按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Mother； a mother of men？'
The two vocatives scatter the effect of this inimitable close。 If
you insist on the longer line； equip 'grave' with an epithet。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
VAILIMA； UPOLU； AUGUST 1st； '92。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … Herewith MY GRANDFATHER。 I have had rather a
bad time suppressing the old gentleman； who was really in a very
garrulous stage； as for getting him IN ORDER； I could do but little
towards that； however； there are one or two points of interest
which may justify us in printing。 The swinging of his stick and
not knowing the sailor of Coruiskin； in particular； and the account
of how he wrote the lives in the Bell Book particularly please me。
I hope my own little introduction is not egoistic； or rather I do
not care if it is。 It was that old gentleman's blood that brought
me to Samoa。
By the by； vols。 vii。； viii。； and ix。 of Adams's HISTORY have never
come to hand； no more have the dictionaries。
Please send me STONEHENGE ON HORSE； STORIES AND INTERLUDES by Barry
Pain； and EDINBURGH SKETCHES AND MEMOIRS by David Masson。 THE
WRECKER has turned up。 So far as I have seen； it is very
satisfactory； but on pp。 548； 549； there has been a devil of a
miscarriage。 The two Latin quotations instead of following each
other being separated （doubtless for printing considerations） by a
line of prose。 My compliments to the printers； there is doubtless
such a thing as good printing； but there is such a thing as good
sense。
The sequel to KIDNAPPED； DAVID BALFOUR by name； is about three…
quarters done and gone to press for serial publication。 By what I
can find out it ought to be through hand with that and ready for
volume form early next spring。 … Yours very sincerely；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO ANDREW LANG
＇VAILIMA； AUGUST 1892。＇
MY DEAR LANG； … I knew you would prove a trusty purveyor。 The
books you have sent are admirable。 I got the name of my hero out
of Brown … Blair of Balmyle … Francie Blair。 But whether to call
the story BLAIR OF BALMYLE； or whether to call it THE YOUNG
CHEVALIER； I have not yet decided。 The admirable Cameronian tract
… perhaps you will think this a cheat … is to be boned into DAVID
BALFOUR； where it will fit better； and really furnishes me with a
desired foothold over a boggy place。
LATER； no； it won't go in； and I fear I must give up 'the
idolatrous occupant upon the throne；' a phrase that overjoyed me
beyond expression。 I am in a deuce of a flutter with politics；
which I hate； and in which I certainly do not shine； but a fellow
cannot stand aside and look on at such an exhibition as our
government。 'Taint decent； no gent can hold a candle to it。 But
it's a grind to be interrupted by midnight messengers and pass your
days writing proclamations （which are never proclaimed） and
petitions （which ain't petited） and letters to the TIMES； which it
makes my jaws yawn to re…read； and all your time have your heart
with David Balfour： he has just left Glasgow this morning for
Edinburgh； James More has escaped from the castle； it is far more
real to me than the Behring Sea or the Baring brothers either … he
got the news of James More's escape from the Lord Advocate； and
started off straight to comfort Catriona。 You don't know her；
she's James More's daughter； and a respectable young wumman； the
Miss Grants think so … the Lord Advocate's daughters … so there
can't be anything really wrong。 Pretty soon we all go to Holland；
and be hanged； thence to Dunkirk； and be damned； and the tale
concludes in Paris； and be Poll…parrotted。 This is the last
authentic news。 You are not a real hard…working novelist； not a
practical novelist； so you don't know the temptation to let your
characters maunder。 Dumas did it； and lived。 But it is not war；
it ain't sportsmanlike； and I have to be stopping their chatter all
the time。 Brown's appendix is great reading。
My only grief is that I can't
Use the idolatrous occupant。
Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
Blessing and praising you for a useful （though idolatrous） occupant
of Kensington。
Letter： TO THE COUNTESS OF JERSEY
AUGUST 14； 1745。
TO MISS AMELIA BALFOUR … MY DEAR COUSIN； … We are going an
expedition to leeward on Tuesday morning。 If a lady were perhaps
to be encountered on horseback … say； towards the Gasi…gasi river …
about six A。M。； I think we should have an episode somewhat after
the style of the '45。 What a misfortune； my dear cousin； that you
should have arrived while your cousin Graham was occupying my only
guest…chamber … for Osterley Park is not so large in Samoa as it
was at home … but happily our friend Haggard has found a corner for
you！
The King over the Water … the Gasi…gasi water … will be pleased to
see the clan of Balfour mustering so thick around his standard。
I have （one serious word） been so lucky as to get a really secret
interpreter； so all is for the best in our little adventure into
the WAVERLEY NOVELS。 … I am your affectionate cousin；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Observe the stealth with which I have blotted my signature； but we
must be political A OUTRANCE。
Letter： TO THE COUNTESS OF JERSEY
MY DEAR COUSIN； … I send for your information a copy of my last
letter to the gentleman in question。 'Tis thought more wise； in
consideration of the difficulty and peril of the enterprise； that
we should leave the town in the afternoon； and by several
detachments。 If you would start for a ride with the Master of
Haggard and Captain Lockhart of Lee； say at three o'clock of the
afternoon； you would make some rencounters by the wayside which
might be agreeable to your political opinions。 All present will be
staunch。
The Master of Haggard might extend his ride a little； and return
through the marsh and by the nuns' house （I trust that has the
proper flavour）； so as a little to diminish the effect of
separation。 … I remain； your affectionate cousin to command；
O TUSITALA。
P。S。 … It is to be thought this present year of grace will be
historical。
Letter： TO MRS。 CHARLES FAIRCHILD
＇VAILIMA； AUGUST 1892。＇
MY DEAR MRS。 FAIRCHILD； … Thank you a thousand times for your
letter。 You are the Angel of （the sort of） Information （that I
care about）； I appoint you successor to the newspaper press； and I
beg of you； whenever you wish to gird at the age； or think the bugs
out of proportion to the roses； or despair； or enjoy any cosmic or
epochal emotion； to sit down again and write to the Hermit of
Samoa。 What do I think of it all？ Well； I love the romantic
solemnity of youth； and even in this form； although not without
laughter； I have to love it still。 They are such ducks！ But what
are they made of？ We we