The Antiquary Complete

VOLUME ONE I knew Anselmo. He was shrewd and prudent, Wisdom and cunning had their shares of him; But he was shrewish as a wayward child, And pleased again by toys which childhood please; As—-book of fables, graced with print of wood, Or else the jingling of a rusty medal, Or the rare melody of some old ditty, That first was sung to please King Pepin's cradle INTRODUCTION The present work completes a series of fictitious narratives, intended to illustrate the manners of Scotland at three different periods. Waverleyembraced the age of our fathers, Guy Mannering that of our own youth, and the Antiquary refers to the last ten years of the eighteenth century. I have, in the two last narratives especially, sought my principal personages in the class of society who are the last to feel the influence of that general polish which assimilates to each other the manners of different nations. Among the same class I have placed some of the scenes in which I have endeavoured to illustrate the operation of the higher and more violent passions; both because the lower orders are less restrained by the habit of suppressing their feelings, and because I agree, with my friend Wordsworth, that they seldom fail to express them in the strongest and most powerful language. This is, I think, peculiarly the case with the peasantry of my own country, a class with whom I have long been familiar. The antique force and simplicity of their language, often tinctured with the Oriental eloquence of Scripture, in the mouths of those of an elevated understanding, give pathos to their grief, and dignity to their resentment. I have been more solicitous to describe manners minutely than to arrange in any case an artificial and combined narrative, and have but to regret that I felt myself unable to unite these two requisites of a good Novel. The knavery of the adept in the following sheets may appear forced and improbable; but we have had very late instances of the force of superstitious credulity to a much greater extent, and the reader may be assured, that this part of the narrative is founded on a fact of actual occurrence.

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The Antiquary completes the series of books dealing with social manners of Scotland. Waverly embraced the age of our fathers. Guy Mannering that of our youth and Antiquary covers the last ten years of the 18th century. Set in the tense times of revolutionary France, a young man named Lovel who travels idly toward the Scottish seaside town of Fairport. He meets the antiquary Jonathan Oldbuck who hides from reality by studying miscellaneous history. The slow unraveling of Lovel's identity will unearth the secrets and lies which have devastated the Earl of Glenallan. Will these discoveries reinstate the tottering fortunes of Sir Arthur Wardour and his daughter Isabella?

Join intrepid Scottish antiquarian Jonathan Oldbuck as he navigates love, greed, and ancient artifacts in this gripping novel by Walter Scott. Set against the backdrop of the Scottish countryside, The Antiquary is a rousing adventure story and a moving portrait of a man's struggle to come to terms with his past. With vivid characters and lush descriptions, this book is a masterpiece of historical fiction. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.