Murray describes Rob Roy's character:

“All who met him had immediate recognition of a powerful personality and natural dignity. He owed this strong growth of character to its rooting in the house of a chieftain. Yet his elder brothers with equal opportunity had no equal vigor and ability. His alone was the latent potential, to which strong development was given by the good chance of birth and parents. He gained thus a dozen advantages: formal education apart, he heard from early days a higher level of discussion on the clan’s affairs, learned tact and diplomacy in dealing with men and women; developed a natural courtesy; learned to accept responsibility for the affairs of tenants, and to have real concern for their welfare, on which his own depended; learned concern for stock and wildlife, on which people relied for livelihood and supplies; developed close observation, far beyond what is now thought needful, of all wild things and of men’s living conditions; received discipline, for the chieftain’s family had to set higher standards of behavior; acquired the habit of foresight in farming and politics; won powers of command; and had the chance given by wide travel to know his country and its people, establishing thus personal relations with clan chiefs and merchants and a rich variety of men.