.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Arnold Bennett Print: Book

Walter Scott :

John Wilson Croker to the Rev. George Croly, 28 November 1816: 'Though I have little time to read poetry,and notwithstanding all the charms of fashion, I read more of Pope and Dryden than I do of even Scott and Byron; that is to say, I do not return to Scott and Byron with the same regular appetite that I do to the others.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Wilson Croker Print: Book

Walter Scott : Kenilworth: a romance

'I began the "Poissons" regularly; pretty hard work; finished "Kenilworth". I think Amy deserved her fate, she is unworthy of being one of Scott's heroines. The book wants both a hero and a heroine, for Tressilian, who is unsuccessful in almost all he does, is too unlucky. Leicester too vacillating. Raleigh and Elizabeth have more of the interest, or of claim to it at least.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Fortunes of Nigel

'Pleasant tea and "Nigel", but I much depressed all the afternoon.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Quentin Durward

'Chess and "Quentin Durward".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Quentin Durward

'Finished "Quentin Durward"'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'Read "Ivanhoe" to end in evening.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Marmion

'In afternoon, the trance-teaching, and the reading of "Marmion" with companions...'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Old Mortality

'Sound sleep after walk and long reading of "Old Mortality".'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Fortunes of Nigel

'Playing chess, and marbles, with myself, and reading "Nigel" to Lollie.'

Unknown

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin

Sir Walter Scott : Abbot, The

'Yesterday dined quietly with Diddie and Clennie came down to dessert, and I read the "Abbot" in the evening to them.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lord of the Isles

'They [newly married Lord and Lady Byron] read books together, and discussed them; Scott's Lord of the Isles was sent to Byron by [John] Murray [his publisher]. It they did not only discuss, for he pointed out to her, "with a miserable smile," the description of the wayward bridegroom: '"She watched, yet feared to meet, his glance, And he shunned hers, till when by chance They met, the point of foemen's lance Had given a milder pang."'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lord and Lady Byron Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

Harriet, Countess Granville, to her sister Lady Georgiana Morpeth, 28 August 1819: 'I admire F. Lamb perhaps more than I like him. I think him uncommonly agreeable and clever, but he sees life in the most degrading light, and he simplifies the thing by thinking all men rogues and all women ----. He looks old and world-beaten, but still handsome. He seems to enjoy being here [Bolton Abbey], and sport, food, and sleep fill up his time. At any spare moment he reads the "Heart of Midlothian," of which he says: "Why, if you wish for my opinion, I think it the worst novel I ever read."'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: F. Lamb Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Abbot

Harriet, Countess Granville to her sister, Lady Georgiana Morpeth, 15 September 1820: 'We are all at "The Abbot." I have only read the first volume. I delight in even the faults of his novels, "Ivanhoe" excepted.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet, Countess Granville and family and houseguests Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Abbot (volume 1)

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Countess Granville Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Countess Granville Print: Book

Walter Scott : Kenilworth

Harriet, Countess Granville to her sister, Lady Georgiana Morpeth, 8 October 1820: 'To-day I perform alone upon a roast chicken, and mean to devour "Kenilworth" with it. There are different opinions. Charles Greville told me last night that he did not stir out or go to bed till five in the morning of the day he begun it.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Greville Print: Book

Walter Scott : Marmion

Monday, 27 March 1826: 'I answerd two modest requests [for assistance with sons' career advancement] from widow Ladies -- One whom I had already assisted on some law business on the footing of her having visited my mother [...] Another widowed dame whose claim is having read Marmion and the Lady of the Lake besides a promise to read all my other works [...] demands that I shall either pay £200 to get her cub into some place or settle him in a seminary of education [...] I do believe your destitute widow, especially if she hath a charge of children and one or two fit for patronage, is one of the most impudent animals living.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rokeby

From the Commonplace book of Mrs Austen of Ensbury: Transcription of four lines from “Rokesby” (for Rokeby), beginning 'When lovers meet in adverse hour/ Tis like a sun glimpse through a shower…’

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Catherine Austen

Walter Scott : Life of Napoleon

Thursday, 28 June 1827: 'Visited on invitation a fine old little commodore Trunnion who, in reading a part of Napoleon's history with which he had himself been interested as commanding a flotilla, thought he had detected a mistake, but was luckily mistaken to my great delight.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

Walter Scott : article on E. T. W. Hoffmann

Wednesday, 1 August 1827: 'Smoked a cigar after dinner, laughd with my daughters and read them the review of Hoffmann's production out of Gillies's new Foreign review.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Walter Scott Print: Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : The Doom of Devorgoil

