Great Scott! Sir Walter Rubbished His Own Books to Get Them Noticed

Towering Literary Figure Stooped to Skullduggery

The wondrous Sir Walter Scott, the looming eminence of 19th century Scottish fiction and proud recipient of the Scott memorial which must have been the inspiration for Gerry Anderson’s Thunderbird 3 was also a bit of a naughty boy.  Isn’t that what they call marketing geniuses these days?

Experts have found, it’s amazing what they can find I say, that Scott was boosting the sales of his novels by rubbishing them in printed reviews that he sold by the thousand.  Using the pen name Jedediah Cleishbotham he wrote Tales of My Landlord, then promptly reviewed it anonymously and slated it. Shades of Amazon review naughtiness.

50 Shades of Nay - Oh Walter

At the time he was a noted poet, but we all know there is little cash in poetry. Very few can say there goes the millionaire poet – so and so; while there is serious dosh in a best selling novel. Scott as “The Great Unknown” and after the huge success of his novel Waverley he billed himself as “the author of Waverley”.

In Scott’s review, he reveals he has information that Jedediah Cleishbotham is none other than “the author of Waverley” himself. Thank you Homer Simpson, ‘D’oh!’ Then he suggests the mysterious writer could be a certain Thomas Scott, his own brother, by then living in Canada. All of this created a miasma of intrigue around the authorship and he sold by the bucket load.

A Review for You That Takes the Biscuitor the Cake

Well I’m not going to write any tongue in cheek stuff about the mighty fine and good goods on the James Pirie website, but would like to recommend that without the miasma of intrigue that you could do a lot worse than check out the offers on a great Scot of our own. The Royal Scot China 2 Tier Cake Stand. It’s a pretty vintage style fine bone china cake stand decorated with flowers and butterflies. This makes it a great gift or statement piece for a tea party. And it is supplied in matching floral gift box. It’s a bit of a bargain. Don’t tell Sir Walter, he’ll make a mystery of it!

https://www.jamespirie.com/clearance-end-of-lines/royal-scot-china-2-tier-cake-stand.html