Three Short
Novels
Edited by
Angela Esterhammer
The Edinburgh Edition of the Works of
John Galt
The three novels collected in this volume
reveal the diversity of Galt’s creative abilities.
Glenfell (1820) is his first publication in the style
of Scottish fiction for which he would become
best known; Andrew of Padua, the Improvisatore
(1820) is a unique synthesis of his experiences
with theatre, educational writing, and travel;
The Omen (1825) is a haunting gothic tale. With
their easily readable scope and their vivid
themes, each of the stories has a distinct charm.
They cast light on significant phases of Galt’s
career as a writer and show his versatility in
experimenting with themes, genres, and styles.
This volume reproduces Galt’s original editions,
making these virtually unknown works available
to modern readers while setting them into
the context in which they were first published
and read. Full annotations explain Galt’s
diverse geographical, historical, literary, and
philosophical contexts and allusions.
A comprehensive introduction reveals the
novels’ contemporary reception and their
significance within Galt’s life and career.
Angela Esterhammer, FRSC, is Professor of
English and Principal of Victoria College in the
University of Toronto.
Cover design: Stuart Dalziel
Back cover image: Sketch of John Galt by Daniel Maclise,
Fraser’s Magazine, December 1830. Courtesy of University of
Toronto Libraries and Victoria University Library (Toronto).
Edinburgh Edition of the Works of John Galt
Three Short Novels
Edited by
Angela Esterhammer
The Edinburgh Edition of the Works of
John Galt
General Editor: Angela Esterhammer
John Galt (1779–1839) was among the most
popular and prolific Scottish writers of the
nineteenth century. He wrote in a panoply of
forms and genres about a great variety of topics
and settings, drawing on his experiences of
living, working, and travelling in Scotland and
England, in Europe and the Mediterranean,
and in North America. While he is best known
for his humorous tales and serious sagas about
Scottish life, his fiction spans many other genres
including historical novels, gothic tales, political
satire, travel narratives, and short stories.
The Edinburgh Edition of the Works of John Galt is
the first-ever scholarly edition of Galt’s fiction;
it presents a wide range of Galt’s works, some
of which have never been reprinted. The
series contains authoritative texts together with
materials that add to an appreciation of Galt’s
historical context, his cultural heritage, and his
overall importance within literary history.
Edinburgh Edition of the Works of
Glenfell
Andrew of Padua, the Improvisatore
The Omen
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