Guy Mannering facts for kids
First edition title page
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| Author | Walter Scott |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Language | English, Lowland Scots |
| Series | Waverley Novels |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Archibald Constable and Co. (Edinburgh); Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown (London) |
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Publication date
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24 February 1815 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 355 (Edinburgh Edition, 1999) |
| Preceded by | Waverley |
| Followed by | The Antiquary |
Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer is an exciting adventure novel by Walter Scott. It was his second book in the famous Waverley Novels series. The book came out in 1815 and was a huge hit right away. In fact, all the copies of the first edition sold out on the very first day!
Contents
Creating the Story
Walter Scott started writing Guy Mannering in late 1814. He had just finished a long poem called The Lord of the Isles. Scott wrote very quickly, finishing the whole book by mid-February 1815. He wanted to write something different from his first novel, Waverley. His friends thought Guy Mannering was even more interesting.
Book Editions
Guy Mannering was first published in three parts in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was released anonymously, meaning Walter Scott didn't put his name on it. This was common for his early Waverley novels. The book was so popular that more copies were printed soon after. Later, in 1829, Scott added an introduction and notes to the book for a special "Magnum" edition.
Story Background
Guy Mannering takes place between the 1760s and 1780s. Most of the story happens in Galloway, a region in southwest Scotland. There are also parts of the story set in England, Holland, and India.
The book is about Henry "Harry" Bertram. He is the son of the Laird (a Scottish landowner) of Ellangowan. When Harry is just five years old, he is kidnapped by smugglers. This happens after he sees them murder a customs officer. The story then follows Harry and his family. It shows their adventures and struggles over the years. They fight to get back the Ellangowan estate, which is Harry's rightful inheritance. The novel also shows how wild and lawless the country was back then. Smugglers were common along the coast, and thieves roamed the roads.
Plot Summary
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The story begins with Guy Mannering, a young man who has just left Oxford University. He is traveling alone in southwest Scotland. One night, he gets lost and is directed to Ellangowan, the home of Mr. Godfrey Bertram. Mr. Bertram is a friendly but not very good landowner. He welcomes Guy, even though his wife is about to have their first child.
While waiting, Guy meets Dominie Sampson, a smart but awkward tutor. He also meets Meg Merrilies, a wild-looking Gypsy woman. She has come to tell the baby's fortune. Guy, who knows about stars, offers to predict the child's future. He predicts three dangerous times in the boy's life. He leaves his predictions sealed, to be opened when the child is five years old. Guy also meets Dirk Hatteraick, a smuggler who works along the coast near Ellangowan.
Before his fifth birthday, little Harry Bertram disappears. He was with an officer named Kennedy, who is murdered by smugglers. Harry is nowhere to be found, but Kennedy's body is found at the bottom of a cliff. Harry's mother is so upset that she gives birth to a daughter, then dies.
Seventeen years pass. Guy Mannering is now a Colonel and returns from India. He visits Scotland again. He arrives at Ellangowan just as Godfrey Bertram, now very poor, is dying. Bertram's home and belongings are being sold. Mannering tries to buy the estate. However, he has to go back to England to check on his own daughter. He misses the sale.
The Ellangowan estate is bought cheaply by a tricky lawyer named Glossin. His dishonest actions helped cause the Bertrams' problems. The estate is sold with one condition: if the male heir is found, the estate will return to the Bertrams.
Mannering's daughter, Julia, has been secretly seeing a young officer named Vanbeest Brown. Brown is not sure who his parents are. He was raised in Holland and told he was rescued from smugglers as a child. Colonel Mannering actually believes he killed Brown in a duel in India. This weighs heavily on his mind. Mannering's wife had made him think Brown was visiting her, not Julia. She died before the truth came out.
Mannering brings Julia to Scotland. He rents a house called Woodbourne, near Ellangowan. He invites Lucy Bertram, Harry's sister, to be Julia's friend. He also invites Dominie Sampson to be his librarian.
