| Description | Letter to Alexander Macdonald of Kepplestone from Dr. John Brown, 23, Rutland Street, Edinburgh, referring to promised hospitality in Edinburgh to 'Placens's [Mrs. Macdonald's] brother', and enquiries about the family, reference to some scandal or court case and the fact that Wallace 'has gone to London and turned teetotal … he is strong though sulky', Robertson Smith's lectures are going well, 'omniscience is his foible', 'He wants fire and imagination', comments on the decline of Punch: 'too quizzical and punnical', Jamieson is not quite himself yet and is too old to mend, asking after Macdonald's 'disagreeable, untidy, unshapely wife', recommendation of 'Plain John' Campbell's Life, the Barclays are in Rome where one of their daughters has gastric fever, 23 January 1881 |