Among other unfounded reports, it has been said that the copyright of
Waverley was, during the book's progress through the press, offered for
sale to various book-sellers in London at a very inconsiderable price.
This was not the case. Messrs. Constable and Cadell, who published the
work, were the only persons acquainted with the contents of the
publication, and they offered a large sum for it while in the course of
printing, which, however, was declined, the Author not choosing to part
with the copyright.

The origin of the story of Waverley, and the particular facts on which it
is founded, are given in the separate introduction prefixed to that
romance in this edition, and require no notice in this place.

Waverley was published in 1814, and, as the title-page was without the
name of the Author, the work was left to win its way in the world without
any of the usual recommendations. Its progress was for some time slow;
but after the first two or three months its popularity had increased in a
degree which must have satisfied the expectations of the Author, had
these been far more sanguine than he ever entertained.

Great anxiety was expressed to learn the name of the Author, but on this
no authentic information could be attained. My original motive for
publishing the work anonymously was the consciousness that it was an
experiment on the public taste which might very probably fail, and
therefore there was no occasion to take on myself the personal risk of
discomfiture. For this purpose considerable precautions were used to
preserve secrecy. My old friend and schoolfellow, Mr. James Ballantyne,
who printed these Novels, had the exclusive task of corresponding with
the Author, who thus had not only the advantage of his professional
talents, but also of his critical abilities. The original manuscript, or,
as it is technically called, copy, was transcribed under Mr. Ballantyne's
eye by confidential persons; nor was there an instance of treachery
during the many years in which these precautions were resorted to,
although various individuals were employed at different times. Double
proof-sheets were regularly printed off. One was forwarded to the Author
by Mr. Ballantyne, and the alterations which it received were, by his own
hand, copied upon the other proof-sheet for the use of the printers, so
that even the corrected proofs of the Author were never seen in the
printing office; and thus the curiosity of such eager inqu