Brown follows Julia to Scotland. He takes a long route to see the wild parts of his birth country. He stops at an inn called Mump's Hall. There, he meets a cheerful farmer, Dandie Dinmont. He also meets Meg Merrilies, who seems to recognize him. The inn owner sends thugs to rob Dinmont on the road. Brown arrives in time to help fight them off. Dinmont is thankful and invites Brown to stay at his farm. He has a large family and many terriers, all named Mustard or Pepper. While hunting, Brown meets a gamekeeper named Gabriel, who also seems to recognize him.
At Woodbourne, customs officers seek protection from a large group of smugglers. Mannering uses smart tactics to drive the smugglers away. Several of their leaders are killed or badly hurt.
Brown continues his journey and gets lost in the winter. He follows a light to a ruined hut in a village called Dernclough. Meg Merrilies is there, tending to a dying smuggler. She sings to free his soul. She hides Brown, saying the dead man's friends will kill him. Brown watches from under some straw as the thugs take his papers, weapons, and money. In the morning, Meg shows him the way and gives him her full purse. She makes him promise to come to her right away if she ever calls him.
Julia writes to a friend, making fun of Dominie's odd ways. She also mentions Lucy turning down her rich suitor, young Hazlewood, because she has no money. Julia then describes Brown suddenly appearing on a path. Hazlewood, nervous from the smuggler attack, threatens Brown. Brown tries to disarm him, and Hazlewood is accidentally shot in the shoulder. Brown is now wanted by the law, even though Hazlewood admits it was an accident.
Glossin, the lawyer, is now a justice of the peace. He tries hard to find Hazlewood's attacker to impress the Hazlewood family. He is happy to hear that the jailer McGuffog has a man in custody. But it's not Brown. It's Dirk Hatteraick, the Dutch smuggler, who Glossin knows well. Hatteraick warns Glossin that Harry Bertram has been seen in Scotland. Glossin helps Hatteraick escape. They meet in a hidden smuggler's cave. This is near where Hatteraick caused Kennedy's death. It turns out Glossin was involved with the smugglers who committed the murder. He gave them the child to get rid of. Hatteraick explains that the child was adopted and raised in Holland. He also says that Gabriel, an ex-smuggler, recently saw Harry Bertram in the local hills. Hatteraick reveals that Harry Bertram, also known as Brown, was the one who injured Hazlewood. Glossin decides he must kill the young heir.
Lucy Bertram's elderly aunt dies in Edinburgh. Everyone hopes she left her money to Lucy. Mannering and Dominie travel to Edinburgh to see a lawyer, Mr. Pleydell. Mannering becomes good friends with Pleydell. But they find out the old lady left her estate to the heir of Ellangowan, if he is found. They learn from a maid that Meg Merrilies told the old lady that Harry Bertram was still alive. Dandie Dinmont is also there. His honest nature earns Mannering's respect.
Harry goes to Cumberland and writes to his army group for new papers. He also writes to Julia, whose letter brings him back to Scotland. He lands at Ellangowan and explores the ruined castle. It feels strangely familiar. There, he meets Glossin, who quickly has him arrested for shooting Hazlewood. Harry is put in a small prison next to the custom-house. Dinmont visits him, having heard from Gabriel that Harry is in danger. Dinmont convinces McGuffog to let him stay the night in Harry's cell. Harry still thinks his name is Vanbeest Brown.
Meanwhile, the Colonel returns from Edinburgh. Meg Merrilies stops Dominie on a walk and sends an urgent note to Mannering. She also stops young Hazlewood. She tells him to send the soldiers back to Portanferry. Glossin had "warned" Hazlewood's father of an attack on his estate. This was to leave Portanferry unguarded so Glossin's men could attack and kill Harry Bertram. During the night, a group of bad guys sets the custom-house on fire. But strangely, Bertram and Dinmont are helped to escape. They are led to a carriage. It turns out that Gypsy relatives of Meg and Gabriel had joined the group.
