66 THE ENGLISH NOVEL 
Just before the appearance of Waverley, romances were poured 
forth in shoals. They were unintelligent and worthless, and have 
passed into oblivion. At the time they furnished food for laughter 
to the critics, and even the most popular of them lived no longer 
than a season. 
When Scott appeared, all the elements of excellence which before 
had rarely been united, were combined in one writer. Using 
romantic themes with all devices that during previous periods had 
proved the main strength of the novel, Scott won the victory for 
prose in the Romantic Revival. It was no longer the prerogative of 
verse to deal with romantic themes. This victory paved the way for 
the wide empire which the novel has won in its various forms since 
his day. Amongst the many things which won for Scott such 
universal admiration may be mentioned: the “local colour” in his 
stories, which many romancers had attempted in vain; the fidelity 
of his male characters to life, especially his Scotch men; the women 
of the lower classes, whom he draws to perfection; his magnificent 
gallery of historical portraits, never surpassed either in quality or 
quantity ; his aptitude for dealing artistically with historic events, 
and re-making the daily life of centuries far distant; finally, and 
greater than all the foregoing excellences, his representation of 
human nature, alike in every age and period. His novel isa human 
epic set in whatever century he chose to place it. 
