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take to it； all think it more than doubtful； I wish they would； for
I could do a second volume with ease and pleasure； and Colvin
thinks it sin and folly to throw away David and Alan Breck upon so
small a field as this one。 … Ever your affectionate son；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MRS。 FLEEMING JENKIN
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH＇； APRIL 15 OR 16 （THE HOUR NOT BEING
KNOWN）； 1886。
MY DEAR MRS。 JENKIN； … It is I know not what hour of the night； but
I cannot sleep； have lit the gas； and here goes。
First； all your packet arrived： I have dipped into the Schumann
already with great pleasure。 Surely； in what concerns us there is
a sweet little chirrup； the GOOD WORDS arrived in the morning just
when I needed it； and the famous notes that I had lost were
recovered also in the nick of time。
And now I am going to bother you with my affairs： premising；
first； that this is PRIVATE； second； that whatever I do the LIFE
shall be done first； and I am getting on with it well； and third；
that I do not quite know why I consult you； but something tells me
you will hear with fairness。
Here is my problem。 The Curtin women are still miserable
prisoners； no one dare buy their farm of them； all the manhood of
England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder。 （1）
Now； my work can be done anywhere； hence I can take up without loss
a back…going Irish farm； and live on； though not （as I had
originally written） in it： First Reason。 （2） If I should be
killed； there are a good many who would feel it： writers are so
much in the public eye； that a writer being murdered would attract
attention； throw a bull's…eye light upon this cowardly business：
Second Reason。 （3） I am not unknown in the States； from which the
funds come that pay for these brutalities： to some faint extent；
my death （if I should be killed） would tell there： Third Reason。
（4） NOBODY ELSE IS TAKING UP THIS OBVIOUS AND CRYING DULY： Fourth
Reason。 （5） I have a crazy health and may die at any moment； my
life is of no purchase in an insurance office； it is the less
account to husband it； and the business of husbanding a life is
dreary and demoralising： Fifth Reason。
I state these in no order； but as they occur to me。 And I shall do
the like with the objections。
First Objection： It will do no good； you have seen Gordon die and
nobody minded； nobody will mind if you die。 This is plainly of the
devil。 Second Objection： You will not even be murdered； the
climate will miserably kill you； you will strangle out in a rotten
damp heat； in congestion； etc。 Well； what then？ It changes
nothing： the purpose is to brave crime； let me brave it； for such
time and to such an extent as God allows。 Third Objection： The
Curtin women are probably highly uninteresting females。 I haven't
a doubt of it。 But the Government cannot； men will not； protect
them。 If I am the only one to see this public duty； it is to the
public and the Right I should perform it … not to Mesdames Curtin。
Fourth Objection： I am married。 'I have married a wife！' I seem
to have heard it before。 It smells ancient！ what was the context？
Fifth Objection： My wife has had a mean life （1）； loves me （2）；
could not bear to lose me （3）。 （1） I admit： I am sorry。 （2） But
what does she love me for？ and （3） she must lose me soon or late。
And after all； because we run this risk； it does not follow we
should fail。 Sixth Objection： My wife wouldn't like it。 No； she
wouldn't。 Who would？ But the Curtins don't like it。 And all
those who are to suffer if this goes on； won't like it。 And if
there is a great wrong； somebody must suffer。 Seventh Objection：
I won't like it。 No； I will not； I have thought it through； and I
will not。 But what of that？ And both she and I may like it more
than we suppose。 We shall lose friends； all comforts； all society：
so has everybody who has ever done anything； but we shall have some
excitement； and that's a fine thing； and we shall be trying to do
the right； and that's not to be despised。 Eighth Objection： I am
an author with my work before me。 See Second Reason。 Ninth
Objection： But am I not taken with the hope of excitement？ I was
at first。 I am not much now。 I see what a dreary； friendless；
miserable； God…forgotten business it will be。 And anyway； is not
excitement the proper reward of doing anything both right and a
little dangerous？ Tenth Objection： But am I not taken with a
notion of glory？ I dare say I am。 Yet I see quite clearly how all
points to nothing coming； to a quite inglorious death by disease
and from the lack of attendance； or even if I should be knocked on
the head； as these poor Irish promise； how little any one will
care。 It will be a smile at a thousand breakfast…tables。 I am
nearly forty now； I have not many illusions。 And if I had？ I do
not love this health…tending； housekeeping life of mine。 I have a
taste for danger； which is human； like the fear of it。 Here is a
fair cause； a just cause； no knight ever set lance in rest for a
juster。 Yet it needs not the strength I have not； only the passive
courage that I hope I could muster； and the watchfulness that I am
sure I could learn。
Here is a long midnight dissertation； with myself； with you。
Please let me hear。 But I charge you this： if you see in this
idea of mine the finger of duty； do not dissuade me。 I am nearing
forty； I begin to love my ease and my home and my habits； I never
knew how much till this arose； do not falsely counsel me to put my
head under the bed…clothes。 And I will say this to you： my wife；
who hates the idea； does not refuse。 'It is nonsense；' says she；
'but if you go； I will go。' Poor girl； and her home and her garden
that she was so proud of！ I feel her garden most of all； because
it is a pleasure （I suppose） that I do not feel myself to share。
1。 Here is a great wrong。
2。 〃 growing wrong。
3。 〃 wrong founded on crime。
4。 〃 crime that the Government cannot prevent。
5。 〃 crime that it occurs to no man to defy。
6。 But it has occurred to me。
7。 Being a known person； some will notice my defiance。
8。 Being a writer； I can MAKE people notice it。
9。 And； I think； MAKE people imitate me。
10。 Which would destroy in time this whole scaffolding of
oppression。
11。 And if I fail； however ignominiously； that is not my concern。
It is； with an odd mixture of reverence and humorous remembrances
of Dickens； be it said … it is A…nother's。
And here； at I cannot think what hour of the morning； I shall dry
up； and remain； … Yours； really in want of a little help；
R。 L S。
Sleepless at midnight's dewy hour。
〃 〃 witching 〃
〃 〃 maudlin 〃
〃 〃 etc。
NEXT MORNING。 … Eleventh Objection： I have a father and mother。
And who has not