ttle antique cabinets stand about the room; and in one
corner is a collection of really useful weapons--those of the forest
craft, to wit--axes and bills, &c. Over the fire-place, too, are some
Highland claymores clustered round a target. There is only one window,
pierced in a very thick wall, so that the place is rather sombre.

[Illustration: (_Study_.)]

ROKEBY, AND MINOR POEMS.

After the publication of _the Lady of the Lake_, Sir Walter's poetical
reputation began to wane. In 1811, appeared _Don Roderick_; and in
1813, _Rokeby_; both of which were unsuccessful; and the _Lord of the
Isles_ followed with no better fortune. In short, Sir Walter perceived
that the tide of popularity was turning, and he wisely changed with
the public taste. The subjects of these poems were neither so
striking, nor the versification so attractive, as in his earlier
poems. The poet himself attributes their failure to the manner or
style losing its charms of novelty, and the harmony becoming tiresome
and ordinary; his measure and manner were imitated by other writers,
and, above all Byron had just appeared as a serious candidate in the
first canto of _Childe Harold_; so that Sir Walter with exemplary
candour confesses that "the original inventor and his invention must
have fallen into contempt, if he had not found out another road to
public favour." We shall therefore now part with his poetic fame, and
proceed in the more gratifying task of glancing at his splendid
successes in prose fiction.

WAVERLEY.

The first of the author's

long trails of light descending down,

had its origin in a desire to story the ancient traditions and noble
spirit of the Highlands, aided by the author's early recollections of
their scenery and customs; in short, to effect in prose what he had so
triumphantly achieved in the poem of _the Lady of the Lake_. The
author's own account will be read with interest:--"It was with some
idea of this kind, that, about the year 1805, I threw together about
one-third part of the first volume of Waverley. It was advertised to
be published by the late Mr. John Ballantyne, under the name of
'Waverley,' or ''Tis Fifty Years since,'--a title afterwards altered
to ''Tis Sixty Years since,' that the actual date of publication might
be made to correspond with the period in which the scene was laid.
Having proceeded as far, I think, as the seventh chapter, I showed my
work to a critical friend, whose opinion was