As for the good Dominie, Scott remarks that, for "certain particular reasons," he must say what he has to say about his prototype "very generally." Mr.Chambers' finds the prototype in a Mr.James Sanson, tutor in the house of Mr.Thomas Scott, Sir Walter's uncle.

It seems very unlike Sir Walter to mention this excellent man almost by his name, and the tale about his devotion to his patron's daughter cannot, apparently, be true of Mr.James Sanson.

The prototype of Pleydell, according to Sir Walter himself (Journal, June 19, 1830), was "my old friend Adam Rolland, Esq., in external circumstances, but not in frolic or fancy." Mr.Chambers, however, finds the original in Mr.
Andrew Crosbie, an advocate of great talents, who frolicked to ruin, and died in 1785.

Scott may have heard tales of this patron of "High Jinks," but cannot have known him much personally.

Dandie Dinmont is simply the typical Border farmer.