This witty novel can be seen as a reworking of Tobias Smollett’s
Roderick Random
, albeit one in which the Scottish protagonist is able to navigate England with greater skill and adaptability. Galt offers a robust vision of Scottish masculinity, implying that it is the solution for a multitude of English problems, ranging from the familial to the judicial and the political. As a three-volume novel,
Sir Andrew Wylie
provides an example of how Galt was able to bridge the difference between the earlier, shorter ‘theoretical histories’ he crafted and the form of literature that was most popular at the time.
As the first scholarly edition of this work, the introduction places the novel within its historical context and maps out its significance as well as providing a textual background and a discussion of the contemporary reception of the novel. The edition includes ample editorial notes and a glossary.