"Secretary of the Senatus."
Three days later Lady Reid wrote:—
"DEAR DR. HAMERTON,—We are delighted to see in this morning's newspaper the announcement of your LL.D.-ship. Though we have never had the pleasure of meeting, I feel almost as if I had known you for many years, your writings having given me such real pleasure ever since I first made your acquaintance in 'A Painter's Camp in the Highlands' in 1863.
"I hope you will kindly accept from me your Aberdeen LL.D.-hood, which is the outward visible sign of your new academic rank.
"My husband says it is 'a chromatic discord of the 1st Order,' but over the arrangements of such things the present generation has no control, their form and colors having been settled long ago.
"Sir George unites with me in kindest regards, and in the hope that you may long live to enjoy your most well-earned honors.
"Believe me,
"Yours very truly,
"MIA REID."
Shortly after Sir George Reid wrote: "You have done so much for the literature of art that the only wonder is your services have not been acknowledged by one or other of our Universities long ago. I am very glad that the honor has come to you from the University of Aberdeen."