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of ours。 We content ourselves with cutting off an occasional head。
I hear we may soon expect the AMAZING MARRIAGE。 You know how long；
and with how much curiosity； I have looked forward to the book。
Now； in so far as you have adhered to your intention； Gower
Woodsere will be a family portrait； age twenty…five； of the highly
respectable and slightly influential and fairly aged TUSITALA。 You
have not known that gentleman； console yourself； he is not worth
knowing。 At the same time； my dear Meredith； he is very sincerely
yours … for what he is worth； for the memories of old times； and in
the expectation of many pleasures still to come。 I suppose we
shall never see each other again； flitting youths of the Lysaght
species may occasionally cover these unconscionable leagues and
bear greetings to and fro。 But we ourselves must be content to
converse on an occasional sheet of notepaper； and I shall never see
whether you have grown older； and you shall never deplore that
Gower Woodsere should have declined into the pantaloon TUSITALA。
It is perhaps better so。 Let us continue to see each other as we
were； and accept； my dear Meredith； my love and respect。
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
P。S。 … My wife joins me in the kindest messages to yourself and
Mariette。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
＇VAILIMA＇； APRIL 17； '94。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … ST。 IVES is now well on its way into the second
volume。 There remains no mortal doubt that it will reach the three
volume standard。
I am very anxious that you should send me …
1ST。 TOM AND JERRY； a cheap edition。
2nd。 The book by Ashton … the DAWN OF THE CENTURY； I think it was
called … which Colvin sent me； and which has miscarried； and
3rd。 If it is possible； a file of the EDINBURGH COURANT for the
years 1811； 1812； 1813； or 1814。 I should not care for a whole
year。 If it were possible to find me three months； winter months
by preference； it would do my business not only for ST。 IVES； but
for the JUSTICE…CLERK as well。 Suppose this to be impossible；
perhaps I could get the loan of it from somebody； or perhaps it
would be possible to have some one read a file for me and make
notes。 This would be extremely bad； as unhappily one man's food is
another man's poison； and the reader would probably leave out
everything I should choose。 But if you are reduced to that； you
might mention to the man who is to read for me that balloon
ascensions are in the order of the day。
4th。 It might be as well to get a book on balloon ascension；
particularly in the early part of the century。
。 。 。 。 。
III。 At last this book has come from Scribner； and； alas！ I have
the first six or seven chapters of ST。 IVES to recast entirely。
Who could foresee that they clothed the French prisoners in yellow？
But that one fatal fact … and also that they shaved them twice a
week … damns the whole beginning。 If it had been sent in time； it
would have saved me a deal of trouble。 。 。 。
I have had a long letter from Dr。 Scott Dalgleish； 25 Mayfield
Terrace； asking me to put my name down to the Ballantyne Memorial
Committee。 I have sent him a pretty sharp answer in favour of
cutting down the memorial and giving more to the widow and
children。 If there is to be any foolery in the way of statues or
other trash； please send them a guinea； but if they are going to
take my advice and put up a simple tablet with a few heartfelt
words； and really devote the bulk of the subscriptions to the wife
and family； I will go to the length of twenty pounds； if you will
allow me （and if the case of the family be at all urgent）； and at
least I direct you to send ten pounds。 I suppose you had better
see Scott Dalgleish himself on the matter。 I take the opportunity
here to warn you that my head is simply spinning with a multitude
of affairs； and I shall probably forget a half of my business at
last。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MRS。 SITWELL
VAILIMA； APRIL 1894。
MY DEAR FRIEND； … I have at last got some photographs； and hasten
to send you； as you asked； a portrait of Tusitala。 He is a strange
person； not so lean； say experts； but infinitely battered； mighty
active again on the whole； going up and down our break…neck road at
all hours of the day and night on horseback； holding meetings with
all manner of chiefs； quite a political personage … God save the
mark！ … in a small way； but at heart very conscious of the
inevitable flat failure that awaits every one。 I shall never do a
better book than CATRIONA； that is my high…water mark； and the
trouble of production increases on me at a great rate … and mighty
anxious about how I am to leave my family： an elderly man； with
elderly preoccupations； whom I should be ashamed to show you for
your old friend； but not a hope of my dying soon and cleanly； and
'winning off the stage。' Rather I am daily better in physical
health。 I shall have to see this business out； after all； and I
think； in that case； they should have … they might have … spared me
all my ill…health this decade past； if it were not to unbar the
doors。 I have no taste for old age； and my nose is to be rubbed in
it in spite of my face。 I was meant to die young； and the gods do
not love me。
This is very like an epitaph； bar the handwriting； which is
anything but monumental； and I dare say I had better stop。 Fanny
is down at her own cottage planting or deplanting or replanting； I
know not which； and she will not be home till dinner； by which time
the mail will be all closed； else she would join me in all good
messages and remembrances of love。 I hope you will congratulate
Burne Jones from me on his baronetcy。 I cannot make out to be
anything but raspingly； harrowingly sad； so I will close； and not
affect levity which I cannot feel。 Do not altogether forget me；
keep a corner of your memory for the exile
LOUIS。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
＇VAILIMA； MAY 1894。＇
MY DEAR CHARLES； … My dear fellow； I wish to assure you of the
greatness of the pleasure that this Edinburgh Edition gives me。 I
suppose it was your idea to give it that name。 No other would have
affected me in the same manner。 Do you remember； how many years
ago … I would be afraid to hazard a guess … one night when I
communicated to you certain intimations of early death and
aspirations after fame？ I was particularly maudlin； and my remorse
the next morning on a review of my folly has written the matter
very deeply in my mind； from yours it may easily have fled。 If any
one at that moment could have shown me the Edinburgh Edition； I
suppose I should have died。 It is with gratitude and wonder that I
consider 'the way in which I have been led。' Could a more
preposterous idea have occurred to us in those days when we used to
search ou