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confess I did not TASTE。 Since then I have made the acquaintance
of the ABBE COIGNARD； and have become a faithful adorer。 I don't
think a better book was ever written。
And I have no idea what I have said； and I have no idea what I
ought to have said； and I am a total ass； but my heart is in the
right place； and I am； my dear Henry James； yours；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MR。 MARCEL SCHWOB
VAILIMA； UPOLU； SAMOA； JULY 7； 1894。
DEAR MR。 MARCEL SCHWOB； … Thank you for having remembered me in my
exile。 I have read MIMES twice as a whole； and now； as I write； I
am reading it again as it were by accident； and a piece at a time；
my eye catching a word and travelling obediently on through the
whole number。 It is a graceful book； essentially graceful； with
its haunting agreeable melancholy； its pleasing savour of
antiquity。 At the same time； by its merits； it shows itself rather
as the promise of something else to come than a thing final in
itself。 You have yet to give us … and I am expecting it with
impatience … something of a larger gait； something daylit； not
twilit； something with the colours of life； not the flat tints of a
temple illumination； something that shall be SAID with all the
clearnesses and the trivialities of speech； not SUNG like a semi…
articulate lullaby。 It will not please yourself as well； when you
come to give it us； but it will please others better。 It will be
more of a whole； more worldly； more nourished； more commonplace …
and not so pretty； perhaps not even so beautiful。 No man knows
better than I that； as we go on in life； we must part from
prettiness and the graces。 We but attain qualities to lose them；
life is a series of farewells； even in art； even our proficiencies
are deciduous and evanescent。 So here with these exquisite pieces
the XVIIth； XVIIIth； and IVth of the present collection。 You will
perhaps never excel them； I should think the 'Hermes；' never。
Well； you will do something else； and of that I am in expectation。
… Yours cordially；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO A。 ST。 GAUDENS
VAILIMA； SAMOA； JULY 8； 1894。
MY DEAR ST。 GAUDENS； … This is to tell you that the medallion has
been at last triumphantly transported up the hill and placed over
my smoking…room mantelpiece。 It is considered by everybody a
first…rate but flattering portrait。 We have it in a very good
light； which brings out the artistic merits of the god…like
sculptor to great advantage。 As for my own opinion； I believe it
to be a speaking likeness； and not flattered at all； possibly a
little the reverse。 The verses （curse the rhyme） look remarkably
well。
Please do not longer delay； but send me an account for the expense
of the gilt letters。 I was sorry indeed that they proved beyond
the means of a small farmer。 … Yours very sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MISS ADELAIDE BOODLE
VAILIMA； JULY 14； 1894。
MY DEAR ADELAIDE； … 。 。 。 So； at last； you are going into mission
work？ where I think your heart always was。 You will like it in a
way； but remember it is dreary long。 Do you know the story of the
American tramp who was offered meals and a day's wage to chop with
the back of an axe on a fallen trunk。 'Damned if I can go on
chopping when I can't see the chips fly！' You will never see the
chips fly in mission work； never； and be sure you know it
beforehand。 The work is one long dull disappointment； varied by
acute revulsions； and those who are by nature courageous and
cheerful and have grown old in experience； learn to rub their hands
over infinitesimal successes。 However； as I really believe there
is some good done in the long run … GUTTA CAVAT LAPIDEM NON VI in
this business … it is a useful and honourable career in which no
one should be ashamed to embark。 Always remember the fable of the
sun； the storm； and the traveller's cloak。 Forget wholly and for
ever all small pruderies； and remember that YOU CANNOT CHANGE
ANCESTRAL FEELINGS OF RIGHT AND WRONG WITHOUT WHAT IS PRACTICALLY
SOUL…MURDER。 Barbarous as the customs may seem； always hear them
with patience； always judge them with gentleness； always find in
them some seed of good； see that you always develop them； remember
that all you can do is to civilise the man in the line of his own
civilisation； such as it is。 And never expect； never believe in；
thaumaturgic conversions。 They may do very well for St。 Paul； in
the case of an Andaman islander they mean less than nothing。 In
fact； what you have to do is to teach the parents in the interests
of their great…grandchildren。
Now； my dear Adelaide； dismiss from your mind the least idea of
fault upon your side； nothing is further from the fact。 I cannot
forgive you； for I do not know your fault。 My own is plain enough；
and the name of it is cold…hearted neglect； and you may busy
yourself more usefully in trying to forgive me。 But ugly as my
fault is； you must not suppose it to mean more than it does； it
does not mean that we have at all forgotten you； that we have
become at all indifferent to the thought of you。 See； in my life
of Jenkin； a remark of his； very well expressed； on the friendships
of men who do not write to each other。 I can honestly say that I
have not changed to you in any way； though I have behaved thus ill；
thus cruelly。 Evil is done by want of … well； principally by want
of industry。 You can imagine what I would say （in a novel） of any
one who had behaved as I have done； DETERIORA SEQUOR。 And you must
somehow manage to forgive your old friend； and if you will be so
very good； continue to give us news of you； and let us share the
knowledge of your adventures； sure that it will be always followed
with interest … even if it is answered with the silence of
ingratitude。 For I am not a fool； I know my faults； I know they
are ineluctable； I know they are growing on me。 I know I may
offend again； and I warn you of it。 But the next time I offend；
tell me so plainly and frankly like a lady； and don't lacerate my
heart and bludgeon my vanity with imaginary faults of your own and
purely gratuitous penitence。 I might suspect you of irony！
We are all fairly well； though I have been off work and off … as
you know very well … letter…writing。 Yet I have sometimes more
than twenty letters； and sometimes more than thirty； going out each
mail。 And Fanny has had a most distressing bronchitis for some
time； which she is only now beginning to get over。 I have just
been to see her； she is lying … though she had breakfast an hour
ago； about seven … in her big cool； mosquito…proof room；
ingloriously asleep。 As for me； you see that a doom has come upon
me： I cannot make marks with a pen … witness 'ingloriously' above；
and my amanuensis not appearing so early in the day；