Ereheattainedthisindifference，however，hehadread，andstoredinamemoryofuncommontenacity，muchcurious，thoughill-arrangedandmiscellaneousinformation。InEnglishliteraturehewasmasterofShakspeareandMilton，ofourearlierdramaticauthors；ofmanypicturesqueandinterestingpassagesfromouroldhistoricalchronicles；andwasparticularlywellacquaintedwithSpenser，Drayton，andotherpoetswhohaveexercisedthemselvesonromanticfiction，ofallthemesthemostfascinatingtoayouthfulimagination，beforethepassionshaverousedthemselves，anddemandpoetryofamoresentimentaldescription。InthisrespecthisacquaintancewithItalianopenedhimyetawiderrange。Hehadperusedthenumerousromanticpoems，which，fromthedaysofPulci，havebeenafavouriteexerciseofthewitsofItaly；andhadsoughtgratificationinthenumerouscollectionsof_novelle，_whichwerebroughtforthbythegeniusofthatelegantthoughluxuriousnation，inemulationoftheDecameron。Inclassicalliterature，Waverleyhadmadetheusualprogress，andreadtheusualauthors；andtheFrenchhadaffordedhimanalmostexhaustlesscollectionofmemoirs，scarcelymorefaithfulthanromances，andofromancessowellwrittenashardlytobedistinguishedfrommemoirs。
ThesplendidpagesofFroissart，withhisheart-stirringandeye-dazzlingdescriptionsofwarandoftournaments，wereamonghischieffavourites；andfromthoseofBrantomeanddelaNouehelearnedtocomparethewildandlooseyetsuperstitiouscharacterofthenoblesoftheLeague，withthestern，rigid，andsometimesturbulentdispositionoftheHuguenotparty。TheSpanishhadcontributedtohisstockofchivalrousandromanticlore。Theearlierliteratureofthenorthernnationsdidnotescapethestudyofonewhoreadrathertoawakentheimaginationthantobenefittheunderstanding。Andyet，knowingmuchthatisknownbuttofew，EdwardWaverleymightjustlybeconsideredasignorant，sinceheknewlittleofwhataddsdignitytoman，andqualifieshimtosupportandadornanelevatedsituationinsociety。
Theoccasionalattentionofhisparentsmightindeedhavebeenofservice，topreventthedissipationofmindincidentaltosuchadesultorycourseofreading。Buthismotherdiedintheseventhyearafterthereconciliationbetweenthebrothers，andRichardWaverleyhimself，who，afterthisevent，residedmoreconstantlyinLondon，wastoomuchinterestedinhisownplansofwealthandambition，tonoticemorerespectingEdward，thanthathewasofaverybookishturn，andprobablydestinedtobeabishop。Ifhecouldhavediscoveredandanalyzedhisson’swakingdreams，hewouldhaveformedaverydifferentconclusion。
Ihavealreadyhinted，thatthedainty，squeamish，andfastidioustasteacquiredbyasurfeitofidlereading，hadnotonlyrenderedourherounfitforseriousandsoberstudy，buthadevendisgustedhiminsomedegreewiththatinwhichhehadhithertoindulged。
Hewasinhissixteenthyear，whenhishabitsofabstractionandloveofsolitudebecamesomuchmarked，astoexciteSirEverard’saffectionateapprehension。Hetriedtocounterbalancethesepropensities，byengaginghisnephewinfieldsports，whichhadbeenthechiefpleasureofhisownyouthfuldays。