Scotland is most often associated with highlanders, kilts, and rugged landscapes, but it hasn't always been that way. Attendees of the lecture will learn how Romantic writers contested the legacy of the Enlightenment and how Walter Scott made the national past a part of world culture. The lecture is dedicated to the 255th anniversary of Walter Scott, one of the founders of the historical novel genre. Attendees will discover how the writer created a convincing literary world based on the history and traditions of Scotland. Thanks to Romantic writers, Scotland acquired a new image, recognizable around the world. Military conflicts, the loss of political independence, and the displacement of languages could have remained a history of defeat, but the Romantics turned them into a source of dignity and cultural strength. Literature managed to reconstruct the image of the country and present it to the Scots themselves, British society, and European readers. The lecture will be conducted by Sergey Kamnev - an employee of VGBIL and a graduate of the history faculty of RGUGU, specializing in comparative studies of Russia and Great Britain.