A good deal of Scott’s commercial writing is now of historical interest only. But there are important and valuable books, especially those where Scott is contemplating the detribalization of Scotland after the Jacobite rebellions, and the political and social stresses this brought about. This is a modern concern, since we live in the developed world with the long-term consequences, and, when this book was first published in 1973, similar processes were visible in developing countries. There is also a vein of shrewd moral wisdom in Scott, associated with the notions of justice and prudence. Mr Mayhead singles out Waverley, Heart of Midlothian, Guy Mannering and The Abbot as the works which embody these interests. He also looks at the poetry and criticism.