Rob Roy
by Walter Scott
Rob Roy is set in 1715-16, but this applies not to the conduct of the Jacobite Rebellion, but to the economic and social conditions that led to it. He celebrates the hero's father's free capitalism in the City of London and Rob Roy's true free hunt, saying, "Robin Hood of Scotland is the fear of the rich but a friend of the poor." And through one of Scott's most vivid works, Bailey explores the delicate balance of generosity and selfish calculation needed in all of a successful venture.
