the letters-2-第43节
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Bailey session papers。 I have 1778； 1784； and 1786。 Should you be
able to lay hands on any other volumes； above all a little later； I
should be very glad you should buy them for me。 I particularly
want ONE or TWO during the course of the Peninsular War。 Come to
think； I ought rather to have communicated this want to Bain。
Would it bore you to communicate to that effect with the great man？
The sooner I have them； the better for me。 'Tis for Henry Shovel。
But Henry Shovel has now turned into a work called 'The Shovels of
Newton French： Including Memoirs of Henry Shovel； a Private in the
Peninsular War；' which work is to begin in 1664 with the marriage
of Skipper； afterwards Alderman Shovel of Bristol； Henry's great…
great…grandfather； and end about 1832 with his own second marriage
to the daughter of his runaway aunt。 Will the public ever stand
such an opus？ Gude kens； but it tickles me。 Two or three
historical personages will just appear： Judge Jeffreys；
Wellington； Colquhoun； Grant； and I think Townsend the runner。 I
know the public won't like it； let 'em lump it then； I mean to make
it good； it will be more like a saga。 … Adieu； yours ever
affectionately；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
VAILIMA ＇SUMMER 1891＇。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … I find among my grandfather's papers his own
reminiscences of his voyage round the north with Sir Walter； eighty
years ago； LABUNTUR ANNI！ They are not remarkably good； but he was
not a bad observer； and several touches seem to me speaking。 It
has occurred to me you might like them to appear in the MAGAZINE。
If you would； kindly let me know； and tell me how you would like it
handled。 My grandad's MS。 runs to between six and seven thousand
words； which I could abbreviate of anecdotes that scarce touch Sir
W。 Would you like this done？ Would you like me to introduce the
old gentleman？ I had something of the sort in my mind； and could
fill a few columns rather A PROPOS。 I give you the first offer of
this； according to your request； for though it may forestall one of
the interests of my biography； the thing seems to me particularly
suited for prior appearance in a magazine。
I see the first number of the WRECKER； I thought it went lively
enough； and by a singular accident； the picture is not unlike Tai…
o…hae！
Thus we see the age of miracles； etc。 … Yours very sincerely；
R。 L。 S。
Proofs for next mail。
Letter： TO W。 CRAIBE ANGUS
＇SUMMER 1891。＇
DEAR MR。 ANGUS； … You can use my letter as you will。 The parcel
has not come； pray Heaven the next post bring it safe。 Is it
possible for me to write a preface here？ I will try if you like；
if you think I must： though surely there are Rivers in Assyria。
Of course you will send me sheets of the catalogue； I suppose it
（the preface） need not be long； perhaps it should be rather very
short？ Be sure you give me your views upon these points。 Also
tell me what names to mention among those of your helpers； and do
remember to register everything； else it is not safe。
The true place （in my view） for a monument to Fergusson were the
churchyard of Haddington。 But as that would perhaps not carry many
votes； I should say one of the two following sites：… First； either
as near the site of the old Bedlam as we could get； or； second；
beside the Cross； the heart of his city。 Upon this I would have a
fluttering butterfly； and； I suggest； the citation；
Poor butterfly； thy case I mourn。
For the case of Fergusson is not one to pretend about。 A more
miserable tragedy the sun never shone upon； or （in consideration of
our climate） I should rather say refused to brighten。 … Yours
truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Where Burns goes will not matter。 He is no local poet； like your
Robin the First； he is general as the casing air。 Glasgow； as the
chief city of Scottish men； would do well； but for God's sake；
don't let it be like the Glasgow memorial to Knox： I remember；
when I first saw this； laughing for an hour by Shrewsbury clock。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO H。 C。 IDE
＇VAILIMA； JUNE 19； 1891。＇
DEAR MR。 IDE； … Herewith please find the DOCUMENT； which I trust
will prove sufficient in law。 It seems to me very attractive in
its eclecticism； Scots； English； and Roman law phrases are all
