the letters-2-第48节
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SAGAS； I wish there were nine thousand； talk about realism！
All seems to flourish with you； I also prosper； none the less for
being quit of that abhorred task； Samoa。 I could give a supper
party here were there any one to sup。 Never was such a
disagreeable task； but the thing had to be told。 。 。 。
There； I trust I am done with this cursed chapter of my career； bar
the rotten eggs and broken bottles that may follow； of course。
Pray remember； speed is now all that can be asked； hoped； or
wished。 I give up all hope of proofs； revises； proof of the map；
or sic like； and you on your side will try to get it out as
reasonably seemly as may be。
Whole Samoa book herewith。 Glory be to God。 … Yours very
sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
VAILIMA PLANTATION； UPOLU； SAMOAN ISLANDS； 18TH JULY 1892。
MY DEAR CHARLES；… 。 。 。 I have been now for some time contending
with powers and principalities； and I have never once seen one of
my own letters to the TIMES。 So when you see something in the
papers that you think might interest the exiles of Upolu； do not
think twice； out with your saxpence； and send it flying to Vailima。
Of what you say of the past； eh； man； it was a queer time； and
awful miserable； but there's no sense in denying it was awful fun。
Do you mind the youth in Highland garb and the tableful of coppers？
Do you mind the SIGNAL of Waterloo Place？ … Hey； how the blood
stands to the heart at such a memory！ … Hae ye the notes o't？
Gie's them。 … Gude's sake； man； gie's the notes o't； I mind ye made
a tune o't an' played it on your pinanny； gie's the notes。 Dear
Lord； that past。
Glad to hear Henley's prospects are fair： his new volume is the
work of a real poet。 He is one of those who can make a noise of
his own with words； and in whom experience strikes an individual
note。 There is perhaps no more genuine poet living； bar the Big
Guns。 In case I cannot overtake an acknowledgment to himself by
this mail； please let him hear of my pleasure and admiration。 How
poorly … compares！ He is all smart journalism and cleverness： it
is all bright and shallow and limpid； like a business paper … a
good one； S'ENTEND； but there is no blot of heart's blood and the
Old Night： there are no harmonics； there is scarce harmony to his
music； and in Henley … all of these； a touch； a sense within sense；
a sound outside the sound； the shadow of the inscrutable； eloquent
beyond all definition。 The First London Voluntary knocked me
wholly。 … Ever yours affectionately； my dear Charles；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Kind memories to your father and all friends。
Letter： TO W。 E。 HENLEY
VAILIMA PLANTATION； UPOLU； SAMOA； AUGUST 1ST； 1892。
MY DEAR HENLEY； … It is impossible to let your new volume pass in
silence。 I have not received the same thrill of poetry since G。
M。's JOY OF EARTH volume and LOVE IN A VALLEY； and I do not know
that even that was so intimate and deep。 Again and again； I take
the book down； and read； and my blood is fired as it used to be in
youth。 ANDANTE CON MOTO in the VOLUNTARIES； and the thing about
the trees at night （No。 XXIV。 I think） are up to date my
favourites。 I did not guess you were so great a magician； these
are new tunes； this is an undertone of the true Apollo； these are
not verse； they are poetry … inventions； creations； in language。 I
thank you for the joy you have given me； and remain your old friend
and present huge admirer；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
The hand is really the hand of Esau； but under a course of
threatened scrivener's cramp。
For the next edition of the Book of Verses； pray accept an
emendation。 Last three lines of Echoes No。 XLIV。 read …
'But life in act？ How should the grave
Be victor over these；
Mother； a mother of men？'
The two vocatives scatter the effect of this inimitable close。 If
you insist on the longer line； equip 'grave' with an epithet。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
VAILIMA； UPOLU； AUGUST 1st； '92。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … Herewith MY GRANDFATHER。 I have had rather a
bad time suppressing the old gentleman； who was really in a very
garrulous stage； as for getting him IN ORDER； I could do but little
towards that； however； there are one or two points of interest
