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holding an inquiry into some dispute among our familiars； myself on
my bed； the boys on the floor … for when it comes to the judicial I
play dignity … or else going down to Apia on some more or less
unsatisfactory errand。 Altogether it is a life that suits me； but
it absorbs me like an ocean。 That is what I have always envied and
admired in Scott； with all that immensity of work and study； his
mind kept flexible； glancing to all points of natural interest。
But the lean hot spirits； such as mine； become hypnotised with
their bit occupations … if I may use Scotch to you … it is so far
more scornful than any English idiom。 Well； I can't help being a
skeleton； and you are to take this devious passage for an apology。
I thought ALADDIN capital fun； but why； in fortune； did he pretend
it was moral at the end？ The so…called nineteenth century； OU VA…
T…IL SE NICHER？ 'Tis a trifle； but Pyle would do well to knock the
passage out； and leave his boguey tale a boguey tale； and a good
one at that。
The arrival of your box was altogether a great success to the
castaways。 You have no idea where we live。 Do you know； in all
these islands there are not five hundred whites； and no postal
delivery； and only one village … it is no more … and would be a
mean enough village in Europe？ We were asked the other day if
Vailima were the name of our post town； and we laughed。 Do you
know； though we are but three miles from the village metropolis； we
have no road to it； and our goods are brought on the pack…saddle？
And do you know … or I should rather say； can you believe … or （in
the famous old Tichborne trial phrase） would you be surprised to
learn； that all you have read of Vailima … or Subpriorsford； as I
call it … is entirely false； and we have no ice…machine； and no
electric light； and no water supply but the cistern of the heavens；
and but one public room； and scarce a bedroom apiece？ But； of
course； it is well known that I have made enormous sums by my
evanescent literature； and you will smile at my false humility。
The point； however； is much on our minds just now。 We are
expecting an invasion of Kiplings； very glad we shall be to see
them； but two of the party are ladies； and I tell you we had to
hold a council of war to stow them。 You European ladies are so
particular； with all of mine； sleeping has long become a public
function； as with natives and those who go down much into the sea
in ships。
Dear Mrs。 Fairchild； I must go to my work。 I have but two words to
say in conclusion。
First； civilisation is rot。
Second； console a savage with more of the milk of that over
civilised being； your adorable schoolboy。
As I wrote these remarkable words； I was called down to eight
o'clock prayers； and have just worked through a chapter of Joshua
and five verses； with five treble choruses of a Samoan hymn； but
the music was good； our boys and precentress （'tis always a woman
that leads） did better than I ever heard them； and to my great
pleasure I understood it all except one verse。 This gave me the
more time to try and identify what the parts were doing； and
further convict my dull ear。 Beyond the fact that the soprano rose
to the tonic above； on one occasion I could recognise nothing。
This is sickening； but I mean to teach my ear better before I am
done with it or this vile carcase。
I think it will amuse you （for a last word） to hear that our
precentress … she is the washerwoman … is our shame。 She is a
good； healthy； comely； strapping young wench； full of energy and
seriousness； a splendid workwoman； delighting to train our chorus；
delighting in the poetry of the hymns； which she reads aloud （on
the least provocation） with a great sentiment of rhythm。 Well；
then； what is curious？ Ah； we did not know！ but it was told us in
a whisper from the cook…house … she is not of good family。 Don't
let it get out； please； everybody knows it； of course； here； there
is no reason why Europe and the States should have the advantage of
me also。 And the rest of my housefolk are all chief…people； I
assure you。 And my late overseer （far the best of his race） is a
really serious chief with a good 'name。' Tina is the name； it is
not in the Almanach de Gotha； it must have got dropped at press。
The odd thing is； we rather share the prejudice。 I have almost
always … though not quite always … found the higher the chief the
better the man through all the islands； or； at least； that the best
man came always from a highish rank。 I hope Helen will continue to
prove a bright exception。
With love to Fairchild and the Huge Schoolboy； I am； my dear Mrs。
Fairchild； yours very sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
＇VAILIMA； MARCH 1892。＇
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … Herewith Chapters IX。 and X。； and I am left
face to face with the horrors and dilemmas of the present regimen：
pray for those that go down to the sea in ships。 I have promised
Henley shall have a chance to publish the hurricane chapter if he
like； so please let the slips be sent QUAM PRIMUM to C。 Baxter；
W。S。； 11 S。 Charlotte Street； Edinburgh。 I got on mighty quick
with that chapter … about five days of the toughest kind of work。
God forbid I should ever have such another pirn to wind！ When I
invent a language； there shall be a direct and an indirect pronoun
differently declined … then writing would be some fun。
DIRECT INDIRECT
He Tu
Him Tum
His Tus
Ex。： HE seized TUM by TUS throat； but TU at the same moment caught
HIM by HIS hair。 A fellow could write hurricanes with an
inflection like that！ Yet there would he difficulties too。
Do what you please about THE BEACH； and I give you CARTE BLANCHE to
write in the matter to Baxter … or telegraph if the time press … to
delay the English contingent。 Herewith the two last slips of THE
WRECKER。 I cannot go beyond。 By the way； pray compliment the
printers on the proofs of the Samoa racket； but hint to them that
it is most unbusiness…like and unscholarly to clip the edges of the
galleys； these proofs should really have been sent me on large
paper； and I and my friends here are all put to a great deal of
trouble and confusion by the mistake。 … For； as you must conceive；
in a matter so contested and complicated； the number of corrections
and the length of explanations is considerable。
Please add to my former orders …
LE CHEVALIER DES TOUCHES ｝ by Barbey d'Aurevilly。
LES DIABOLIQUES 。 。 。 ｝
CORRESPONDANCE DE HENRI BEYLE （Stendahl）。
Yours sincerely；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO T。 W。 DOVER
VAILIMA PLANTATION； UPOLU； SAMOA； JUNE 20TH； 1892。
SIR； … In reply to your very interesting letter； I cannot fairly
say that I have ever been poor； or known what