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There is one Becker who will probably put up a window to me in the
church where he was baptized； and I expect a testimonial from
Captain Hand。
Sorry to let the mail go without the Scott； this has been a bad
month with me； and I have been below myself。 I shall find a way to
have it come by next； or know the reason why。 The mail after；
anyway。
A bit of a sketch map appears to me necessary for my HISTORY；
perhaps two。 If I do not have any； 'tis impossible any one should
follow； and I； even when not at all interested； demand that I shall
be able to follow； even a tourist book without a map is a cross to
me； and there must be others of my way of thinking。 I inclose the
very artless one that I think needful。 Vailima； in case you are
curious； is about as far again behind Tanugamanono as that is from
the sea。
M'Clure is publishing a short story of mine； some 50；000 words； I
think； THE BEACH OF FALESA； when he's done with it； I want you and
Cassell to bring it out in a little volume； I shall send you a
dedication for it； I believe it good； indeed； to be honest； very
good。 Good gear that pleases the merchant。
The other map that I half threaten is a chart for the hurricane。
Get me Kimberley's report of the hurricane： not to be found here。
It is of most importance； I MUST have it with my proofs of that
part； if I cannot have it earlier； which now seems impossible。 …
Yours in hot haste；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO J。 M。 BARRIE
VAILIMA； SAMOA； FEBRUARY 1892。
DEAR MR。 BARRIE； … This is at least the third letter I have written
you； but my correspondence has a bad habit of not getting so far as
the post。 That which I possess of manhood turns pale before the
business of the address and envelope。 But I hope to be more
fortunate with this： for； besides the usual and often recurrent
desire to thank you for your work…you are one of four that have
come to the front since I was watching and had a corner of my own
to watch； and there is no reason； unless it be in these mysterious
tides that ebb and flow； and make and mar and murder the works of
poor scribblers； why you should not do work of the best order。 The
tides have borne away my sentence； of which I was weary at any
rate； and between authors I may allow myself so much freedom as to
leave it pending。 We are both Scots besides； and I suspect both
rather Scotty Scots； my own Scotchness tends to intermittency； but
is at times erisypelitous … if that be rightly spelt。 Lastly； I
have gathered we had both made our stages in the metropolis of the
winds： our Virgil's 'grey metropolis；' and I count that a lasting
bond。 No place so brands a man。
Finally； I feel it a sort of duty to you to report progress。 This
may be an error； but I believed I detected your hand in an article
… it may be an illusion； it may have been by one of those
industrious insects who catch up and reproduce the handling of each
emergent man … but I'll still hope it was yours … and hope it may
please you to hear that the continuation of KIDNAPPED is under way。
I have not yet got to Alan； so I do not know if he is still alive；
but David seems to have a kick or two in his shanks。 I was pleased
to see how the Anglo…Saxon theory fell into the trap： I gave my
Lowlander a Gaelic name； and even commented on the fact in the
text； yet almost all critics recognised in Alan and David a Saxon
and a Celt。 I know not about England； in Scotland at least； where
Gaelic was spoken in Fife little over the century ago； and in
Galloway not much earlier； I deny that there exists such a thing as
a pure Saxon； and I think it more than questionable if there be
such a thing as a pure Celt。
But what have you to do with this？ and what have I？ Let us
continue to inscribe our little bits of tales； and let the heathen
rage！ Yours； with sincere interest in your career；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO WILLIAM MORRIS
VAILIMA； SAMOA； FEB。 1892。
MASTER； … A plea from a place so distant should have some weight；
and from a heart so grateful should have some address。 I have been
long in your debt； Master； and I did not think it could be so much
increased as you have now increased it。 I was long in your debt
and deep in your debt for many poems that I shall never forget； and
for SIGURD before all； and now you have plunged me beyond payment
by the Saga Library。 And so now； true to human nature； being
plunged beyond payment； I come and bark at your heels。
For surely； Master； that tongue that we write； and that you have
illustrated so nobly； is yet alive。 She has her rights and laws；
and is our mother； our queen； and our instrument。 Now in that
living tongue WHERE has one sense； WHEREAS another。 In the
HEATHSLAYINGS STORY； p。 241； line 13； it bears one of its ordinary
senses。 Elsewhere and usually through the two volumes； which is
all that has yet reached me of this entrancing publication； WHEREAS
is made to figure for WHERE。
For the love of God； my dear and honoured Morris； use WHERE； and
let us know WHEREAS we are； wherefore our gratitude shall grow；
whereby you shall be the more honoured wherever men love clear
language； whereas now； although we honour； we are troubled。
Whereunder； please find inscribed to this very impudent but yet
very anxious document； the name of one of the most distant but not
the youngest or the coldest of those who honour you。
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MRS。 CHARLES FAIRCHILD
＇VAILIMA； MARCH 1892。＇
MY DEAR MRS。 FAIRCHILD； … I am guilty in your sight； but my affairs
besiege me。 The chief…justiceship of a family of nineteen
persons is in itself no sinecure； and sometimes occupies me for
days： two weeks ago for four days almost entirely； and for two
days entirely。 Besides which； I have in the last few months
written all but one chapter of a HISTORY OF SAMOA for the last
eight or nine years； and while I was unavoidably delayed in the
writing of this； awaiting material； put in one…half of DAVID
BALFOUR； the sequel to KIDNAPPED。 Add the ordinary impediments of
life； and admire my busyness。 I am now an old； but healthy
skeleton； and degenerate much towards the machine。 By six at work：
stopped at half…past ten to give a history lesson to a step…
grandson； eleven； lunch； after lunch we have a musical performance
till two； then to work again； bath； 4。40； dinner； five； cards in
the evening till eight； and then to bed … only I have no bed； only
a chest with a mat and blankets … and read myself to sleep。 This
is the routine； but often sadly interrupted。 Then you may see me
sitting on the floor of my verandah haranguing and being harangued
by squatting chiefs on a question of a road； or more privately
holding an inquiry into some dispute among our familiars；