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==Literary Career==
==Literary Career==
===Poet===
Scott had begun entering the literary circles of Edinburgh society while still attending university, during which time he met a number of contemporary Scottish poets and was strongly influenced by James Macpherson's "Ossian" poems. He had his only meeting with Robert Burns in 1786 or 1787, at which time he impressed the older writer with his literary knowledge. During the years in which he was beginning his law practice, however, Scott did not become active in these circles in his own right. His first publication came in 1796 with his translation into English of several German poems; though these works were not his own creation, they were rooted in the folk traditions of their nation, which only encouraged Scott's own interests along those lines for his native Scotland.
Scott had begun entering the literary circles of Edinburgh society while still attending university, during which time he met a number of contemporary Scottish poets and was strongly influenced by James Macpherson's "Ossian" poems. He had his only meeting with Robert Burns in 1786 or 1787, at which time he impressed the older writer with his literary knowledge. During the years in which he was beginning his law practice, however, Scott did not become active in these circles in his own right. His first publication came in 1796 with his translation into English of several German poems; though these works were not his own creation, they were rooted in the folk traditions of their nation, which only encouraged Scott's own interests along those lines for his native Scotland.
Scott's first original poem, ''Glenfinlas'', a supernatural tale based on an old legend of the Scottish Highlands, was written in 1798 and published in 1800, but his first really important work was his ''Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border'', a collection of traditional ballads he had gathered during the previous decade that focused on the history and legends of the Borders region. It was published in two volumes in 1802, with additions the following year, and generally met with very positive reviews among British intellectuals.
Scott's first original poem, ''Glenfinlas'', a supernatural tale based on an old legend of the Scottish Highlands, was written in 1798 and published in 1800, but his first really important work was his ''Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border'', a collection of traditional ballads he had gathered during the previous decade that focused on the history and legends of the Borders region. It was published in two volumes in 1802, with additions the following year, and generally met with very positive reviews among British intellectuals.
Scott followed this success with ''The Lay of the Last Minstrel'' in 1805, another supernaturally-themed poem set in the Borders. More completely his own work, as opposed to the representations in ''Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border'', it too was very well-received, and from 1805 to 1812 at least Scott was arguably the most popular of contemporary British poets. He was also one of the most prolific, producing another collection, ''Ballads and Lyrical Pieces'', in 1806; ''Marmion'', a long narrative poem set in the early 16th century, in 1808; and ''The Lady of the Lake'' in 1810. Set in the 16th-century Highlands, it is often considered the greatest of Scott's poems, and its popularity (more than 25,000 copies were sold in the first year of publication) is credited with helping to inspire the revival of interest in Highland culture during the 19th century.
Scott followed this success with ''The Lay of the Last Minstrel'' in 1805, another supernaturally-themed poem set in the Borders. More completely his own work, as opposed to the representations in ''Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border'', it too was very well-received, and from 1805 to 1812 at least Scott was arguably the most popular of contemporary British poets. He was also one of the most prolific, producing another collection, ''Ballads and Lyrical Pieces'', in 1806; ''Marmion'', a long narrative poem set in the early 16th century, in 1808; and ''The Lady of the Lake'' in 1810. Set in the 16th-century Highlands, it is often considered the greatest of Scott's poems, and its popularity (more than 25,000 copies were sold in the first year of publication) is credited with helping to inspire the revival of interest in Highland culture during the 19th century.
===Novelist===
From the start of his career, Scott had been interested in trying his hand at novels, which he thought might be more expressive than poetry in some ways, and by 1805 he had written several chapters of his future work ''Waverley''. His poems were what he was best known for at this time, though, and his friends and publishers evidently encouraged him to stay with those for the time being. The success of ''The Lady of the Lake'' encouraged his belief that a historical novel might be successful (and in any case, his later poems were not considered as successful as those from the period 1802-10). He returned to the completion of ''Waverley'', which was published in 1814; revolving around the adventures of the title character, an English officer in the Highlands during the Jacobite uprising of 1745-46, it was very popular with critics and general audiences, and spawned a series of related works known collectively as the "Waverley novels."
In all, Scott would write 27 novels, nearly all of them historical in nature and mostly set in Scotland, though several take place in England--including ''Ivanhoe'' (1820), arguably the best-known of his works today--and a few others in continental Europe. Many of these were written very quickly: ''Guy Mannering'' (1815) was produced in only six weeks. In general, those novels produced up to 1820 are considered superior by critics; these include ''Rob Roy'' in 1817, ''The Heart of Midlothian'' in 1818, and ''The Bride of Lammermoor'' in 1819. However, most of his novels, regardless of date, were financially successful at the time. Scott's ability to weave in historical detail and folk traditions made his stories eminently familiar and relatable to readers in both England and Scotland.
==Mature Life==
Influenced by his literary interests as well as his family background, Scott had from an early date desired to leave Edinburgh and live as a "lord of the manor" in the countryside. Beginning in 1812, he began purchasing land along the River Tweed in the Borders, and over the next several years built it up into a considerable estate, which he dubbed "Abbotsford" after the medieval St. Mary's Abbey in nearby Melrose. Scott lived here for most of the latter part of his life, festooning the residence with heraldic symbols and including a very large library.
In 1813, Scott was offered the title of Poet Laureate of Great Britain, but he declined it, fearing the dignity of the office would have an adverse effect on the quality of his work. Following his part in the locating of the Scottish Crown Jewels (which had been thought lost), Scott was granted the title of baronet in 1820, able to style himself as "Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet" from this point forward.
During the early 1820s, Scott had invested heavily in the Ballantyne publishing house, which collapsed during a financial panic in 1825, leaving him with debts of approximately £130,000. Though full repayment was not explicitly required by the law, and he could have easily gotten out of debt by asking his many friends and admirers for assistance, Scott was determined to pay back his creditors by his own efforts. During the last six years of his life, he produced a long string of new works, including six more novels, two short stories, two plays, and several nonfiction publications. Proceeds from these works would enable the entire debt to be paid off shortly after his death.
Scott's health began to fail in the late 1820s, and he suffered two strokes in 1830 and 1831. He was persuaded to take a cruise of the [[Mediterranean Sea]], for which a ship of the Royal Navy was placed at his disposal. Scott received a hearty welcome at many places during the cruise, but he had another stroke near its end, and was transported back to his home at Abbotsford, where he died on 21 September 1832, at the age of 61. He was buried at nearby Dryburgh Abbey alongside his wife Charlotte, who had died in 1826.
==References==
==References==