Rob Roy manuscript, in the hand of Sir Walter Scott
Written in the hand of Sir Walter Scott, the manuscript will be on display at the permanent ‘Treasures of the National Library of Scotland’ exhibition from March 2023. The manuscript was among the many literary treasures that were held in a private collection called the Honresfield Library. Formed in the 19th century by mill owner William Law, the library’s contents were kept hidden from all but a few scholars until recently. The items were due to be sold at auction in 2021 and, fearing they would be returned to private hands and possibly taken overseas, the library’s contents were purchased by a UK-wide consortium of organisations following an international fundraising campaign. The collection was renamed the Blavatnik Honresfield Library in tribute to its majority donor. The manuscript is one of the items that came to the National