Edinburgh,
Thursday, 6th Jan. 1870.
My Dear Father,
I send today all the certificates to Mr Rainnie by letter, as it will probably be impossible to get a proof in time.[2] Lindsay’s mistake was that he thought the Presbytery met on the 5th. He was not disabused till his return from Glasgow on Tuesday morning. Curiously no word yet from Schaarschmidt.[3] I think the Presbytery in their statement might keep in view the fact that I have also heard Lange (Peter), A Köhler[4] [and] E. Bertheau (N.B. my Anmeldung’s Bücher are either in the box of which Cha has the key or in the drawers of the upstairs bookcase).
Perhaps it might be possible to bring out that I have applied for certificates only to those Professors with whom I had contracted friendly relations of a special kind.
Lindsay has looked after the papers. I am much gratified with Giles’ and Rose’s letters.[5] Also in fact by all the letters you have sent.
N.B. I don’t send Rainnie the German certificates as you have copies of them I think. You will get from him and keep the certificates which are not his own property.
I feel now quite better but am advised by Drs Brown and Gamgee to take work lightly.
Nellie and Alice are well. Alice is dux today.[6] Nell called today to ask for Mr and Miss Roger. She was told that they are keeping up wonderfully. I go to the funeral tomorrow.
No news.
Your affectionate son,
Wm. Robertson Smith
Prof. Nichol’s is not to be printed.[7]
[1] CUL ADD 7449 C131 TS
[2] The aim was of course to have the certificates printed for circulation, as indeed they were.
[3] Schaarschmidt’s testimonial, dated 14th January, 1870, is included in the printed pamphlet, along with those from Ritschl, Kamphausen and Lotze.
[4] Köhler, August (1835–1897): Professor of Old Testament Exegesis, Universities of Jena, Bonn and Erlangen. A conservative exegete, he was partly criticized by the Wellhausen-school.
[5] Giles and Rose cannot be identified with any certainty, although Giles may be Smith’s grand-uncle, the painter James Giles.
[6] As Alice recounts in COTM, the best pupil of the class at her school was styled dux for the following week.
[7] Possibly WRS refers here to James Nicol, see 1863-02-23.