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man who knows his own frailty and sees all things in the proportion
of reality。 The soul of piety was killed long ago by that idea of
reward。 Nor is happiness； whether eternal or temporal； the reward
that mankind seeks。 Happinesses are but his wayside campings； his
soul is in the journey； he was born for the struggle； and only
tastes his life in effort and on the condition that he is opposed。
How； then； is such a creature； so fiery； so pugnacious； so made up
of discontent and aspiration； and such noble and uneasy passions …
how can he be rewarded but by rest？ I would not say it aloud； for
man's cherished belief is that he loves that happiness which he
continually spurns and passes by； and this belief in some ulterior
happiness exactly fits him。 He does not require to stop and taste
it； he can be about the rugged and bitter business where his heart
lies； and yet he can tell himself this fairy tale of an eternal
tea…party； and enjoy the notion that he is both himself and
something else； and that his friends will yet meet him； all ironed
out and emasculate； and still be lovable； … as if love did not live
in the faults of the beloved only； and draw its breath in an
unbroken round of forgiveness！ But the truth is； we must fight
until we die； and when we die there can be no quiet for mankind but
complete resumption into … what？ … God； let us say … when all these
desperate tricks will lie spellbound at last。
Here came my dinner and cut this sermon short … EXCUSEZ。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO JAMES PAYN
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JAN。 2ND； 1886。
DEAR JAMES PAYN； … Your very kind letter came very welcome； and
still more welcome the news that you see …'s tale。 I will now tell
you （and it was very good and very wise of me not to tell it
before） that he is one of the most unlucky men I know； having put
all his money into a pharmacy at Hyeres； when the cholera
（certainly not his fault） swept away his customers in a body。 Thus
you can imagine the pleasure I have to announce to him a spark of
hope； for he sits to…day in his pharmacy； doing nothing and taking
nothing； and watching his debts inexorably mount up。
To pass to other matters： your hand； you are perhaps aware； is not
one of those that can be read running； and the name of your
daughter remains for me undecipherable。 I call her； then； your
daughter … and a very good name too … and I beg to explain how it
came about that I took her house。 The hospital was a point in my
tale； but there is a house on each side。 Now the true house is the
one before the hospital： is that No。 11？ If not； what do you
complain of？ If it is； how can I help what is true？ Everything in
the DYNAMITER is not true； but the story of the Brown Box is； in
almost every particular； I lay my hand on my heart and swear to it。
It took place in that house in 1884； and if your daughter was in
that house at the time； all I can say is she must have kept very
bad society。
But I see you coming。 Perhaps your daughter's house has not a
balcony at the back？ I cannot answer for that； I only know that
side of Queen Square from the pavement and the back windows of
Brunswick Row。 Thence I saw plenty of balconies （terraces rather）；
and if there is none to the particular house in question； it must
have been so arranged to spite me。
I now come to the conclusion of this matter。 I address three
questions to your daughter：…
1st Has her house the proper terrace？
2nd。 Is it on the proper side of the hospital？
3rd。 Was she there in the summer of 1884？
You see； I begin to fear that Mrs。 Desborough may have deceived me
on some trifling points； for she is not a lady of peddling
exactitude。 If this should prove to be so； I will give your
daughter a proper certificate； and her house property will return
to its original value。
Can man say more？ … Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
I saw the other day that the Eternal had plagiarised from LOST SIR
MASSINGBERD： good again； sir！ I wish he would plagiarise the
death of Zero。
Letter： TO W。 H。 LOW
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JAN。 SOMETHINGOROTHER…TH； 1886。
MY DEAR LOW； … I send you two photographs： they are both done by
Sir Percy Shelley； the poet's son； which may interest。 The sitting
down one is； I think； the best； but if they choose that； see that
the little reflected light on the nose does not give me a turn…up；
that would be tragic。 Don't forget 'Baronet' to Sir Percy's name。
We all think a heap of your book； and I am well pleased with my
dedication。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
P。S。 … APROPOS of the odd controversy about Shelley's nose： I have
before me four photographs of myself； done by Shelley's son： my
nose is hooked； not like the eagle； indeed； but like the
accipitrine family in man： well； out of these four； only one marks
the bend； one makes it straight； and one suggests a turn…up。 This
throws a flood of light on calumnious man … and the scandal…
mongering sun。 For personally I cling to my curve。 To continue
the Shelley controversy： I have a look of him； all his sisters had
noses like mine； Sir Percy has a marked hook； all the family had
high cheek…bones like mine； what doubt； then； but that this turn…up
（of which Jeaffreson accuses the poet； along with much other
FATRAS） is the result of some accident similar to what has happened
in my photographs by his son？
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO THOMAS STEVENSON
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JANUARY 25； 1886。＇
MY DEAR FATHER； … Many thanks for a letter quite like yourself。 I
quite agree with you； and had already planned a scene of religion
in BALFOUR； the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge
furnishes me with a catechist whom I shall try to make the man。 I
have another catechist； the blind； pistol…carrying highway robber；
whom I have transferred from the Long Island to Mull。 I find it a
most picturesque period； and wonder Scott let it escape。 The
COVENANT is lost on one of the Tarrans； and David is cast on
Earraid； where （being from inland） he is nearly starved before he
finds out the island is tidal； then he crosses Mull to Toronsay；
meeting the blind catechist by the way； then crosses Morven from
Kinlochaline to Kingairloch； where he stays the night with the good
catechist； that is where I am； next day he is to be put ashore in
Appin； and be present at Colin Campbell's death。 To…day I rest；
being a little run down。 Strange how liable we are to brain fag in
this scooty family！ But as far as I have got； all but the last
chapter； I think David is on his feet； and （to my mind） a far
better story and far sounder at heart than TREASURE ISLAND。
I have no earthly news； living entirely in my story； and only
coming out of it to play patience。 The