'''Down with your plaid, Waverley,' cried Fergus, throwing off his own; 'we'll win silks for our tartans before the sun is above the sea.''' The first romantic historical novel and international bestseller, Waverley (1814) tells the story of Edward Waverley, a naïve, sensitive young man who is posted to Scotland with his regiment, and becomes caught between the clans of the Jacobite Rising and the forces of the Hanoverian regime. He must decide whether he will follow the civilization he has always known, or be drawn into an older world of honour and loyalty - and must also choose between the quiet, constant Rose, and the passionate, principled Flora. Ian Duncan's introduction explores Scott's literary innovations and the new kind of hero he created, as well as examining the impact of Waverley across imperial Europe. This edition, with text taken from the authoritative Edinburgh Edition, also includes a note on the text and historical note, explanatory notes, a chronology, suggested further reading and a glossary. Edited by PETER GARSIDE with an introduction by IAN DUNCAN