Sir Walter Scott as a Critic of Literature

A scholarly study analyzes Sir Walter Scott's critical and editorial writings and their relation to his imaginative work. It begins with an outline of his career and qualifications, then surveys his scholarly editing of medieval ballads and romances, his essays on drama, and his studies of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century figures. It assesses his reviews of contemporary authors, his self-criticism, and his overall critical position, and includes an annotated bibliography and lists of edited texts. The book emphasizes the interplay between historical scholarship and creative composition in shaping his literary judgment.