Letter from A.C. Fraser, Edinburgh, to William Angus Knight, 1880 December 24 : autograph manuscript signed.

Concerning the delivery of manuscripts to the printer, his continuing work on the proofs, his schedule of work for the following week and suggesting authors for other volumes in the Series; asking for his advice on his revisions and asking him to call on him if he is in Edinburgh; adding "We are getting an original engraving of Berkeley, not before known to the world, for the volume. As to the Series generally, I do not doubt that if due means are used, through the press & otherwise, Blackwoods will command the position. Curiously, before I heard from you, I meant to suggest A.J. Balfour, as one of the best men you c'd add. He opened our 'Philosophical Society' here in a very able address, in my class room, w'h I heard, & which is privately printed, & I hope soon to be published. I hope you can soon announce him as one of your writers. His interest & influence w'd be good. I am not so sure of some of the other names you mention - as likely at least to add much to the attractiveness of your presently published list. It might have been well if you c'd have had Wallace & perhaps Croom Robertson at work sooner. Have you asked Sir. A Grant, who c'd no doubt write a pleasant volume, if you arranged for a congenial subject. - I do not know what Adamson's power of Dramatic or picturesque representation of a subject may be - but for hard reasoning you may trust him I think. I do not find Thomas Reid on your list - in worthy hands a unique subject, & his life too is good. Much more individuality & force of philosophic character than Stewart, but he w'd need one who had good insight & some freshness of eye. I am very anxious as to how you are to dispose of Locke. There is room for a good volume there - after the somewhat slight philosophical performance of Fowler;" adding, in a postscript, "My daughter Carrie is slowly mending. We hope - tho; still slowly. Mr. Henderson, when I saw him today, said that Blackwood w'd like to see me some day soon - I could not wait today. So I may have a talk with him about the 'Series', & measures for strengthening its position - in the course of next week. If you have any thing else to say to me about this, before I see him, you will write to me."