alarm that I might acquire those habits of jealousy and fretfulness which
have lessened, and even degraded, the character of the children of
imagination, and rendered them, by petty squabbles and mutual irritability,
the laughing-stock of the people of the world, I resolved, therefore, in
this respect, to guard my breast (perhaps an unfriendly critic may add, my
brow,) with triple brass, and as much as possible to avoid resting my
thoughts and wishes upon literary success, lest I should endanger my own
peace of mind and tranquillity by literary failure. It would argue either
stupid apathy or ridiculous affectation, to say that I have been insensible
to the public applause, when I have been honoured with its testimonies; and
still more highly do I prize the invaluable friendships which some
temporary popularity has enabled me to form among those most distinguished
by talents and genius, and which I venture to hope now rest upon a basis
more firm than the circumstances which gave rise to them. Yet feeling all
these advantages, as a man ought to do, and must do, I may say, with truth
and confidence, that I have tasted of the intoxicating cup with moderation,
and that I have never, either in conversation or correspondence, encouraged
discussions respecting my own literary pursuits. On the contrary, I have
usually found such topics, even when introduced from motives most
flattering to myself, rather embarrassing and disagreeable. I have now
frankly told my motives for concealment, so far as I am conscious of having
any, and the public will forgive the egotism of the detail, as what is
necessarily connected with it. I have only to repeat, that I avow myself in
print, as formerly in words, the sole and unassisted author of all the
novels published as the composition of the "Author of Waverley." I ought to
mention, before concluding, that twenty persons at least were, either from
intimacy or from the confidence which circumstances rendered necessary,
participant of this secret; and as there was no instance, to my knowledge,
of any one of the number breaking the confidence required from them, I am
the more obliged to them, because the slight and trivial character of the