 Sir Arthur Wardour has a deep and lasting, though stormy, friendship with his neighbour Jonathan Oldbuck, which is based on their common interests; they both conduct historical research, though Sir Arthur is a dilettante compared to his friend.Their approach to the past is not that of a scientific historian, deducing hypotheses from solid evidence, but that of an antiquary, forming opinions first and justifying them with whatever evidence comes to hand afterwards.Sir Arthur’s particular interest is in the history of the Wardour family and of the kings of Scotland, this pursuit being motivated by his need to bolster his own feelings of social superiority over those around him, including the middle-class Oldbuck.