indifferently introduced； and a quotation from the works of Haynes
Bayly can hardly fail to attract the indulgence of the Bench。 …
Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
I； Robert Louis Stevenson； Advocate of the Scots Bar； author of THE
MASTER OF BALLANTRAE and MORAL EMBLEMS； stuck civil engineer； sole
owner and patentee of the Palace and Plantation known as Vailima in
the island of Upolu； Samoa； a British Subject； being in sound mind；
and pretty well； I thank you； in body：
In consideration that Miss Annie H。 Ide； daughter of H。 C。 Ide； in
the town of Saint Johnsbury； in the county of Caledonia； in the
state of Vermont； United States of America； was born； out of all
reason； upon Christmas Day； and is therefore out of all justice
denied the consolation and profit of a proper birthday；
And considering that I； the said Robert Louis Stevenson； have
attained an age when O； we never mention it； and that I have now no
further use for a birthday of any description；
And in consideration that I have met H。 C。 Ide； the father of the
said Annie H。 Ide； and found him about as white a land commissioner
as I require：
HAVE TRANSFERRED； and DO HEREBY TRANSFER； to the said Annie H。 Ide；
ALL AND WHOLE my rights and priviledges in the thirteenth day of
November； formerly my birthday； now； hereby； and henceforth； the
birthday of the said Annie H。 Ide； to have； hold； exercise； and
enjoy the same in the customary manner； by the sporting of fine
raiment； eating of rich meats； and receipt of gifts； compliments；
and copies of verse； according to the manner of our ancestors；
AND I DIRECT the said Annie H。 Ide to add to the said name of Annie
H。 Ide the name Louisa … at least in private； and I charge her to
use my said birthday with moderation and humanity； ET TAMQUAM BONA
FILIA FAMILIAE； the said birthday not being so young as it once
was； and having carried me in a very satisfactory manner since I
can remember；
And in case the said Annie H。 Ide shall neglect or contravene
either of the above conditions； I hereby revoke the donation and
transfer my rights in the said birthday to the President of the
United States of America for the time being：
In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this
nineteenth day of June in the year of grace eighteen hundred and
ninety…one。
＇SEAL。＇
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
WITNESS； LLOYD OSBOURNE；
WITNESS； HAROLD WATTS。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
＇VAILIMA； OCTOBER 1891。＇
MY DEAR HENRY JAMES； … From this perturbed and hunted being expect
but a line； and that line shall be but a whoop for Adela。 O she's
delicious； delicious； I could live and die with Adela … die； rather
the better of the two； you never did a straighter thing； and never
will。
DAVID BALFOUR； second part of KIDNAPPED； is on the stocks at last；
and is not bad； I think。 As for THE WRECKER； it's a machine； you
know … don't expect aught else … a machine； and a police machine；
but I believe the end is one of the most genuine butcheries in
literature； and we point to our machine with a modest pride； as the
only police machine without a villain。 Our criminals are a most
pleasing crew； and leave the dock with scarce a stain upon their
character。
What a different line of country to be trying to draw Adela； and
trying to write the last four chapters of THE WRECKER！ Heavens；
it's like two centuries； and ours is such rude； transpontine
business； aiming only at a certain fervour of conviction and sense
of energy and violence in the men； and yours is so neat and bright
and of so exquisite a surface！ Seems dreadful to send such a book
to such an author； but your name is on the list。 And we do
modestly ask you to consider the chapters on the NORAH CREINA with
the study of Captain Nares； and the forementioned last four； with
their brutality of substance and the curious （and perhaps unsound）
technical manoeuvre of running the story together to a point as we
go along； the narrative becoming more succinct and the details
fining off with every page。 … Sworn affidavit of
R。 L。 S。
NO PERSON NOW ALIVE HAS BEATEN ADELA： I ADORE ADELA AND HER MAKER。
SIC SUBSCRIB。
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
A Sublime Poem to follow。
Adela； Adela； Adela Chart；
What have you done to my elderly heart？
Of all the ladies of paper and ink
I count you the para
