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NEXT MORNING。 … Eleventh Objection： I have a father and mother。
And who has not？ Macduff's was a rare case； if we must wait for a
Macduff。 Besides； my father will not perhaps be long here。
Twelfth Objection： The cause of England in Ireland is not worth
supporting。 A QUI LE DITES…VOUS？ And I am not supporting that。
Home Rule； if you like。 Cause of decency； the idea that
populations should not be taught to gain public ends by private
crime； the idea that for all men to bow before a threat of crime is
to loosen and degrade beyond redemption the whole fabric of man's
decency。
Letter： TO MRS。 FLEEMING JENKIN
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； APRIL 1886。＇
MY DEAR MRS。 JENKIN； … The Book … It is all drafted： I hope soon
to send you for comments Chapters III。； IV。； and V。 Chapter VII。
is roughly but satisfactorily drafted： a very little work should
put that to rights。 But Chapter VI。 is no joke； it is a MARE
MAGNUM： I swim and drown and come up again； and it is all broken
ends and mystification： moreover； I perceive I am in want of more
matter。 I must have； first of all； a little letter from Mr。 Ewing
about the phonograph work： IF you think he would understand it is
quite a matter of chance whether I use a word or a fact out of it。
If you think he would not： I will go without。 Also； could I have
a look at Ewing's PRECIS？ And lastly； I perceive I must interview
you again about a few points； they are very few； and might come to
little； and I propose to go on getting things as well together as I
can in the meanwhile； and rather have a final time when all is
ready and only to be criticised。 I do still think it will be good。
I wonder if Trelat would let me cut？ But no； I think I wouldn't
after all； 'tis so quaint and pretty and clever and simple and
French； and gives such a good sight of Fleeming： the plum of the
book； I think。
You misunderstood me in one point： I always hoped to found such a
society； that was the outside of my dream； and would mean entire
success。 BUT … I cannot play Peter the Hermit。 In these days of
the Fleet Street journalist； I cannot send out better men than
myself； with wives or mothers just as good as mine； and sisters （I
may at least say） better； to a danger and a long…drawn dreariness
that I do not share。 My wife says it's cowardice； what brave men
are the leader…writers！ Call it cowardice； it is mine。 Mind you；
I may end by trying to do it by the pen only： I shall not love
myself if I do； and is it ever a good thing to do a thing for which
you despise yourself？ … even in the doing？ And if the thing you do
is to call upon others to do the thing you neglect？ I have never
dared to say what I feel about men's lives； because my own was in
the wrong： shall I dare to send them to death？ The physician must
heal himself； he must honestly TRY the path he recommends： if he
does not even try； should he not be silent？
I thank you very heartily for your letter； and for the seriousness
you brought to it。 You know； I think when a serious thing is your
own； you keep a saner man by laughing at it and yourself as you go。
So I do not write possibly with all the really somewhat sickened
gravity I feel。 And indeed； what with the book； and this business
to which I referred； and Ireland； I am scarcely in an enviable
state。 Well； I ought to be glad； after ten years of the worst
training on earth … valetudinarianism … that I can still be
troubled by a duty。 You shall hear more in time； so far； I am at
least decided： I will go and see Balfour when I get to London。
We have all had a great pleasure： a Mrs。 Rawlinson came and
brought with her a nineteen…year…old daughter； simple； human； as
beautiful as … herself； I never admired a girl before； you know it
was my weakness： we are all three dead in love with her。 How nice
to be able to do so much good to harassed people by … yourself！
Ever yours；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MISS RAWLINSON
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； APRIL 1886。＇
OF the many flowers you brought me；
Only some were meant to stay；
And the flower I thought the sweetest
Was the flower that went away。
Of the many flowers you brought me；
All were fair and fresh and gay；
But the flower I thought the sweetest
Was the blossom of the May。
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MISS MONROE
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； MAY 25TH； 1886。
DEAR MISS MONROE； … （I hope I have this rightly） I must lose no
time in thanking you for a letter singularly pleasant to receive。
It may interest you to know that I read to the signature without
suspecting my correspondent was a woman； though in one point （a
reference to the Countess） I might have found a hint of the truth。
You are not pleased with Otto； since I judge you do not like
weakness； and no more do I。 And yet I have more than tolerance for
Otto； whose faults are the faults of weakness； but never of ignoble
weakness； and who seeks before all to be both kind and just。
Seeks； not succeeds。 But what is man？ So much of cynicism to
recognise that nobody does right is the best equipment for those
who do not wish to be cynics in good earnest。 Think better of
Otto； if my plea can influence you； and this I mean for your own
sake … not his； poor fellow； as he will never learn your opinion；
but for yours； because； as men go in this world （and women too）；
you will not go far wrong if you light upon so fine a fellow； and
to light upon one and not perceive his merits is a calamity。 In
the flesh； of course； I mean； in the book the fault； of course； is
with my stumbling pen。 Seraphina made a mistake about her Otto； it
begins to swim before me dimly that you may have some traits of
Seraphina？
With true ingratitude you see me pitch upon your exception； but it
is easier to defend oneself gracefully than to acknowledge praise。
I am truly glad that you should like my books； for I think I see
from what you write that you are a reader worth convincing。 Your
name； if I have properly deciphered it； suggests that you may be
also something of my countrywoman； for it is hard to see where
Monroe came from； if not from Scotland。 I seem to have here a
double claim on your good nature： being myself pure Scotch and
having appreciated your letter； make up two undeniable merits
which； perhaps； if it should be quite without trouble； you might
reward with your photograph。 … Yours truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MISS MONROE
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JUNE 1886。＇
MY DEAR MISS MONROE； … I am ill in bed and stupid； incoherently
stupid； yet I have to answer your letter； and if the answer is
incomprehensible you must forgive me。 You say my letter caused you
pleasure； I am sure； as it fell out； not near so much as yours has