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MY DEAR LOCKER； … You are simply an angel of light； and your two
letters have gone to the post； I trust they will reach the hearts
of the recipients … at least； that could not be more handsomely
expressed。 About the cheque： well now； I am going to keep it； but
I assure you Mrs。 … has never asked me for money； and I would not
dare to offer any till she did。 For all that I shall stick to the
cheque now； and act to that amount as your almoner。 In this way I
reward myself for the ambiguity of my epistolary style。
I suppose； if you please； you may say your verses are thin （would
you so describe an arrow； by the way； and one that struck the gold？
It scarce strikes me as exhaustively descriptive）； and； thin or
not； they are （and I have found them） inimitably elegant。 I thank
you again very sincerely for the generous trouble you have taken in
this matter which was so near my heart； and you may be very certain
it will be the fault of my health and not my inclination； if I do
not see you before very long； for all that has past has made me in
more than the official sense sincerely yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
SKERRYVORE； DEC。 14； 1886。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … This is first…rate of you； the Lord love you for
it！ I am truly much obliged。 He … my father … is very changeable；
at times； he seems only a slow quiet edition of himself； again； he
will be very heavy and blank； but never so violent as last spring；
and therefore； to my mind； better on the whole。
Fanny is pretty peepy； I am splendid。 I have been writing much
verse … quite the bard； in fact； and also a dam tale to order；
which will be what it will be： I don't love it； but some of it is
passable in its mouldy way； THE MISADVENTURES OF JOHN NICHOLSON。
All my bardly exercises are in Scotch； I have struck my somewhat
ponderous guitar in that tongue to no small extent： with what
success； I know not； but I think it's better than my English verse；
more marrow and fatness； and more ruggedness。
How goes KEATS？ Pray remark； if he （Keats） hung back from Shelley；
it was not to be wondered at； WHEN SO MANY OF HIS FRIENDS WERE
SHELLEY'S PENSIONERS。 I forget if you have made this point； it has
been borne in upon me reading Dowden and the SHELLEY PAPERS； and it
will do no harm if you have made it。 I finished a poem to…day； and
writ 3000 words of a story； TANT BIEN QUE MAL； and have a right to
be sleepy； and （what is far nobler and rarer） am so。 … My dear
Colvin； ever yours；
THE REAL MACKAY。
Letter： TO FREDERICK LOCKER…LAMPSON
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； FEBRUARY 5TH； 1887。
MY DEAR LOCKER； … Here I am in my bed as usual； and it is indeed a
long while since I went out to dinner。 You do not know what a
crazy fellow this is。 My winter has not so far been luckily
passed； and all hope of paying visits at Easter has vanished for
twelve calendar months。 But because I am a beastly and indurated
invalid； I am not dead to human feelings； and I neither have
forgotten you nor will forget you。 Some day the wind may round to
the right quarter and we may meet； till then I am still truly
yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； FEBRUARY 1887。＇
MY DEAR JAMES； … My health has played me it in once more in the
absurdest fashion； and the creature who now addresses you is but a
stringy and white…faced BOUILLI out of the pot of fever； with the
devil to pay in every corner of his economy。 I suppose （to judge
by your letter） I need not send you these sheets； which came during
my collapse by the rush。 I am on the start with three volumes；
that one of tales； a second one of essays； and one of … ahem …
verse。 This is a great order； is it not？ After that I shall have
empty lockers。 All new work stands still； I was getting on well
with Jenkin when this blessed malady unhorsed me； and sent me back
to the dung…collecting trade of the republisher。 I shall re…issue
VIRG。 PUER。 as Vol。 I。 of ESSAYS； and the new vol。 as Vol。 II。 of
ditto； to be sold； however； separately。 This is but a dry
maundering； however； I am quite unfit … 'I am for action quite
unfit Either of exercise or wit。' My father is in a variable
state； many sorrows and perplexities environ the house of
Stevenson； my mother shoots north at this hour on business of a
distinctly rancid character； my father （under my wife's tutorage）
proceeds to…morrow to Salisbury； I remain here in my bed and
whistle； in no quarter of heaven is anything encouraging apparent；
except that the good Colvin comes to the hotel here on a visit。
This dreary view of life is somewhat blackened by the fact that my
head aches； which I always regard as a liberty on the part of the
powers that be。 This is also my first letter since my recovery。
God speed your laudatory pen！
My wife joins in all warm messages。 … Yours；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO W。 H。 LOW
（APRIL 1887。）
MY DEAR LOW； … The fares to London may be found in any continental
Bradshaw or sich； from London to Bournemouth impoverished parties
who can stoop to the third class get their ticket for the matter of
10s。； or； as my wife loves to phrase it； 'a half a pound。' You
will also be involved in a 3s。 fare to get to Skerryvore； but this；
I dare say； friends could help you in on your arrival； so that you
may reserve your energies for the two tickets … costing the matter
of a pound … and the usual gratuities to porters。 This does not
seem to me much： considering the intellectual pleasures that await
you here； I call it dirt cheap。 I BELIEVE the third class from
Paris to London （VIA Dover） is ABOUT forty francs； but I cannot
swear。 Suppose it to be fifty。
50x2=100
The expense of spirit or spontaneous lapse of coin on the journey；
at 5 frcs。 a head； 5x2=10
Victuals on ditto； at 5 frcs。 a head； 5x2 = 10
Gratuity to stewardess； in case of severe prostration； at 3 francs
One night in London； on a modest footing； say 20
Two tickets to Bournemouth at 12。50； 12。50x2=25
Porters and general devilment； say 5
Cabs in London； say 2 shillings； and in Bournemouth； 3 shillings=5
shillings； 6 frcs。 25
Total frcs。 179。25
Or； the same in pounds； 7 pounds； 3s。 6 and a half d。
Or； the same in dollars； 35。45；
if there be any arithmetical virtue in me。 I have left out dinner
in London in case you want to blow out； which would come extry； and
with the aid of VANGS FANGS might easily double the whole amount …
above all if you have a few friends to meet you。
In making this valuable project； or budget； I discovered for the
first time a reason （frequently overlooked） for the singular
costliness of travelling with your wife。 Anybody would count the
tickets double； but