| Description | Letter dated 30 November 1881 to Macdonald from George Reid, R.S.A., 38 North Castle Street, Edinburgh, anxious at further news of Macdonald's illness, Dr. John Brown also showing signs of illness 'but this may partly have been owing to the coldness of the rooms and the scarcity of [word very carefully erased]', visit of 'Priscilla' and 'brother John the ill tongued quaker statesman' to see the portrait of Duncan McLaren, John's remark that 'she would never get a finer portrait of McLaren than Norman Macbeth's one', mention of Macdonald's portrait collection and regrets that he is too busy to contribute at present, hopes that Macdonald will not be on a certain committee referred to by Israels in his letter. |