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pleasure； I am sure； as it fell out； not near so much as yours has
brought to me。 The interest taken in an author is fragile： his
next book； or your next year of culture； might see the interest
frosted or outgrown； and himself； in spite of all； you might
probably find the most distasteful person upon earth。 My case is
different。 I have bad health； am often condemned to silence for
days together … was so once for six weeks； so that my voice was
awful to hear when I first used it； like the whisper of a shadow …
have outlived all my chief pleasures； which were active and
adventurous； and ran in the open air： and being a person who
prefers life to art； and who knows it is a far finer thing to be in
love； or to risk a danger； than to paint the finest picture or
write the noblest book； I begin to regard what remains to me of my
life as very shadowy。 From a variety of reasons； I am ashamed to
confess I was much in this humour when your letter came。 I had a
good many troubles； was regretting a high average of sins； had been
recently reminded that I had outlived some friends； and wondering
if I had not outlived some friendships； and had just； while
boasting of better health； been struck down again by my haunting
enemy； an enemy who was exciting at first； but has now； by the
iteration of his strokes； become merely annoying and inexpressibly
irksome。 Can you fancy that to a person drawing towards the
elderly this sort of conjunction of circumstances brings a rather
aching sense of the past and the future？ Well； it was just then
that your letter and your photograph were brought to me in bed； and
there came to me at once the most agreeable sense of triumph。 My
books were still young； my words had their good health and could go
about the world and make themselves welcome； and even （in a shadowy
and distant sense） make something in the nature of friends for the
sheer hulk that stays at home and bites his pen over the
manuscripts。 It amused me very much to remember that I had been in
Chicago； not so many years ago； in my proper person； where I had
failed to awaken much remark； except from the ticket collector； and
to think how much more gallant and persuasive were the fellows that
I now send instead of me； and how these are welcome in that quarter
to the sitter of Herr Platz； while their author was not very
welcome even in the villainous restaurant where he tried to eat a
meal and rather failed。
And this leads me directly to a confession。 The photograph which
shall accompany this is not chosen as the most like； but the best…
looking。 Put yourself in my place； and you will call this
pardonable。 Even as it is； even putting forth a flattered
presentment； I am a little pained； and very glad it is a photograph
and not myself that has to go； for in this case； if it please you；
you can tell yourself it is my image … and if it displeased you；
you can lay the blame on the photographer； but in that； there were
no help； and the poor author might belie his labours。
KIDNAPPED should soon appear； I am afraid you may not like it； as
it is very unlike PRINCE OTTO in every way； but I am myself a great
admirer of the two chief characters； Alan and David。 VIRGINIBUS
PUERISQUE has never been issued in the States。 I do not think it
is a book that has much charm for publishers in any land； but I am
to bring out a new edition in England shortly； a copy of which I
must try to remember to send you。 I say try to remember； because I
have some superficial acquaintance with myself： and I have
determined； after a galling discipline； to promise nothing more
until the day of my death： at least； in this way； I shall no more
break my word； and I must now try being churlish instead of being
false。
I do not believe you to be the least like Seraphina。 Your
photograph has no trace of her； which somewhat relieves me； as I am
a good deal afraid of Seraphinas … they do not always go into the
woods and see the sunrise； and some are so well…mailed that even
that experience would leave them unaffected and unsoftened。 The
'hair and eyes of several complexions' was a trait taken from
myself； and I do not bind myself to the opinions of Sir John。 In
this case； perhaps … but no； if the peculiarity is shared by two
such pleasant persons as you and I （as you and me … the grammatical
nut is hard）； it must be a very good thing indeed； and Sir John
must be an ass。
The BOOK READER notice was a strange jumble of fact and fancy。 I
wish you could have seen my father's old assistant and present
partner when he heard my father described as an 'inspector of
lighthouses；' for we are all very proud of the family achievements；
and the name of my house here in Bournemouth is stolen from one of
the sea…towers of the Hebrides which are our pyramids and
monuments。 I was never at Cambridge； again； but neglected a
considerable succession of classes at Edinburgh。 But to correct
that friendly blunderer were to write an autobiography。 … And so
now； with many thanks； believe me yours sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO R。 A。 M。 STEVENSON
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JULY 1886。
SIR； … Your foolish letter was unduly received。 There may be
hidden fifths； and if there are； it shows how dam spontaneous the
thing was。 I could tinker and tic…tac…toe on a piece of paper； but
scorned the act with a Threnody； which was poured forth like blood
and water on the groaning organ。 If your heart （which was what I
addressed） remained unmoved； let us refer to the affair no more：
crystallised emotion； the statement and the reconciliation of the
sorrows of the race and the individual； is obviously no more to you
than supping sawdust。 Well； well。 If ever I write another
Threnody！ My next op。 will probably be a Passepied and fugue in G
（or D）。
The mind is in my case shrunk to the size and sp。 gr。 of an aged
Spanish filbert。 O； I am so jolly silly。 I now pickle with some
freedom （1） the refrain of MARTINI'S MOUTONS； （2） SUL MARGINE D'UN
RIO； arranged for the infant school by the Aged Statesman； （3） the
first phrase of Bach's musette （Sweet Englishwoman； No。 3）； the
rest of the musette being one prolonged cropper； which I take daily
for the benefit of my health。 All my other works （of which there
are many） are either arranged （by R。 L。 Stevenson） for the manly
and melodious forefinger； or else prolonged and melancholy
croppers。 。 。 。 I find one can get a notion of music very nicely。
I have been pickling deeply in the Magic Flute； and have arranged
LA DOVE PRENDE； almost to the end； for two melodious forefingers。
I am next going to score the really nobler COLOMBA O TORTORELLA for
the same instruments。
This day is published
The works of Ludwig van Beethoven
arranged
and wiederdurchgearbeiteted
for two melodious forefinge