The Heart of Mid-Lothian - Walter Scott - The Heart of Midlothian is the seventh of Sir Walter Scott's Waverley Novels. The title of the book refers to the Old Tolbooth prison in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the time in the heart of the Scottish county of Midlothian. The historical backdrop was the event known as the Porteous Riots.Based on true events, The Heart of a Mid-Lothian depicts two stories. The first regards the Porteous Riots of 1736 in Edinburgh, Scotland. After the execution of two smugglers, a riot breaks out in Edinburgh. Unable to control the crowd and impatient, Captain John Porteous, the captain of the city guards, ordered his soldiers to fire into the crowd, murdering civilians. While this disbanded the original riot, the captain's actions soon warrant serious consequences as the civilians demand justice. Next, the story of Jeanie Doss unfolds. Born into a lower class, Jeanie had a humble upbringing, and is a very devout Presbyterian. After a tragic incident leads to her sister being wrongly accused of murdering a baby, Jeanie is determined to help her sister in the most virtuous and just way she can imagine. Traveling mostly on foot, Jeanie decides to go to London, in hopes of meeting with the queen. Determined to obtain justice for her sister, Jeanie fights to receive a royal pardon on her sisters behalf, clearing her name. First published in 1818, Sir Walter Scott wrote The Heart of a Mid-Lothian to be an imaginative depiction of actual events. Tied together by common themes, these two stories form a moving and shocking narrative. With themes of class, government brutality, social injustice, and religion, The Heart of a Mid-Lothian explores timeless topics that remain to be relevant and compelling. Praised for the masterful and intimate portrayal of Jeanies character, The Heart of a Mid-Lothian is descriptive, authentic, and captivating. This edition of The Heart of a Mid-Lothian by Sir Walter Scott now features a striking new cover design and is printed in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, this edition of The Heart of a Mid-Lothian crafts an accessible and pleasant reading experience for modern audiences while restoring the original mastery and drama of Sir Walter Scotts literature.

Sir Walter Alva Scott was born on August 15, 1771 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Scott created and popularized historical novels in a series called the Waverley Novels. In his novels Scott arranged the plots and characters so the reader enters into the lives of both great and ordinary people caught up in violent, dramatic changes in history.Scott's work shows the influence of the 18th century enlightenment. He believed every human was basically decent regardless of class, religion, politics, or ancestry. Tolerance is a major theme in his historical works. The Waverley Novels express his belief in the need for social progress that does not reject the traditions of the past. He was the first novelist to portray peasant characters sympathetically and realistically, and was equally just to merchants, soldiers, and even kings.Central themes of many of Scott's novels are about conflicts between opposing cultures. Ivanhoe (1819) is about war between Normans and Saxons. The Talisman (1825) is about conflict between Christians and Muslims. His novels about Scottish history deal with clashes between the new English culture and the old Scottish. Scott's other great novels include ,i>Old Mortality (1816), The Heart of Midlothian (1819), and St Ronan's Well (1824). His Waverley series includes Rob Roy (1817), A Legend of Montrose (1819), and Quentin Durward (1823).Scott's amiability, generosity, and modesty made him popular with his contemporaries. He was also famous for entertaining on a grand scale at his Scottish estate, Abbotsford.