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Outlines of English and American Literature: An Introduction to the Chief Writers of England and America, to the Books They Wrote, and to the Times in Which They LivedLong, William J. (William Joseph)

History

Outlines of English and American Literature: An Introduction to the Chief Writers of England and America, to the Books They Wrote, and to the Times in Which They Lived

Name: Outlines of English and American Literature: An Introduction to the Chief Writers of England and America, to the Books They Wrote, and to the Times in Which They Lived
Author: Long, William J. (William Joseph)

Long, William J. (William Joseph)

American literature -- History and criticism; English literature -- History and criticism

Rummaging in a cabinet one day after some fishing tackle, he found
    a manuscript long neglected and forgotten. Instead of going fishing
    Scott read his manuscript, was fascinated by it, and presently
    began to write in headlong fashion. In three weeks he added
    sixty-five chapters to his old romance, and published it as
    _Waverley_ (1814) without signing his name. Then he went away
    on another "raid" to the Highlands. When he returned, at the end of
    the summer, he learned that his book had made a tremendous
    sensation, and that Fame, hat in hand, had been waiting at his door
    for some weeks.

    In the next ten years Scott won his name of "the Wizard of the
    North," for it seemed that only magic could produce stories of such
    quality in such numbers: _Guy Mannering_, _Rob Roy_,
    _Old Mortality_, _Redgauntlet_, _Heart of
    Midlothian_, portraying the deathless romance of Scotland; and
    _Ivanhoe_, _Kenilworth_, _The Talisman_ and other
    novels which changed dull history to a drama of fascinating
    characters. Not only England but the Continent hailed this
    magnificent work with delight. Money and fame poured in upon the
    author. Fortune appeared for once "with both hands full." Then the
    crash came.

    To understand the calamity one must remember that Scott regarded
    literature not as an art but as a profitable business; that he
    aimed to be not a great writer but a lord of high degree. He had
    been made a baronet, and was childishly proud of the title; his
    work and his vast earnings were devoted to the dream of a feudal
    house which should endure through the centuries and look back to
    Sir Walter as its noble founder. While living modestly on his
    income at Ashestiel he had used the earnings of his poems to buy a
    rough farm at Clarty Hole, on the Tweed, and had changed its
    unromantic name to Abbotsford. More land was rapidly added and
    "improved" to make a lordly estate; then came the building of a
    castle, where Scott entertained lavishly, as lavishly as any laird
    or chieftain of the olden time, offering to all visitors "the
    honors of Scotland."

    [Illustration: ABBOTSFORD]

    Enormous sums were spent on this bubble, and still more money was
    needed. To increase his income Scott went into secret partnership
    with his publishers, indulged in speculative ventures, ran the firm
    upon the shoals, drew large sums in advance of his earnings.
    Suddenly came a business panic; the publishing firm failed
    miserably, and at fifty five Scott, having too much honest pride to
    take advantage of the bankruptcy laws, found himself facing a debt
    of more than a hundred thousand pounds.

    [Sidenote: HIS LAST YEARS]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

Outlines of English and American Literature: An Introduction to the Chief Writers of England and America, to the Books They Wrote, and to the Times in Which They Lived

Long, William J. (William Joseph)

American literature -- History and criticism; English literature -- History and criticism

Rummaging in a cabinet one day after some fishing tackle, he found
    a manuscript long neglected and forgotten. Instead of going fishing
    Scott read his manuscript, was fascinated by it, and presently
    began to write in headlong fashion. In three weeks he added
    sixty-five chapters to his old romance, and published it as
    _Waverley_ (1814) without signing his name. Then he went away
    on another "raid" to the Highlands. When he returned, at the end of
    the summer, he learned that his book had made a tremendous
    sensation, and that Fame, hat in hand, had been waiting at his door
    for some weeks.

    In the next ten years Scott won his name of "the Wizard of the
    North," for it seemed that only magic could produce stories of such
    quality in such numbers: _Guy Mannering_, _Rob Roy_,
    _Old Mortality_, _Redgauntlet_, _Heart of
    Midlothian_, portraying the deathless romance of Scotland; and
    _Ivanhoe_, _Kenilworth_, _The Talisman_ and other
    novels which changed dull history to a drama of fascinating
    characters. Not only England but the Continent hailed this
    magnificent work with delight. Money and fame poured in upon the
    author. Fortune appeared for once "with both hands full." Then the
    crash came.

    To understand the calamity one must remember that Scott regarded
    literature not as an art but as a profitable business; that he
    aimed to be not a great writer but a lord of high degree. He had
    been made a baronet, and was childishly proud of the title; his
    work and his vast earnings were devoted to the dream of a feudal
    house which should endure through the centuries and look back to
    Sir Walter as its noble founder. While living modestly on his
    income at Ashestiel he had used the earnings of his poems to buy a
    rough farm at Clarty Hole, on the Tweed, and had changed its
    unromantic name to Abbotsford. More land was rapidly added and
    "improved" to make a lordly estate; then came the building of a
    castle, where Scott entertained lavishly, as lavishly as any laird
    or chieftain of the olden time, offering to all visitors "the
    honors of Scotland."

    [Illustration: ABBOTSFORD]

    Enormous sums were spent on this bubble, and still more money was
    needed. To increase his income Scott went into secret partnership
    with his publishers, indulged in speculative ventures, ran the firm
    upon the shoals, drew large sums in advance of his earnings.
    Suddenly came a business panic; the publishing firm failed
    miserably, and at fifty five Scott, having too much honest pride to
    take advantage of the bankruptcy laws, found himself facing a debt
    of more than a hundred thousand pounds.

    [Sidenote: HIS LAST YEARS]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Outlines of English and American Literature: An Introduction to the Chief Writers of England and America, to the Books They Wrote, and to the Times in Which They Lived

Outlines of English and American Literature: An Introduction to the Chief Writers of England and America, to the Books They Wrote, and to the Times in Which They Lived

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