which may justify us in printing。 The swinging of his stick and
not knowing the sailor of Coruiskin； in particular； and the account
of how he wrote the lives in the Bell Book particularly please me。
I hope my own little introduction is not egoistic； or rather I do
not care if it is。 It was that old gentleman's blood that brought
me to Samoa。
By the by； vols。 vii。； viii。； and ix。 of Adams's HISTORY have never
come to hand； no more have the dictionaries。
Please send me STONEHENGE ON HORSE； STORIES AND INTERLUDES by Barry
Pain； and EDINBURGH SKETCHES AND MEMOIRS by David Masson。 THE
WRECKER has turned up。 So far as I have seen； it is very
satisfactory； but on pp。 548； 549； there has been a devil of a
miscarriage。 The two Latin quotations instead of following each
other being separated （doubtless for printing considerations） by a
line of prose。 My compliments to the printers； there is doubtless
such a thing as good printing； but there is such a thing as good
sense。
The sequel to KIDNAPPED； DAVID BALFOUR by name； is about three…
quarters done and gone to press for serial publication。 By what I
can find out it ought to be through hand with that and ready for
volume form early next spring。 … Yours very sincerely；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO ANDREW LANG
＇VAILIMA； AUGUST 1892。＇
MY DEAR LANG； … I knew you would prove a trusty purveyor。 The
books you have sent are admirable。 I got the name of my hero out
of Brown … Blair of Balmyle … Francie Blair。 But whether to call
the story BLAIR OF BALMYLE； or whether to call it THE YOUNG
CHEVALIER； I have not yet decided。 The admirable Cameronian tract
… perhaps you will think this a cheat … is to be boned into DAVID
BALFOUR； where it will fit better； and really furnishes me with a
desired foothold over a boggy place。
LATER； no； it won't go in； and I fear I must give up 'the
idolatrous occupant upon the throne；' a phrase that overjoyed me
beyond expression。 I am in a deuce of a flutter with politics；
which I hate； and in which I certainly do not shine； but a fellow
cannot stand aside and look on at such an exhibition as our
government。 'Taint decent； no gent can hold a candle to it。 But
it's a grind to be interrupted by midnight messengers and pass your
days writing proclamations （which are never proclaimed） and
petitions （which ain't petited） and letters to the TIMES； which it
makes my jaws yawn to re…read； and all your time have your heart
with David Balfour： he has just left Glasgow this morning for
Edinburgh； James More has escaped from the castle； it is far more
real to me than the Behring Sea or the Baring brothers either … he
got the news of James More's escape from the Lord Advocate； and
started off straight to comfort Catriona。 You don't know her；
she's James More's daughter； and a respectable young wumman； the
Miss Grants think so … the Lord Advocate's daughters … so there
can't be anything really wrong。 Pretty soon we all go to Holland；
and be hanged； thence to Dunkirk； and be damned； and the tale
concludes in Paris； and be Poll…parrotted。 This is the last
authentic news。 You are not a real hard…working novelist； not a
practical novelist； so you don't know the temptation to let your
characters maunder。 Dumas did it； and lived。 But it is not war；
it ain't sportsmanlike； and I have to be stopping their chatter all
the time。 Brown's appendix is great reading。
My only grief is that I can't
Use the idolatrous occupant。
Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
Blessing and praising you for a useful （though idolatrous） occupant
of Kensington。
Letter： TO THE COUNTESS OF JERSEY
AUGUST 14； 1745。
TO MISS AMELIA BALFOUR … MY DEAR COUSIN； … We are going an
expedition to leeward on Tuesday morning。 If a lady were perhaps
to be encountered on horseback … say； towards the Gasi…gasi river …
about six A。M。； I think we should have an episode somewhat after
the style of the '45。 What a misfortune； my dear cousin； that you
should have arrived while your cousin Graham was occupying my only
guest…chamber … for Osterley Park is not so large in Samoa as it
was at home … but happily our friend Haggard has found a corner for
you！
The King over the Water … the Gasi…gasi water … will be pleased to
see the clan of Balfour mustering so thick around his standard。
I have （one serious word） been so luck
