A NEW EDITION, ILLUSTRATED BY VALENTINE W. BROMLEY.

Lonoon:

CHATTO AND WINDUS, PUBLISHERS. SUCCESSORS TO JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN.)

LONDON:

STEVENS AND RICHARDSON, PRINTERS, 5, GREAT QUEEN STREET,

LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS, W.C.

PREFACE.

WHATEVER may be the feelings of an author in commencing the task of writing a book, there are few who would envy, did they fully understand them, the feelings with which that task must sometimes be concluded; so far does performance almost necessarily fall short of original design.

With a good title, and a noble subject before me, I have now nothing left but to express my regret that more ample justice has not been done to both. The feeling was not wanting; but the facts have in many instances failed me, even where I have still a firm belief that the field is richly scattered with the materials of which I would gladly have made use. Especially has this been the case with regard to instances abounding in Scottish life. My conviction remains unshaken,