Editing Waverley (novel) (section)

===Humour===
The opening five chapters of ''Waverley'' are often thought to be dour and uninteresting, an impression in part due to Scott's own comments on them at the end of chapter five. However, [[John Buchan]] thought the novel a "riot of fun and eccentricity",<ref>Buchan, J. 1933. ''Sir Walter Scott''. London: Cassell</ref> seemingly a minority opinion. Scott does, however, attempt to be comic, or at least to follow the conventions of the [[picaresque]] novel. The comments on the relay of information via Dyers Weekly Letter, the self-explanatory name of the lawyer, Clippurse, Sir Everard's desire and courting of the youngest sister, Lady Emily, all point in this direction.<ref name="Hypertext"/><ref name=Curbet1999 />

Scott uses a common humorous reference to the [[Old Testament]] story that [[David]] and supporting malcontents took refuge from [[Saul the King|Saul]] in a cave near the town of [[Adullam]]. When the Jacobite army marches south through the North of England, they are greeted with distrust rather than the anticipated support from English Jacobites or [[Tories (British political party)|Tories]]. Eventually a few diehards or desperate individuals do join them, and the Baron of Bradwardine welcomes these recruits while remarking that they closely resemble David's followers at the [[Cave of Adullam]]; "''[[viz.|videlicet]]'',  every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, which the [[vulgate]] renders bitter of soul; and doubtless" he said "they will prove mighty men of their hands, and there is much need that they should, for I have seen many a sour look cast upon us."<ref>''Waverley'', chapter lvii, cite in: {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Adullam |volume=1 |page=218}}</ref>