Waverley Novels
Preserved but no longer current.
The novels of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) which took their name from the first of the series. They were published anonymously "By the Author of Waverley" until 1827, when the author disclosed his identity as "The Great Unknown" at a public dinner at Edinburgh.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Waverley Novels” mean?
The novels of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) which took their name from the first of the series. They were published anonymously "By the Author of Waverley" until 1827, when the author disclosed his identity as "The Great Unknown" at a public dinner at Edinburgh.
Is “Waverley Novels” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.