Sunday, 26 April 1829: 'Looking for something I fell in with the Little drama long amissing calld the Doom of Devorgoil. I believe it was out of mere contradiction that I sate down to read and correct it merely because I would not be bound to do aught that seemd compulsory [i.e. current novel in progress]. So I scribbled at [the] piece of nonsense till two o'clock [...] spent the evening in reading the Doom of Devorgoil to the girls who seemd considerably interested. Anne objects to the mingling of the comick goblinry which is comic with the serious which is tragic. After all I could greatly improve [it] and it would [not] be a bad composition of that odd kind to some pick-nick receptacle of all things.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Walter Scott Manuscript: Unknown

Walter Scott : The Lay of the Last Minstrel

John Murray to Walter Scott, 27 June 1812: 'I cannot refrain [...] from mentioning to you a conversation which Lord Byron had with H. R. H. the Prince Regent, and of which you formed the leading subject. He was at an evening party at Miss Johnson's this week, when the Prince, hearing that Lord Byron was present, expressed a desire to be introduced to him; and for more than half an hour they conversed on poetry and poets [...] the Prince's great delight was Walter Scott, whose name and writings he dwelt upon and recurred to incessantly. He preferred him far beyond any other poet of the time, repeated several passages with fervour, and criticized them faithfully. He spoke chiefly of the "Lay of the Last Minstrel," which he expressed himself as admiring most of the three poems.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Prince of Wales Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

'[John Murray] was confirmed in his idea that Walter Scott was the author [of Waverley] after carefully reading the book. Canning called on Murray next day; said he had begun it, found it very dull, and concluded: "You are quite mistaken; it cannot be by Walter Scott." But a few days later he wrote to Murray: "Yes, it is so; you are right: Walter Scott, and no one else."'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Murray Print: Book

Walter Scott : Waverley

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Canning Print: Book

Walter Scott : review of Thomas Campbell, Gertrude of Wyoming etc

Thomas Campbell to John Murray, 2 June 1809: 'I received the review, for which I thank you, and beg leave through you to express my best acknowledgements to the unknown reviewer. I do not by this mean to say that I think every one of his censures just [...] But altogether I am pleased with his manner, and very proud of his approbation. He reviews like a gentleman, a Christian, and a scholar.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Campbell Print: Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : Review of George Gordon, Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Canto III

Byron to John Murray, 3 March 1817: 'In acknowledging the arrival of the article from the Quarterly, which I received two days ago, I cannot express myself better than in the words of my sister Augusta, who (speaking of it) says, that it is written in a spirit "of the most feeling and kind nature."'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Augusta Leigh Print: Serial / periodical

Walter Scott : Life of Napoleon

'Say, too, that I received his Life of Napoleon, and have read it this winter - in the evening and at night - with attentino from beginning to end. To me it was full of meaning to observe how the first novelist of the century took upon himself a task and business, so apparently foreign to him, and passed under review with rapid stroke those important events of which it had been our fate to be eyewtinesses. The division into chapters, embracing masses of intimately connected events, gives a clearness to the historical sequence that otherwise might have been only to easily confused, while, at the same time, the individual events in each chapter are described with a clearness and a vividness quite invaluable.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Print: Book

Walter Scott : Redgauntlet

Books read by William Lygon, seventh Earl Beauchamp (politician, 1872-1938) to his daughters Lettice (1906-73) and Sibell (1907-2005) between June 1915 and December 1916 at Madresfield Court, Worcestershire: The Tapestry Room (Mrs Molesworth) The Pigeon Pie (Charlotte M. Yonge) Lilian’s Golden Hours (Eliza Meteyard) The Christmas Child (Hesba Stretton) Wandering Willie (from Scott’s Redgauntlet?) The Talisman (Walter Scott) Ivanhoe (Walter Scott) St Ives (Robert Louis Stevenson) Theodora Phranza (J. M. Neale) The House of Walderne (A. D. Crake) The Black Arrow (Robert Louis Stevenson) The Caged Lion (Charlotte M. Yonge) The Little Duke (Charlotte M. Yonge) The Jungle Books (Rudyard Kipling) The Maltese Cat (Rudyard Kipling) Boscobel (William Harrison Ainsworth) Puck of Pook’s Hill (Rudyard Kipling) Rewards and Fairies (Rudyard Kipling) The Armourer’s Apprentice (Charlotte M. Yonge) and some poetry.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: William Lygon, seventh Earl Beauchamp Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Talisman

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: William Lygon, seventh Earl Beauchamp Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: William Lygon, seventh Earl Beauchamp Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

William Blackwood to John Murray (early January 1815), on having seen a copy of Guy Mannering during a visit to his fellow publisher, Ballantyne: 'He [Ballantyne] would not allow me to look at it, but he read me a few pages. The painting is admirable and quite graphic -- Scottish to the life. [...] it will be a wonderful performance, and greatly superior to "Waverley" both in interest and effect.'

