Sir Walter's own delightful Introductions, written hastily, as Lockhart
says, and with a failing memory, have occasionally been corrected by
Lockhart himself. His "Life of Scott" must always be our first and best
source, but fragments of information may be gleaned from Sir Walter's
unpublished correspondence.
The Editor owes to the kindness of Mrs. Maxwell Scott permission to
examine the twenty-four large volumes of letters to Sir Walter, and some
other manuscripts, which are preserved at Abbotsford. These yield but
little of contemporary criticism or remark, as is natural, for Scott
shared his secret with few, and most topics were more grateful to him
than his own writings. Lockhart left little for his successors to do, and
the more any one studies the Abbotsford manuscripts, the more must he
admire the industry and tact of Scott's biographer.
The Editor has also put together some examples of contemporary published
criticism which it is now not uninteresting to glance over. In selecting
these he has been aided by the kindness of Mrs. Ogilbie. From the
Abbotsford manuscripts and other sources he has added notes on points
which have become obscure by lapse of time.
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