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SIR； … In reply to your very interesting letter； I cannot fairly
say that I have ever been poor； or known what it was to want a
meal。 I have been reduced； however； to a very small sum of money；
with no apparent prospect of increasing it； and at that time I
reduced myself to practically one meal a day； with the most
disgusting consequences to my health。 At this time I lodged in the
house of a working man； and associated much with others。 At the
same time； from my youth up； I have always been a good deal and
rather intimately thrown among the working…classes； partly as a
civil engineer in out…of…the…way places； partly from a strong and；
I hope； not ill…favoured sentiment of curiosity。 But the place
where； perhaps； I was most struck with the fact upon which you
comment was the house of a friend； who was exceedingly poor； in
fact； I may say destitute； and who lived in the attic of a very
tall house entirely inhabited by persons in varying stages of
poverty。 As he was also in ill…health； I made a habit of passing
my afternoon with him； and when there it was my part to answer the
door。 The steady procession of people begging； and the expectant
and confident manner in which they presented themselves； struck me
more and more daily； and I could not but remember with surprise
that though my father lived but a few streets away in a fine house；
beggars scarce came to the door once a fortnight or a month。 From
that time forward I made it my business to inquire； and in the
stories which I am very fond of hearing from all sorts and
conditions of men； learned that in the time of their distress it
was always from the poor they sought assistance； and almost always
from the poor they got it。
Trusting I have now satisfactorily answered your question； which I
thank you for asking； I remain； with sincere compliments；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
VAILIMA； SUMMER 1892。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … First of all； YOU HAVE ALL THE CORRECTIONS ON
'THE WRECKER。' I found I had made what I meant and forgotten it；
and was so careless as not to tell you。
Second； of course； and by all means； charge corrections on the
Samoa book to me； but there are not near so many as I feared。 The
Lord hath dealt bountifully with me； and I believe all my advisers
were amazed to see how nearly correct I had got the truck； at least
I was。 With this you will receive the whole revise and a
typewritten copy of the last chapter。 And the thing now is Speed；
to catch a possible revision of the treaty。 I believe Cassells are
to bring it out； but Baxter knows； and the thing has to be crammed
through PRESTISSIMO； A LA CHASSEUR。
You mention the belated Barbeys； what about the equally belated
Pineros？ And I hope you will keep your bookshop alive to supplying
me continuously with the SAGA LIBRARY。 I cannot get enough of
SAGAS； I wish there were nine thousand； talk about realism！
All seems to flourish with you； I also prosper； none the less for
being quit of that abhorred task； Samoa。 I could give a supper
party here were there any one to sup。 Never was such a
disagreeable task； but the thing had to be told。 。 。 。
There； I trust I am done with this cursed chapter of my career； bar
the rotten eggs and broken bottles that may follow； of course。
Pray remember； speed is now all that can be asked； hoped； or
wished。 I give up all hope of proofs； revises； proof of the map；
or sic like； and you on your side will try to get it out as
reasonably seemly as may be。
Whole Samoa book herewith。 Glory be to God。 … Yours very
sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
VAILIMA PLANTATION； UPOLU； SAMOAN ISLANDS； 18TH JULY 1892。
MY DEAR CHARLES；… 。 。 。 I have been now for some time contending
with powers and principalities； and I have never once seen one of
my own letters to the TIMES。 So when you see something in the
papers that you think might interest the exiles of Upolu； do not
think twice； out with your saxpence； and send it flying to Vailima。
Of what you say of the past； eh； man； it was a queer time； and
awful miserable； but there's no sense in denying it was awful fun。
Do you mind the youth in Highland garb and the tableful of coppers？
Do you mind the SIGNAL of Waterloo Place？ … Hey； how the blood
stands to the heart at such a memory！ … Hae ye the notes o't？
Gie's them。 … Gude's sake； man； gie's the notes o't； I mind ye made
a tune o't an' played it on your pinanny； gie's the notes。 Dear
Lord； that past。
Glad to hear Henley's prospects are fair： his new volume is the
work of a real poet。 He is one of those who can make a noise of
his own with words； and in whom experience strikes an individual
note。 There is perhaps no more genuine poet living； bar the Big
Guns。 In case I cannot overtake an acknowledgment to himself by
this mail； please let him hear of my pleasure and admiration。 How
poorly … compares！ He is all smart journalism and cleverness： it
is all bright and shallow and limpid； like a business paper … a
good one； S'ENTEND； but there is no blot of heart's blood and the
Old Night： there are no harmonics； there is scarce harmony to his
music； and in Henley … all of these； a touch； a sense within sense；
a sound outside the sound； the shadow of the inscrutable； eloquent
beyond all definition。 The First London Voluntary knocked me
wholly。 … Ever yours affectionately； my dear Charles；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Kind memories to your father and all friends。
Letter： TO W。 E。 HENLEY
VAILIMA PLANTATION； UPOLU； SAMOA； AUGUST 1ST； 1892。
MY DEAR HENLEY； … It is impossible to let your new volume pass in
silence。 I have not received the same thrill of poetry since G。
M。's JOY OF EARTH volume and LOVE IN A VALLEY； and I do not know
that even that was so intimate and deep。 Again and again； I take
the book down； and read； and my blood is fired as it used to be in
youth。 ANDANTE CON MOTO in the VOLUNTARIES； and the thing about
the trees at night （No。 XXIV。 I think） are up to date my
favourites。 I did not guess you were so great a magician； these
are new tunes； this is an undertone of the true Apollo； these are
not verse； they are poetry … inventions； creations； in language。 I
thank you for the joy you have given me； and remain your old friend
and present huge admirer；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
The hand is really the hand of Esau； but under a course of
threatened scrivener's cramp。
For the next edition of the Book of Verses； pray accept an
emendation。 Last three lines of Echoes No。 XLIV。 read …
'But life in act？ How should the grave
Be victor over these；
Mother； a mother of men？'
The two vocatives scatter the effect of this inimitable close。 If
you insist on the lo