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in Glasgow Alan the Coppersmith； who ｜｜
acts as a kind of a pin to the whole ｜｜
Stevenson system there。 He was caution IV。 ALAN； West India
to Robert the Second's will； and to merchant； married
William's will； and to the will of a Jean Lillie。
John； another maltman。 ｜｜
｜｜
V。 ROBERT； married
Jean Smith。
｜
VI。 ALAN。 … Margaret
Jones
｜
VII。 R。 A。 M。 S。
Enough genealogy。 I do not know if you will be able to read my
hand。 Unhappily； Belle； who is my amanuensis； is out of the way on
other affairs； and I have to make the unwelcome effort。 （O this is
beautiful； I am quite pleased with myself。） Graham has just
arrived last night （my mother is coming by the other steamer in
three days）； and has told me of your meeting； and he said you
looked a little older than I did； so that I suppose we keep step
fairly on the downward side of the hill。 He thought you looked
harassed； and I could imagine that too。 I sometimes feel harassed。
I have a great family here about me； a great anxiety。 The loss （to
use my grandfather's expression）； the 'loss' of our family is that
we are disbelievers in the morrow … perhaps I should say； rather；
in next year。 The future is ALWAYS black to us； it was to Robert
Stevenson； to Thomas； I suspect to Alan； to R。 A。 M。 S。 it was so
almost to his ruin in youth； to R。 L。 S。； who had a hard hopeful
strain in him from his mother； it was not so much so once； but
becomes daily more so。 Daily so much more so； that I have a
painful difficulty in believing I can ever finish another book； or
that the public will ever read it。
I have so huge a desire to know exactly what you are doing； that I
suppose I should tell you what I am doing by way of an example。 I
have a room now； a part of the twelve…foot verandah sparred in； at
the most inaccessible end of the house。 Daily I see the sunrise
out of my bed； which I still value as a tonic； a perpetual tuning
fork； a look of God's face once in the day。 At six my breakfast
comes up to me here； and I work till eleven。 If I am quite well； I
sometimes go out and bathe in the river before lunch； twelve。 In
the afternoon I generally work again； now alone drafting； now with
Belle dictating。 Dinner is at six； and I am often in bed by eight。
This is supposing me to stay at home。 But I must often be away；
sometimes all day long； sometimes till twelve； one； or two at
night； when you might see me coming home to the sleeping house；
sometimes in a trackless darkness； sometimes with a glorious tropic
moon； everything drenched with dew … unsaddling and creeping to
bed； and you would no longer be surprised that I live out in this
country； and not in Bournemouth … in bed。
My great recent interruptions have （as you know） come from
politics； not much in my line； you will say。 But it is impossible
to live here and not feel very sorely the consequences of the
horrid white mismanagement。 I tried standing by and looking on；
and it became too much for me。 They are such illogical fools； a
logical fool in an office； with a lot of red tape； is conceivable。
Furthermore； he is as much as we have any reason to expect of
officials … a thoroughly common…place； unintellectual lot。 But
these people are wholly on wires； laying their ears down； skimming
away； pausing as though shot； and presto！ full spread on the other
tack。 I observe in the official class mostly an insane jealousy of
the smallest kind； as compared to which the artist's is of a grave；
modest character … the actor's； even； a desire to extend his little
authority； and to relish it like a glass of wine； that is
IMPAYABLE。 Sometimes； when I see one of these little kings
strutting over one of his victories … wholly illegal； perhaps； and
certain to be reversed to his shame if his superiors ever heard of
it … I could weep。 The strange thing is that they HAVE NOTHING
ELSE。 I auscultate them in vain； no real sense of duty； no real
comprehension； no real attempt to comprehend； no wish for
information … you cannot offend one of them more bitterly than by
offering information； though it is certain that you have MORE； and
obvious that you have OTHER； information than they have； and
talking of policy； they could not play a better stroke than by
listening to you； and it need by no means influence their action。
TENEZ； you know what a French post office or railway official is？
That is the diplomatic card to the life。 Dickens is not in it；
caricature fails。
All this keeps me from my work； and gives me the unpleasant side of
the world。 When your letters are disbelieved it makes you angry；
and that is rot； and I wish I could keep out of it with all my
soul。 But I have just got into it again； and farewell peace！
My work goes along but slowly。 I have got to a crossing place； I
suppose； the present book； SAINT IVES； is nothing； it is in no
style in particular； a tissue of adventures； the central character
not very well done； no philosophic pith under the yarn； and； in
short； if people will read it； that's all I ask； and if they won't；
damn them！ I like doing it though； and if you ask me why！ … after
that I am on WEIR OF HERMISTON and HEATHERCAT； two Scotch stories；
which will either be something different； or I shall have failed。
The first is generally designed； and is a private story of two or
three characters in a very grim vein。 The second … alas！ the
thought … is an attempt at a real historical novel； to present a
whole field of time； the race … our own race … the west land and
Clydesdale blue bonnets； under the influence of their last trial；
when they got to a pitch of organisation in madness that no other
peasantry has ever made an offer at。 I was going to call it THE
KILLING TIME； but this man Crockett has forestalled me in that。
Well； it'll be a big smash if I fail in it； but a gallant attempt。
All my weary reading as a boy； which you remember well enough； will
come to bear on it； and if my mind will keep up to the point it was
in a while back； perhaps I can pull it through。
For two months past； Fanny； Belle； Austin （her child）； and I have
been alone； but yesterday； as I mentioned； Graham Balfour arrived；
and on Wednesday my mother and Lloyd will make up the party to its
full strength。 I wish you could drop in for a month or a week； or
two hours。 That is my chief want。 On the whole； it is an
unexpectedly pleasant corner I have dropped into for an end of it；
which I could scarcely have foreseen from Wilson's s