Walter Scott

The Antiquary Walter Scott

The Antiquary (1816), the third of the Waverley novels by Walter Scott, centres on the character of an antiquary: an amateur historian, archaeologist and collector of items of dubious antiquity.

The Antiquary centers on a young man called Lovel who meets Jonathan Oldbuck, a loquacious old antiquary, on a trip to Scotland. There Lovel falls in love with the daughter of Sir Arthur Wardour, a local landowner. However, with no wealth or title to offer, Lovel's feelings go unrequited until an extraordinary act of courage. With its vivid drama and exuberant pace, The Antiquary confirms Scott's reputation as the great storyteller of modern Europe.