preface-1-第1节

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PREFACE
TO
THE　THIRD　EDITION。
OCTOBER　1814。


　　To　this　slight　attempt　at　a　sketch　of　ancient　Scottish　manners　the
public　have　been　more　favourable　than　the　Author　durst　have　hoped
or　expected。　He　has　heard；　with　a　mixture　of　satisfaction　and
humility；　his　work　ascribed　to　more　than　one　respectable　name。
Considerations；　which　seem　weighty　in　his　particular　situation；　prevent
his　releasing　those　gentlemen　from　suspicion　by　placing　his　own
name　in　the　title…page；　so　that；　for　the　present　at　least；　it　must　remain
uncertain　whether　Waverley　be　the　work　of　a　poet　or　a
critic；　a　lawyer　or　a　clergyman；　or　whether　the　writer；　to　use　Mrs
Malaprop's　phrase；　be；　‘‘like　Cerberus…three　gentlemen　at　once。''
The　Author；　as　he　is　unconscious　of　anything　in　the　work　itself
（except；　perhaps；　its　frivolity）　which　prevents　its　finding　an　acknowledged
father；　leaves　it　to　the　candour　of　the　public　to　choose　among
the　many　circumstances　peculiar　to　different　situations　in　life；　such
may　induce　him　to　suppress　his　name　on　the　present　occasion。
He　may　be　a　writer　new　to　publication；　and　unwilling　to　avow　a
character　to　which　he　is　unaccustomed；　or　he　may　be　a　hackneyed
author　who　is　ashamed　of　too　frequent　appearance；　and　employs　this
mystery；　as　the　heroine　of　the　old　comedy　used　her　mask　to　attract
the　attention　of　those　to　whom　her　face　had　become　too　familiar。
He　may　be　a　man　of　a　grave　profession；　to　whom　the　reputation　of
being　a　novel…writer　might　be　prejudicial；　or　he　may　be　a　man　of
fashion；　to　whom　writing　of　any　kind　might　appear　pedantic。　He
may　be　too　young　to　assume　the　character　of　an　author；　or　so　old　as
to　make　it　advisable　to　lay　it　aside。

　　The　Author　of　Waverley　has　heard　it　objected　to　this　novel　that
in　the　character　of　Callum　Beg；　and　in　the　account　given　by　the
Baron　of　Bradwardine　of　the　petty　trespasses　of　the　Highlanders
upon　trifling　articles　of　property；　he　has　borne　hard；　and　unjustly
so；　upon　their　national　character。　Nothing　could　be　farther　from
his　wish　or　intention。　The　character　of　Callum　Beg　is　that　of　a
spirit　naturally　turned　to　daring　evil；　and　determined；　by　the　circumstances
of　his　situation；　to　a　particular　species　of　mischief。
Those　who　have　perused　the　curious　Letters　from　the　Highlands；
published　about　1726；　will　find　instances　of　such　atrocious　characters
which　fell　under　the　writer's　own　observation；　though　it　would　be
most　unjust　to　consider　such　villains　as　representatives　of　the　Highlanders
of　that　period；　any　more　than　the　murderers　of　Marr　and
Williamson　can　be　supposed　to　represent　the　English　of　the　present
day。　As　for　the　plunder　supposed　to　have　been　picked　up　by　some
of　the　insurgents　in　1745；　it　must　be　remembered　that；　although　the
way　of　that　unfortunate　little　army　was　neither　marked　by　devastation
nor　bloodshed；　but；　on　the　contrary；　was　orderly　and　quiet　in　a
most　wonderful　degree；　yet　no　army　marches　through　a　country
in　a　hostile　manner　without　committing　some　depredations；　and
several　to　the　extent　and　of　the　nature　jocularly　imputed　to　them　by
the　Baron；　were　really　laid　to　the　charge　of　the　Highland　insurgents；
for　which　many　traditions；　and　particularly　one　respecting　the
Knight　of　the　Mirror；　may　be　quoted　as　good　evidence。

*　See　note；　Author's　Address　to　all　in　General　p。