That same evening, lawyer Pleydell visits Mannering. Mannering admits he sent a carriage to Portanferry because of a note from the old Gypsy woman. They wait for the carriage, unsure who will be inside. Just as they give up, the carriage arrives. Mannering is shocked to see Brown, alive. Julia is also surprised to see her lover. Lucy is scared to see the man who hurt her suitor, Hazlewood. Sampson thinks he has seen the ghost of Old Bertram.
Once everything is explained, Pleydell announces that Bertram is the rightful heir to the Ellangowan estate. Harry Bertram is tearfully welcomed as the heir. Sampson hugs his "little Harry" with joy. Mannering, feeling relieved, welcomes the young man. Lucy hugs her long-lost brother. Julia tells her father she loves Harry.
However, Harry's legal right to Ellangowan has not been fully proven. Mannering and Pleydell must arrange for his bail. Meanwhile, Bertram and the two young ladies are walking. Meg Merrilies meets them and demands that Harry come with her. He agrees, and Meg is happy that Dinmont can go with him to protect him. The women then meet Hazlewood and send him to follow on horseback. Meg leads them to the Dernclough hut and gives them weapons. Then she takes them to the smugglers' cave. There, the three men overpower Hatteraick. But Meg is badly wounded in the fight. Hatteraick is put in prison. Crowds gather at Dernclough, where Meg is dying. They cheer for the heir of Ellangowan. Meg's dying words, along with Gabriel's story, provide enough proof to arrest Glossin too.
In prison, Glossin tries to bribe McGuffog to get to the smuggler's cell. He wants to make up a defense story.
After getting back his family's property, Harry Bertram pays off all his father's debts. With money from Julia, he builds a new, grand house. It includes a cozy room for "Mr. Sampson" and a separate small house for Colonel Mannering. Harry's late aunt's estate also came back to him. But he gives it to his sister Lucy when she marries Hazlewood.
Main Characters
Principal characters are listed in bold.
- Guy Mannering: A colonel in the Indian army and a friend of the Bertram family. He uses his knowledge of astrology to predict Harry's future.
- Sophia Mannering: Guy Mannering's wife.
- Julia Mannering: Guy and Sophia's daughter, who falls in love with Harry Bertram.
- Godfrey Bertram: The Laird of Ellangowan and Harry's father.
- Harry Bertram: Godfrey's son, who is kidnapped as a child and later known as Vanbeest Brown. He is the rightful heir to Ellangowan.
- Lucy Bertram: Godfrey's daughter and Harry's sister.
- Mr Charles Hazelwood: Lucy's suitor and later her husband.
- Dominie Sampson: A kind but awkward scholar who becomes Harry's tutor. "Dominie" is a Scottish word for a school teacher.
- Meg Merrilies: A powerful Gypsy woman who is evicted from the Bertram lands but remains loyal to the family. She plays a very important role in the story. She was based on a real 18th-century Gypsy named Jean Gordon.
- Gilbert Glossin: A dishonest lawyer who tries to take over the Ellangowan estate.
- Dirk Hattaraick: A dangerous Dutch smuggler who was involved in Harry's kidnapping.
- Dandie Dinmont: A rough but friendly farmer who helps Harry. He owns many terriers, and the dog breed Dandie Dinmont Terrier is named after him!
- Tib Mumps: The owner of an inn where important events happen. Her inn was based on a real place called Mumps Hall.
- Paulus Pleydell: A clever lawyer from Edinburgh who helps Harry prove his identity.
Adaptations
Guy Mannering was turned into a play by Daniel Terry, a friend of Walter Scott. Henry Bishop wrote the music for this play. The musical play first opened in London on March 12, 1816. The actress Sarah Egerton played the role of Meg Merrilies. This play might have been the first full opera performed in New Zealand. This happened when the Carandini troupe toured it to Dunedin in September 1862.
Images for kids
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Engraving of Sarah Egerton as Meg Merrilies in Guy Mannering (1817)
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A Dandie Dinmont Terrier; the breed's name comes from one of the characters in Guy Mannering who keeps such dogs
