Mrs Gray’s [not Reid]
7 So. Charlotte St.
Wedy
My Dear Sir,
I saw my friend Dr Brakenridge this morning. He says I am in for a few days of a feverish attack and must if possible keep the house. I don’t know how far it is possible — but meanwhile I saw the Book with the list made up below I conceive the limit of the lowest certificate.[3] At the dog ears you will find (1) the order of merit in the fortnightlies[4] (2) Final order of merit of lower Division.
As to the Prizemen — Brodie & J Wilson[5] should if possible be put equal. Brodie got a bull in his Herschel in which Wilson failed but Wilson’s general performances have been much steadier & I think it wd be hard to put a difference between them. You see there is a fall after the 8th man — a somewhat notable fall, the men above it having been very steady throughout the Session. Below that it is hard to draw a line. R. Reid you see is a prizeman.[6] I don’t think he has anything to do with the Ogilvie lot but it might be wise to ask Kelland.[7] J. Reid you know is the suspicious man.
I doubt if any certificate is deserved by those who have a sum of less than 40 but one or two men like Martin & McGlashan would have stood much better but for absence. Martin I know has been ill. McGlashan is a very respectable man & I don’t suppose he was voluntarily absent for he must have known that he was doing fairly.[8]
I will of course come up to the Univ. if you think it necessary. But if you marked off the points at which the various classes of certificates begin & end and returned the book I would jot off opposite each name in the Alphabetical list the v.g., u.c., κ.τ.λ.[9] to which each is entitled.
I had a note today from Reynolds.[10] Dean Stanley has written to him in terms of high appreciation of my article. By the way Thin was to send a copy of the Review to me to the Nat. Phil. Rooms. Would Tom Lindsay tell him to send it here instead. I am sorry to put you out this way, but if you do need me I will just make a push & rebel against the Doctor.
WRS
Don’t think it a risk to send the book. I have copies of the lists.[11]
[1] EUL Gen. 2169 MS
[2] Probable date, in view of the letter’s close link with the Latin letter of Thursday, April 7.
[3] It is difficult to make sense of this sentence. The “Book” presumably refers to the cumulative record of student marks for which WRS had asked in order to have some guide as to previous practice.
[4] Fortnightly class tests.
[5] In the EU Calendar for 1870, Brodie and Wilson are fourth equal in the Lower Division.
[6] R. Reid is sixth in the Calendar list.
[7] Kelland, Philip (1808–1879): held the chair of Mathematics at Edinburgh University.
[8] Despite the apparent clarity of Smith’s handwriting in this letter, several passages seem confused, perhaps because of his feverish condition. The indecipherable word or words here might read one is; but such a reading would demand a radical rearrangement of the word order.
[9] I.e. “very good, upper class, etc.”.
[10] Joint editor of the British Quarterly Review.
[11] Written at the head of the letter, facing the address.