From Scott's Journal: On November 7, 1827, Scott is struggling to work, and again exhibits the work ethic that helped enable him to produce in such a prolific manner:
"...Commenced a review-that is an essay, on Ornamental Gardening for the Quarterly. But I stuck fast for want of books. As I did not wish to leave the mind time to recoil on itself, I immediately began the Second Series of the Chronicles of the Canongate, the First having been well approved..."
This second series became "St. Valentine's Day, or The Fair Maid of Perth"