A scene from Sir
Walter Scott's 1817
historical novel Rob Roy, which tells the story of Frank Osbaldistone, the son of an English merchant who travels to Scotland to collect a debt stolen from his father. On the way he encounters the larger-than-life title character of
Robert Roy MacGregor. Though Rob Roy is not the lead character (in fact the narrative does not move to Scotland until halfway through the book) his personality and actions are key to the story's development. The novel is a brutally realistic depiction of the social conditions in
Highland and
Lowland Scotland in the early 18th century.
Engraving: Dalziel Brothers; Restoration: Adam Cuerden