R. L. S. here sketches for his father the plan of the work on Highland history which they had discussed together in the preceding summer, and which Principal Tulloch had urged him to attempt. _Hotel Belvedere, Davos [December 12, 1880]._ MY DEAR FATHER,--Here is the scheme as well as I can foresee. I begin the book immediately after the '15, as then began the attempt to suppress the Highlands. I. THIRTY YEARS' INTERVAL (1) Rob Roy. (2) The Independent Companies: the Watches. (3) Story of Lady Grange. (4) The Military Roads, and Disarmament: Wade and (5) Burt. II. THE HEROIC AGE (1) Duncan Forbes of Culloden. (2) Flora Macdonald. (3) The Forfeited Estates; including Hereditary Jurisdictions; and the admirable conduct of the tenants. III. LITERATURE HERE INTERVENES (1) The Ossianic Controversy. (2) Boswell and Johnson. (3) Mrs. Grant of Laggan. IV. Economy (1) Highland Economics. (2) The Reinstatement of the Proprietors. (3) The Evictions. (4) Emigration. (5) Present State. V. RELIGION (1) The Catholics, Episcopals, and Kirk, and Soc. Prop. Christ. Knowledge. (2) The Men. (3) The Disruption. All this, of course, will greatly change in form, scope, and order; this is just a bird's-eye glance. Thank you for _Burt_, which came, and for your Union notes. I have read one-half (about 900 pages) of Wodrow's _Correspondence_, with some improvement, but great fatigue. The doctor thinks well of my recovery, which puts me in good hope for the future. I should certainly be able to make a fine history of this. My Essays are going through the press, and should be out in January or February.--Ever affectionate son, R. L. S. TO SIDNEY COLVIN [_Hotel Belvedere, Davos, December 1880_] MY DEAR COLVIN,--I feel better, but variable. I see from the doctor's report that I have more actual disease than I supposed; but there seems little doubt of my recovery. I like the place and shall like it much better when you come at Christmas. That is written on my heart: S. C. comes at Christmas: so if you play me false, I shall have a lie upon my conscience. I like Symonds very well, though he is much, I think, of an invalid in mind and character. But his mind is interesting, with many beautiful corners, and his consumptive smile very winning to see. We have had some good talks; one went over Zola, Balzac, Flaubert, Whitman, Christ, Handel, Milton, Sir Thomas Browne; do you see the _liaison_?--in another, I, the Bohnist, the un-Grecian, was the means of his conversion in the matter of the Ajax. It is truly not for nothing that I have read my Buckley.[32] To-day the south wind blows; and I am seedy in consequence. _Later._--I want to know when you are coming, so as to get you a room. You will toboggan and skate your head off, and I will talk it off, and briefly if you don't come pretty soon, I will cut you off with a shilling.