418 THE LIFE OF JAMES I). FORBES. [CHAP. 



appointed his architect to meet Mr. Matheson on the 

 ground, and I hope that Mr. Matheson will soon have 

 time to inspect it and proceed with the work. 



' I am going to venture upon another request in behalf 

 of our old College. Of late there has been a plan on 

 foot for providing a common table at a low rate for such 

 of the students as choose to avail themselves of it. The 

 Duke and Duchess of Argyll, when here in November, 

 interested themselves very much in it, and I have cor- 

 responded with them about it since. 



* The great difficulty is to find a suitable locality. It 

 has only lately occurred to me that an open corridor with 

 arches, which forms the south side of the quadrangle of 

 the College, and immediately adjoins the College chapel, 

 now under repair, could be converted at small expense 

 into a hall very suitable for dining in, and which might 

 easily be warmed by the same hot-water apparatus which 

 has just been erected in the chapel. 



' The corridor at present is universally allowed to be 

 of no use whatever, and could be at once converted into 

 a hall suitable for the purpose suggested, by putting 

 windows and doors into the open arches. It would be 

 also useful for other purposes besides dining, as for exa- 

 minations and the like. I have reason to believe that 

 Mr. Matheson sees no difficulty or objection in the way 

 of the proposed alteration. 



' It is much wished to begin the dining scheme next 

 session/ 



To E. C. BATTEN, ESQ. 



1 PITLOCHRIE, July IQtk, 1863. 



'. . . I have had a considerable trial in the course of last 

 week. I had a return of haemorrhage on Thursday, to no 

 great extent, indeed, yet with accompanying indications 

 which leave little or no doubt that it came from a vessel 

 in the lungs such is my able doctor's opinion. I have 

 been kept very quiet since, but having had no return, 

 nor indeed any uncomfortable further symptoms of any 

 kind, it is likely that the trouble is over for the time. 

 But it leaves me with a depressing conviction of per- 



