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here； that I will try with renewed courage to go on in the same
path； and to deserve； if not to receive； a similar return from
others。
You apologise for speaking so much about yourselves。 Dear Madam； I
thought you did so too little。 I should have wished to have known
more of those who were so sympathetic as to find a consolation in
my work； and so graceful and so tactful as to acknowledge it in
such a letter as was yours。
Will you offer to your mother the expression of a sympathy which
（coming from a stranger） must seem very airy； but which yet is
genuine； and accept for yourself my gratitude for the thought which
inspired you to write to me and the words which you found to
express it。
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
VAILIMA PLANTATION； SAMOAN ISLANDS； OCT。 10TH； 1892。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … It is now； as you see； the 10th of October；
and there has not reached the Island of Upolu one single copy； or
rag of a copy； of the Samoa book。 I lie； there has come one； and
that in the pocket of a missionary man who is at daggers drawn with
me； who lends it to all my enemies； conceals it from all my
friends； and is bringing a lawsuit against me on the strength of
expressions in the same which I have forgotten； and now cannot see。
This is pretty tragic； I think you will allow； and I was inclined
to fancy it was the fault of the Post Office。 But I hear from my
sister…in…law Mrs。 Sanchez that she is in the same case； and has
received no 'Footnote。' I have also to consider that I had no
letter from you last mail； although you ought to have received by
that time 'My Grandfather and Scott；' and 'Me and my Grandfather。'
Taking one consideration with another； therefore； I prefer to
conceive that No。 743 Broadway has fallen upon gentle and
continuous slumber； and is become an enchanted palace among
publishing houses。 If it be not so； if the 'Footnotes' were really
sent； I hope you will fall upon the Post Office with all the vigour
you possess。 How does THE WRECKER go in the States？ It seems to
be doing exceptionally well in England。 … Yours sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO J。 M。 BARRIE
VAILIMA PLANTATION； SAMOAN ISLANDS； NOVEMBER 1ST； 1892。
DEAR MR。 BARRIE； … I can scarce thank you sufficiently for your
extremely amusing letter。 No； THE AULD LICHT IDYLS never reached
me … I wish it had； and I wonder extremely whether it would not be
good for me to have a pennyworth of the Auld Licht pulpit。 It is a
singular thing that I should live here in the South Seas under
conditions so new and so striking； and yet my imagination so
continually inhabit that cold old huddle of grey hills from which
we come。 I have just finished DAVID BALFOUR； I have another book
on the stocks； THE YOUNG CHEVALIER； which is to be part in France
and part in Scotland； and to deal with Prince Charlie about the
year 1749； and now what have I done but begun a third which is to
be all moorland together； and is to have for a centrepiece a figure
that I think you will appreciate … that of the immortal Braxfield …
Braxfield himself is my GRAND PREMIER； or； since you are so much
involved in the British drama； let me say my heavy lead。 。 。 。
Your descriptions of your dealings with Lord Rintoul are
frightfully unconscientious。 You should never write about anybody
until you persuade yourself at least for the moment that you love
him； above all anybody on whom your plot revolves。 It will always
make a hole in the book； and； if he has anything to do with the
mechanism； prove a stick in your machinery。 But you know all this
better than I do； and it is one of your most promising traits that
you do not take your powers too seriously。 The LITTLE MINISTER
ought to have ended badly； we all know it did； and we are
infinitely grateful to you for the grace and good feeling with
which you lied about it。 If you had told the truth； I for one
could never have forgiven you。 As you had conceived and written
the earlier parts； the truth about the end； though indisputably
true to fact； would have been a lie； or what is worse； a discord in
art。 If you are going to make a book end badly； it must end badly
from the beginning。 Now your book began to end well。 You let
yourself fall in love with； and fondle； and smile at your puppets。
Once you had done that； your honour was committed … at the cost of
truth to life you were bound to save them。 It is the blot on
RICHARD FEVEREL； for instance； that it begins to end well； and then
tricks you and ends ill。 But in that case there is worse behind；
for the ill…ending does not inherently issue from the plot … the
story HAD； in fact； ENDED WELL after the great last interview
between Richard and Lucy … and the blind； illogical bullet which
smashes all has no more to do between the boards than a fly has to
do with the room into whose open window it comes buzzing。 It MIGHT
have so happened； it needed not； and unless needs must； we have no
right to pain our readers。 I have had a heavy case of conscience
of the same kind about my Braxfield story。 Braxfield … only his
name is Hermiston … has a son who is condemned to death； plainly；
there is a fine tempting fitness about this； and I meant he was to
hang。 But now on considering my minor characters； I saw there were
five people who would … in a sense who must … break prison and
attempt his rescue。 They were capable； hardy folks； too； who might
very well succeed。 Why should they not then？ Why should not young
Hermiston escape clear out of the country？ and be happy； if he
could； with his … But soft！ I will not betray my secret of my
heroine。 Suffice it to breathe in your ear that she was what Hardy
calls （and others in their plain way don't） a Pure Woman。 Much
virtue in a capital letter； such as yours was。
Write to me again in my infinite distance。 Tell me about your new
book。 No harm in telling ME； I am too far off to be indiscreet；
there are too few near me who would care to hear。 I am rushes by
the riverside； and the stream is in Babylon： breathe your secrets
to me fearlessly； and if the Trade Wind caught and carried them
away； there are none to catch them nearer than Australia； unless it
were the Tropic Birds。 In the unavoidable absence of my
amanuensis； who is buying eels for dinner； I have thus concluded my
despatch； like St。 Paul； with my own hand。
And in the inimitable words of Lord Kames； Faur ye weel； ye bitch。
… Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
VAILIMA PLANTATION； NOV。 2ND； 1892。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … In the first place； I have to acknowledge
receipt of your munificent cheque for three hundred and fifty
dollars。 Glad you liked the Scott voyage； rather more than I did
upon the whol