Edinburgh
Tuesday March 23rd
1869
My Dear Father
Of the men who are to finish their course in April probably the most promising who would be available is Lindsay Mackie.[2] He is a very fine fellow & preaches well — was highly praised by Candlish for both his Lecture and his Sermon. I have not been able to see him since you wrote & of course I wd not be able to put other than indirect questions to him, but I believe he has no work before him — only I am inclined to think that he may not wish to begin preaching at once.
Of men of earlier years I would think of Mowat[3] — a very superior man — but one perhaps not quite likely to take the place — I could make more definite enquiries if desired; Mackie I thin a very likely man. By all means they should try him at least. Gray is half engaged already for Dr Beith’s[4] — but this is a secret. I conceive however that Mackie is the better man.
So much for this. Next about the watch. Watches may be had from about 30/- upwards. But enquiries at several places seem to point to £3 or so as the price of a really good Ladies’ Geneva. Now what I would advise is this – I shouldn’t like Mamma to have a worse watch than her daughters — nor again do I suppose it wise to buy the lowest priced watch. Therefore is Mamma will sell to Nell her watch at a moderate second hand price — making it in fact as cheap as possible [–] I will pay the difference between this & a really good Geneva. I would be willing to add about £3 to what Mamma gets from Nell & for this or even less [– ] first class works & a good case — in short a thoroughly good silver watch could be had. If Mamma clings to her own watch or if Nell objects the only plan is for me to advance the money up to what Nell is willing to give & let her repay me as she sees fit.
Now for news. On Friday Evg the office bearers of the Theol: Soc for next year were chosen. The Presidents are Kippen, Bell & myself and I have been chosen to give the Introductory Address next winter.[5] This is nearly all my news except one important piece which I have kept to the End. I was told to say nothing about it — but you are an exception I presume.
A letter was awaiting me at the University this morning from Fuller telling e that a professorship of Mathematics at Agra worth £600 per an. With £150 for outfit is vacant & asking “if such a situation would suit my views or if I was still bent on ecclesiastical preferment”. Of course I answer (immediate answer is asked) saying I am still bent on going into the Church & therefore cannot entertain the idea. Nevertheless it is very kind of Fuller & I feel gratified as I suppose you will also.
For the rest I am doing something at Newton & Hegel[6] & Sir W. Thomson has sent me a copy of a book of Lagrange’s necessary for the purpose which was not to be got here. So I must make something of it now.
We had our last Fortnightly[7] — next to our last Exam. altogether — on Saturday.
Finally I am quite well
& remain, with love to all
Your aff. Son
Wm R Smith
[1] CUL ADD 7449 C111 MS (this and the preceding letter have the same reference number).
[2] Mackie, Lindsay: a fourth year New College student in 1869 (PFCA). Presumably WPS was at this time seeking an assistant.
[3] Mowat, Donald (b.1844): was educated at Edinburgh University and New College. He was ordained at Dunnet in 1876 (AFC).
[4] Beith, Alexander (1791–1891): was an influential though unassuming figure in Free Church circles. At the Assembly of 1880, his statesmanlike intervention secured Robertson Smith’s reprieve.
[5] Delivered in November, 1869; see L&E pp.137–162: “The work of a Theological Society”.
[6] See L&E pp.13–43: “Hegel and the Metaphysics of the Fluxional Calculus”. The paper was read by Tait to the Royal Society of Edinburgh on May 17, 1869.
[7] The regular fortnightly class test.