OED2 does not have "blackmail" from Scott, "Rob Roy", possibly 1817?

[Joel S. Berson]

Why is "black_mail", used several times in Scott's "Rob Roy", not in
OED2 under sense 2, the extended sense?  The earliest citation in
OED2 is a1826; "Rob Roy" dates from 1817.  An on-line Gutenberg
edition (it dates the introduction to 1829) has many
instances.  (Scott certainly was a good read in the first reading
program; there are over 550 OED-hits for "Rob Roy alone.)

In the Gutenberg edition, it appears first (apparently italicized) in
(Scott's?) introduction in:

"Very few who lived within his reach (that is, within the distance of
a nocturnal expedition) could promise to themselves security, either
for their persons or effects, without subjecting themselves to pay
him a heavy and shameful tax of _black-mail._"

Later instances are in the text. The first appears to be:

I find "black-mail" (apparently italicized) in the Gutenberg edition,
many times (and once as "blackmail" in Andrew Lang's editor's
introduction), starting in (Scott's?) introduction with

"
Very few who lived within his reach (that is, within the distance of
a nocturnal expedition) could promise to themselves security,
either for their persons or effects, without subjecting themselves to pay
him a heavy and shameful tax of _black-mail._"

The Gutenberg text has this in an 1829 introduction, but later
instances appear to be in the text. The first appears to be

"Warst of a', Robin," retorted the Glaswegian,--"I mean, ye disloyal
traitor--Warst of a'!--Wad ye bring popery in on us, and arbitrary power,
and a foist and a warming-pan, and the set forms, and the curates, and
the auld enormities o' surplices and cerements? Ye had better stick
to your auld trade o' theft-boot, black-mail, spreaghs, and
gillravaging--better stealing nowte than ruining nations."

Joel

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