It is not known exactly when Scott contracted to write Tales of my Landlord (Third Series), but he began composition at the beginning of September 1818, some two months after completing The Heart of Midlothian and finished it in late April or early May the following year.

[3] The first edition of Tales of my Landlord (Third Series), consisting of The Bride of Lammermoor and A Legend of Montrose was published by Archibald Constable in Edinburgh on 21 June 1819 and in London by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown on the 26th.

Edgar hates Sir William for this usurpation of his family's heritage, but on meeting Lucy, falls in love with her, and renounces his plans for vengeance.

She even recruits "wise woman" Ailsie Gourlay (a witch in all but name) to show Lucy omens and tokens of Edgar's unfaithfulness.

1: Peter Pattieson tells how he compiled the following tale from fragmentary notes taken by his late friend, the artist Dick Tinto, from one of the stories told by a Lammermoor farmer's wife.

Edgar Ravenswood buries his father in an episcopalian ceremony, defying the authority of the local kirk session and Sir William Ashton as Lord Keeper.

3: The recollection of a medieval act of revenge by a Ravenswood leads Ashton to suspend his intended legal proceedings against Edgar.

He takes his daughter Lucy for a walk in the park, encountering his forester Norman who despises him for lacking a taste for sport.

Lucy's imagination nourishes thoughts of Edgar, and her father tones down his report on the funeral, to the surprise of his colleagues in Edinburgh.

7: Challenged to a duel by Bucklaw, Edgar defeats him before offering him shelter at his dilapidated castle of Wolfscrag, to the displeasure of his servant Caleb.

10: Conscious of the lack of provisions, Caleb excludes the Ashton grooms and Bucklaw, who indignantly joins Craigengelt at the Wolfshope inn.

12: Caleb steals a duck from the turnspit at the house of John Girder the cooper, part of the refreshments for a christening party.

13: Girder is at first indignant at Caleb's raid, but he sends additional provisions to Wolfscrag when he sees the chance of winning promotion through the good offices of the Lord Keeper.

In spite of her husband's objection Lady Ashton writes a note requiring Edgar to leave the castle, incurring the Marquis's displeasure.

11 (25): The Marquis expresses doubts about the wisdom of Edgar's relationship with Lucy and offers him a political commission involving a period on the Continent.

12 (26): Caleb explains to Edgar that the fire was in reality not in Wolfscrag, but a device to avoid the necessity to entertain the Marquis and his entourage.

2 (29): Bucklaw and Lady Ashton agree with Lucy that the marriage documents will be signed if no word has been received from Edgar by St Jude's day.

[5] There was a general tendency to lament Walter Scott's familiar stylistic carelessness and weak plotting, and some reviewers saw a distinct decline from the preceding novels, with signs of exhaustion and less-interesting subject-matter.

Repetition of characters was mentioned more than once, though sometimes with a recognition that there were discriminations to be discerned, and in general the characterisation and the dialogue of the lower orders was appreciated.

The tragic power of the final scenes was widely appreciated, but the admixture of ludicrous humour was a defect for some, as was the overall gloomy and painful atmosphere.

The story is fictional, but according to Scott's introduction to the novel for the 'Magnum' edition it was based on an actual incident in the history of the Dalrymple and Rutherford families.

As a young woman, Janet secretly pledged her troth to Archibald, third Lord Rutherfurd, relative and heir of the Earl of Teviot, who was thus the model for Edgar of Ravenswood.

A meeting was then arranged, during which Margaret quoted the Book of Numbers (chapter XXX, verses 2–5), which states that a father may overrule a vow made by his daughter in her youth.

[6] The marriage went ahead on 24 August 1669,[8] in the church of Old Luce, Wigtownshire, two miles south of Carsecleugh Castle, one of her father's estates.

[citation needed] Her younger brother later recollected that Janet's hand was "cold and damp as marble",[8] and she remained impassive the whole day.

He remarried in 1674, to Lady Eleanor Montgomerie, daughter of the Earl of Eglinton,[10] but died on 28 March 1682 after falling from a horse between Leith and Edinburgh.

[8] It was generally believed that Janet had stabbed her new husband, though other versions of the story suggest that Rutherfurd hid in the bedchamber in order to attack his rival Dunbar, before escaping through the window.

[6][11] More scurrilous verses relating to the story are also quoted by Scott, including those by Lord Stair's political enemy Sir William Hamilton of Whitelaw.

The bitterness apparent in the relationship between Lucy Ashton and Edgar of Ravenswood after their betrothal is broken has been compared to Scott's disappointment when, after courting her for some time, Belsches married instead the much wealthier William Forbes.

The Lammermuir Hills are a range of moors which divide East Lothian to the north from Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders to the south.