His language has been criticised in late years, and it has been insisted that the Highlanders never talked Lowland Scotch.

But Scott has anticipated these cavils in the eighteenth chapter of the second volume.

Certainly no Lowlander knew the Highlanders better than he did, and his ear for dialect was as keen as his musical ear was confessedly obtuse.
Scott had the best means of knowing whether Helen MacGregor would be likely to soar into heroics as she is apt to do.

In fact, here "we may trust the artist." The novel is as rich as any in subordinate characters full of life and humour.

Morris is one of the few utter cowards in Scott.