Unknown

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Ballantyne

Walter Scott : The Lord of the Isles

'At the beginning of Janaury 1815 Blackwood wrote to Murray that he had seen Ballantyne, and found a copy of "Guy Mannering" lying on his table [from which Ballantyne had read to him] [...] Blackwood had also seen and read "The Lord of the Isles," avowedly by Scott, but he was grievously disappointed by it.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Blackwood Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering (vols I and II)

William Blackwood to John Murray (early 1815): 'Yesterday I wrote a letter of thanks to Ballantyne for the delight I had received [from Guy Mannering], and expressed my feelings in the best way I could with regard to this beautiful production. I did not of course appear in it at all as the Bookseller, but merely as the Amateur. I know he will have shown my letter to the author, and though humble the offering, as it will be the first, it may perhaps be of some use to the Bookseller.' [Source author continues] 'He [...] refers to "Guy Mannering," the first two volumes of which he had now finished, and was even more delighted with it than before [when Ballantyne had read out extracts to him].'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Blackwood Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Field of Waterloo

'In October [1815] Scott published his poem, the "Field of Waterloo," and its appearance convinced Blackwood [incorrectly] that Scott was not the author of "Guy Mannering."'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Blackwood Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

John Murray to Walter Scott, on reception of Tales of My Landlord, 14 December 1816: 'Lord Holland said, when I asked his opinion: "Opinion? we did not one of us go to bed all night, and nothing slept but my gout." Frere, Hallam, and Boswell; Lord Glenbervie came to me with tears in his eyes. "It is a cordial," he said, "which has saved Lady Glenbervie's life." Heber, who found it on his table on his arrival from a journey, had not rest till he had read it. He has only this moment left me, and he, with many others, agrees that it surpasses all the other novels. Wm. Lamb also; Gifford never read anything like it, he says; and his estimation of it absolutely increases at each recollection of it. Barrow with great difficulty was forced to read it; and he said yesterday, "Very good to be sure, but what powerful writing is [italics]thrown away[end italics]."' '

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lord Holland and family Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lord and Lady Glenbervie Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Hookham Frere Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Henry Hallam Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Boswell Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Richard Heber Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Lamb Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Gifford Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of My Landlord

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Barrow Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

Isaac D'Israeli to John Murray, 4 August 1818: 'It was with your usual kindness that you sent us the "Heart of Midlothian," which we return with our best thanks. All that concerns the Deans family, David and Jeanie, is the masterly production of the same genius, and I like the broad and natural humour of many of the characters. [italics]Character-painting[end italics] is his forte, and he is both pathetic and humorous. With all these excellences there is too much alloy of modern romance-writing in the fourth volume [...] But the first of our novelists likes to have [italics]make-weights[end italics], and must have, for so many thousand pounds.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Isaac D'Israeli and family Print: Book

Walter Scott :

'Progress was so slight [in Charles Schreiber's recovery following disorder of lungs in spring 1883] that the doctors recommended a sea journey to South Africa. On October 26 [1883] they [Schreiber and his wife, Lady Charlotte] left England in the Hawarden Castle, and on November 14 anchored in Table Bay. Lady Charlotte found solace during an uneventful journey in Shakespeare and Walter Scott.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Charlotte Schreiber Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

16 March 1884, from Lisbon, en route home from South Africa: 'I am now reading to C. S. that charming book Rob Roy. Scott never palls. In the steamer we amused ourselves with Barnaby Rudge and The Old Curiosity Shop [...] C.S. likes my reading, and it has the blessed effect of often sending him to sleep, when he seems indisposed and restless.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Charlotte Schreiber Print: Book

Walter Scott : Journal (extracts)

'[Thomas] Carlyle saw Scott's greatness in the extracts from the Diary given by Lockhart. The stern critic rightly recalls the feelings and conduct evidenced by those extracts "tragical and beautiful"'.

