When it came out, Murray got an early copy of the novel; he read it, and sent it to Mr.Canning, and wrote upon the title-page, "By Walter Scott." The reason why he fixed upon Scott as the author was as follows.

When he met Ballantyne at Boroughbridge, in 1809, to settle some arrangements as to the works which Walter Scott proposed to place in his hands for publication, he remembered that among those works were three--1st, an edition of "Beaumont and Fletcher"; 2nd, a poem; and 3rd, a novel.

Now, both the edition of "Beaumont and Fletcher" (though edited by Weber) and the poem, the "Lady of the Lake," had been published; and now, at last, appeared _the novel_.

[Footnote: Indeed, in Ballantyne & Co.'s printed list of "New Works and Publications for 1809-10," issued August 1810 (now before us), we find the following entry: "Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since; a novel in 3 vols.

12mo." The work was not, however, published until July 1814.] He was confirmed in his idea that Walter Scott was the author after carefully reading the book.