When Adam Blair was published in 1822 its portrayal of a Church of Scotland Minister's
fall from grace caused a sensation in a society where absolute moral standards were completely at odds with overt expressions of physical desire. As well as a fascinating study of a tormented soul, the book throws light on Scottish society at the end of the 18th century when the rigidities of a puritanical past were giving way to a more modern outlook. This is Lockhart's masterpiece in which his skill as a creator of dark and dramatic events is complemented by his brilliant descriptive powers. Return