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step at all towards possibly inducing folk at home to read matter
so extraneous and outlandish。 I become heavy and owlish； years sit
upon me； it begins to seem to me to be a man's business to leave
off his damnable faces and say his say。 Else I could have made it
pungent and light and lively。 In considering； kindly forget that I
am R。 L。 S。； think of the four chapters as a book you are reading；
by an inhabitant of our 'lovely but fatil' islands； and see if it
could possibly amuse the hebetated public。 I have to publish
anyway； you understand； I have a purpose beyond； I am concerned for
some of the parties to this quarrel。 What I want to hear is from
curiosity； what I want you to judge of is what we are to do with
the book in a business sense。 To me it is not business at all； I
had meant originally to lay all the profits to the credit of Samoa；
when it comes to the pinch of writing； I judge this unfair … I give
too much … and I mean to keep （if there be any profit at all） one…
half for the artisan； the rest I shall hold over to give to the
Samoans FOR THAT WHICH I CHOOSE AND AGAINST WORK DONE。 I think I
have never heard of greater insolence than to attempt such a
subject； yet the tale is so strange and mixed； and the people so
oddly charactered … above all； the whites … and the high note of
the hurricane and the warships is so well prepared to take popular
interest； and the latter part is so directly in the day's movement；
that I am not without hope but some may read it； and if they don't；
a murrain on them！ Here is； for the first time； a tale of Greeks …
Homeric Greeks … mingled with moderns； and all true； Odysseus
alongside of Rajah Brooke； PROPORTION GARDEE； and all true。 Here
is for the first time since the Greeks （that I remember） the
history of a handful of men； where all know each other in the eyes；
and live close in a few acres； narrated at length； and with the
seriousness of history。 Talk of the modern novel； here is a modern
history。 And if I had the misfortune to found a school； the
legitimate historian might lie down and die； for he could never
overtake his material。 Here is a little tale that has not 'caret'…
ed its 'vates'； 'sacer' is another point。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
DECEMBER 7TH； 1891。
MY DEAR HENRY JAMES； … Thanks for yours； your former letter was
lost； so it appears was my long and masterly treatise on the TRAGIC
MUSE。 I remember sending it very well； and there went by the same
mail a long and masterly tractate to Gosse about his daddy's life；
for which I have been long expecting an acknowledgment； and which
is plainly gone to the bottom with the other。 If you see Gosse；
please mention it。 These gems of criticism are now lost
literature； like the tomes of Alexandria。 I could not do 'em
again。 And I must ask you to be content with a dull head； a weary
hand； and short commons； for to…day； as I am physically tired with
hard work of every kind； the labours of the planter and the author
both piled upon me mountain deep。 I am delighted beyond expression
by Bourget's book： he has phrases which affect me almost like
Montaigne； I had read ere this a masterly essay of his on Pascal；
this book does it； I write for all his essays by this mail； and
shall try to meet him when I come to Europe。 The proposal is to
pass a summer in France； I think in Royat； where the faithful could
come and visit me； they are now not many。 I expect Henry James to
come and break a crust or two with us。 I believe it will be only
my wife and myself； and she will go over to England； but not I； or
possibly incog。 to Southampton； and then to Boscombe to see poor
Lady Shelley。 I am writing … trying to write in a Babel fit for
the bottomless pit； my wife； her daughter； her grandson and my
mother； all shrieking at each other round the house … not in war；
thank God！ but the din is ultra martial； and the note of Lloyd
joins in occasionally； and the cause of this to…do is simply cacao；
whereof chocolate comes。 You may drink of our chocolate perhaps in
five or six years from now； and not know it。 It makes a fine
bustle； and gives us some hard work； out of which I have slunk for
to…day。
I have a story coming out： God knows when or how； it answers to
the name of the BEACH OF FALESA； and I think well of it。 I was
delighted with the TRAGIC MUSE； I thought the Muse herself one of
your best works； I was delighted also to hear of the success of
your piece； as you know I am a dam failure； and might have dined
with the dinner club that Daudet and these parties frequented。
NEXT DAY。
I have just been breakfasting at Baiae and Brindisi； and the charm
of Bourget hag…rides me。 I wonder if this exquisite fellow； all
made of fiddle…strings and scent and intelligence； could bear any
of my bald prose。 If you think he could； ask Colvin to send him a
copy of these last essays of mine when they appear； and tell
Bourget they go to him from a South Sea Island as literal homage。
I have read no new book for years that gave me the same literary
thrill as his SENSATIONS D'ITALIE。 If （as I imagine） my cut…and…
dry literature would be death to him； and worse than death …
journalism … be silent on the point。 For I have a great curiosity
to know him； and if he doesn't know my work； I shall have the
better chance of making his acquaintance。 I read THE PUPIL the
other day with great joy； your little boy is admirable； why is
there no little boy like that unless he hails from the Great
Republic？
Here I broke off； and wrote Bourget a dedication； no use resisting；
it's a love affair。 O； he's exquisite； I bless you for the gift of
him。 I have really enjoyed this book as I … almost as I … used to
enjoy books when I was going twenty … twenty…three； and these are
the years for reading！
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
＇VAILIMA＇ JAN 2ND； '92。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … Overjoyed you were pleased with WRECKER； and
shall consider your protests。 There is perhaps more art than you
think for in the peccant chapter； where I have succeeded in packing
into one a dedication； an explanation； and a termination。 Surely
you had not recognised the phrase about boodle？ It was a quotation
from Jim Pinkerton； and seemed to me agreeably skittish。 However；
all shall be prayerfully considered。
To come to a more painful subject。 Herewith go three more chapters
of the wretched HISTORY； as you see； I approach the climax。 I
expect the book to be some 70；000 words； of which you have now 45。
Can I finish it for next mail？ I am going to try！ 'Tis a long
piece of journalism； and full of difficulties here and there； of
this kind and that； and will make me a power of friends to be sure。
There is one Becker who will probably put up a window to me in the
church where h