Читать книгу The Life of Sir Walter Scott: A Biography - S. Fowler Wright - Страница 4

FOREWORD

“I shall proffer you large proffers,” said Sir Lancelot, “that is to say I shall unarm my head, and the last quarter of my body, all that may be unarmed, and I shall let bind my left hand behind me, so that it shall not help me, and right so I shall do battle with you.”

A life of Walter Scott requires no apology. He is by far the greatest figure in Scottish literature, and has only one rival in the English tongue.

Without making any claim to finality, this volume is intended to represent that life in clearer outline than Lockhart’s voluminous records succeed in doing, and with greater accuracy than they attempted to reach.

In particular, it endeavours to give an equitable and intelligible account of business transactions which were often much simpler in themselves than are the interpretations which have been loaded upon them—and to be equitable, not only to Scott himself, but to others who by the accident of association with him were drawn into the light of the same publicity.

In the presentation of the closing years it has been possible, through the courtesy of Messrs. Douglas & Foulis of Edinburgh, to quote from Sir Walter Scott’s Journal as it was edited by Mr. David Douglas, and is published by them.

—S. FOWLER WRIGHT