Memories of Sir Walter Scott, James Skene, Basil Thomson, 1909, John Murray

Scott's importance to literature really cannot be overstated - his work was highly influential and immensely popular across Europe at the time of writing and for many years afterwards. 

By profession, he was an advocate, judge and legal administrator, which he combined with his life as poet, novelist and historian. In later life he faced financial ruin, when Ballantyne Press collapsed amidst a UK banking crisis. Rather than become bankrupt, he decided to write his way free of the debt, and although when he died the still owed money, this was soon cleared by his Estate as his books continued to sell in substantial numbers.

The Skene Papers; Memories of Sir Walter Scott, by James Skene. Edited by Basil Thomson.

Published by John Murray, London, 1909. First edition. An uncommon title as a first edition.

A good blue cloth hardback with blind embossed title to front and gilt title to spine with gilt dagger motif. Soundly bound.

Text is bright but with spotted endpapers and spotting to text block edges. Dust toned top edge.

Text in English.

xiii + 1pp + 240pp + guarded portrait frontispiece + 1pp letter facsimile.

Weight: approximately 595g (unpacked). 

Dimensions:

Approximately 230mm tall x 150mm wide x 42mm deep.