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lord of the Isles

[From the diary of Elizabeth Firth, 22 January 1816:] 'Read Lord of the Isles again.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Firth Print: Book

Walter Scott : Old Mortality

[From the diary of Elizabeth Firth, 21 June 1817:] 'Read Old Mortality; did not like it.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Firth Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

[From the diary of Elizabeth Firth, 2 January 1819:] 'Read the Heart of Midlothian.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Firth Print: Book

Walter Scott : Tales of a Grandfather

'There is a copy of the Imitation of Christ extant, given to Charlotte [Bronte] in 1826, and there are other books that we know the [Bronte] children read during this period, including Scott's Tales of a Grandfather.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bronte children (Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, Anne) Print: Book

Walter Scott : Kenilworth

[Charlotte Bronte to her schoolfriend Ellen Nussey, 1 January 1833:] 'I am glad you like "Kenilworth"; it is certainly a splendid production, more resembling a Romance than a Novel, and in my opinion one of the most interesting works that ever emanated from the great Sir Walter's pen. I am exceedingly amused at the characteristic and naive manner in which you expressed your detestation of Varney's character [...] he is certainly the personification of consummate villainy, and in the delineation of his dark and profoundly artful mind, Scott exhibits a wonderful knowledge of human nature, as well as surprising skill in embodying his perceptions so as to enable others to become participators in that knowledge.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Ellen Nussey Print: Book

Walter Scott : Kenilworth

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charlotte Bronte Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

Meeting held at Ashton Lodge, Kendrick Rd., 13.x.32.

Henry M. Wallis in the chair

1. Minutes of last read & approved.

[...]

5. Francis E. Pollard then gave us an account of the life of Scott, interspersed with racy anecdotes. He gave us a lively picture of Scott's romantic outlook & of his keen historical interests.

6. Alfred Rawlings, who is endeared to us among other reasons as the stormy petrel of the Club, next launched an attack upon Scott as a poet, decrying his imperfections and slovenliness.

7. Henry M. Wallis then entertained us with the later work of Scott. Speaking as one wizard of another he almost succeeed in making us believe that he had been Scott's contemporary, & under his spell we caught something of the dazzling popularity of Scott's writings throughout the whole of Europe, and in particular of the cult for the Highlands and the Highlanders which sprang into being from his pen.

8. Towards the end of the evening we heard three readings, the first from Ivanhoe by Charles Stansfield who used the supper scenne in which Friar Tuch entertains the unknown knight, the second from the Heart of Midlothian by Frank Pollard in which Jeannie Deans pleads for her sister's life, & the third from Old Mortality by Rosamund Wallis describing the interrogation and torture inflicted upon the Covenanters.

All three readings held us enthralled, & all three papers aroused the maximum of discussion which a benevolent Chairman and a lenient hostess could allow. The time sped on beyond our usual hours, and as we took our leave we were still talking Scott.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles E. Stansfield Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

Meeting held at Ashton Lodge, Kendrick Rd., 13.x.32.

Henry M. Wallis in the chair

1. Minutes of last read & approved.

[...]

5. Francis E. Pollard then gave us an account of the life of Scott, interspersed with racy anecdotes. He gave us a lively picture of Scott's romantic outlook & of his keen historical interests.

6. Alfred Rawlings, who is endeared to us among other reasons as the stormy petrel of the Club, next launched an attack upon Scott as a poet, decrying his imperfections and slovenliness.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Francis E. Pollard Print: Book

Walter Scott : Old Mortality

Meeting held at Ashton Lodge, Kendrick Rd., 13.x.32.

Henry M. Wallis in the chair

1. Minutes of last read & approved.

[...]

5. Francis E. Pollard then gave us an account of the life of Scott, interspersed with racy anecdotes. He gave us a lively picture of Scott's romantic outlook & of his keen historical interests.

6. Alfred Rawlings, who is endeared to us among other reasons as the stormy petrel of the Club, next launched an attack upon Scott as a poet, decrying his imperfections and slovenliness.

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Rosamund Wallis Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Antiquary

'She [Emma Darwin] was especially devoted to Jane Austen's novels and almost knew them by heart... Scott was also a perennial favourite, especially ''The Antiquary''. Mrs Gaskell's novels she read over and over again; Dickens and Thackeray she cared for less.'

Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Emma Darwin Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Lady of the Lake

'I have since been reading in The Lady of the Lake, and this passage reminds me of our voyage: — "See the proud pipers on the bow, And mark the gaudy streamers flow From their loud chanters down, and sweep The furrow'd bosom of the deep, As, rushing through the lake amain, They plied the ancient Highland strain."'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Queen Victoria Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : The Lay of the Last Minstrel

'It poured the whole afternoon, and, after writing, I read to Albert the three first cantos of The Lay of the Last Minstrel, which delighted us both.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Queen Victoria Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : Marmion

'At two o'clock we passed the famed St. Abb's Head, which we had so longed to see on our first voyage to Scotland. I read a few stanzas out of Marmion, giving an account of the voyage of the nuns to Holy Island, and saw the ruins of the convent on it; then Bamborough Castle, and a little further on the Ferne Islands.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Queen Victoria Print: Book

Sir Walter Scott : The Lay of the Last Minstrel

'We went below at half-past seven, and I read the fourth and fifth cantos of The Lay of the Last Minstrel to Albert, and then we played on the piano.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Queen Victoria Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

'Miss Owen began the 'Mysteries of Udolpho'... but Mrs Owen thought it would take her up so much that...she gave her a shilling to put off reading it till she went home, and gave her 'Guy Mannering' and the 'Romance of the Forest' to read meanwhile.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Owen Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Owen Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

'On the 17 February, 1856, ''Finished Guy Mannering'' was entered in her diary. This means my father finished reading it aloud to us. These evening readings to the children were a happy part of the family life.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Darwin Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: The Darwin family Print: Book

Walter Scott : Rob Roy

'(1) I have started — don't be surprised — "Rob Roy", which I suppose you have read long ago. I really don't know how I came to open it: I was looking for a book in the horribly scanty library of Gastons, and this caught my eye. I must admit that it was a very lucky choice, as I am now revelling in it. Isn't Die Vernon a good heroine — almost as good as Shirley? And the hero's approach through the wild country round his Uncle's hall in Northumberland is awfully good too.' (2) "Rob Roy" is done now ... and I must admit that I only skimmed the last three or four chapters: the worst of a book with a plot is that when the plot is over, the obvious "fixing up" is desperately tedious.' (3) 'Since I last wrote to you I have found the thought of a book done and yet not done intolerable, and therefore gone back and finished "Rob Roy". I am very glad I did so, as otherwise I should have missed the very vigorous scene in the library, and the equally satisfactory death of Rashleigh.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Clive Staples Lewis Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Antiquary

(1) 'I am now, through the week, reading Scott's "Antiquary". I suppose you have read it long ago: I am very pleased with it, especially the character of the Antiquary himself, the description of his room, and the old beggar.' (2) 'I finished "The Antiquary" this afternoon, and it thoroughly denies our old wheeze about most books getting tireseome halfway through. It gets better and better as it goes on, and I have not enjoyed anything so much for a long time. I believe I shall soon become almost as devoted to Scott as you are: I begin to feel that sort of "repose", which you like, in turning to him. Which of his should I try next?' (3) 'Of course the hero - as usual in Scott - is a mere puppet, but there are so many other good characters that it doesn't much matter.'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Clive Staples Lewis Print: Book

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer

(1) 'Unfortunately we have not got a complete set of Scott here - only odd Everyman copies.... What is "Guy Mannering" like? The alternative title of "The Astrologer" sounds attractive but of course it may not have much to do with it.' (2) 'I tried to start "Guy Mannering" on Saturday but some how it didn't grip me.' (3) '... whether I read "Guy Mannering" or no I shall not take to skimming...'

Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Clive Staples Lewis Print: Book

Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake

'I have just finished the Lady of the Lake. – I read all the notes. I have also read these plays of Shakespeare. John. Richard 2d. Henry 4th & I am now reading Henry 5th. I have nearly finished it – Sir James Ramsay has got nearly 70 £ worth of books well bound, here. I intend to borrow them all, one after another. I hurt my arm very much Wednesday last, but it is almost well now. Pray send me some more dates and French plums, for they are universally admired.'

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Fox Talbot Print: Book

Walter Scott : Ivanhoe

'After lunch Tub played golf. Dick caddied for him. I read Ivanhoe to the Babs and we went to the Post for stamps.'

the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

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Walter Scott

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Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Emma Bowly

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Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Vivian (Molly) Hughes Print: Book

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Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: member of Carey/Maingay group

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Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Patricia Beer Print: Book

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Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: BookManuscript: Letter

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: BookManuscript: Letter

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Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book

Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: BookManuscript: Letter

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Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Frances Stevenson Print: Book

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Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Print: Book

Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: anon Print: Book

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