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DAVID BALFOUR a nice little book； and very artistic； and just the
thing to occupy the leisure of a busy man； but for the top flower
of a man's life it seems to me inadequate。 Small is the word； it
is a small age； and I am of it。 I could have wished to be
otherwise busy in this world。 I ought to have been able to build
lighthouses and write DAVID BALFOURS too。 HINC ILLAE LACRYMAE。 I
take my own case as most handy； but it is as illustrative of my
quarrel with the age。 We take all these pains； and we don't do as
well as Michael Angelo or Leonardo； or even Fielding； who was an
active magistrate； or Richardson； who was a busy bookseller。 J'AI
HONTE POUR NOUS； my ears burn。
I am amazed at the effect which this Chicago exhibition has
produced upon you and others。 It set Mrs。 Fairchild literally mad
… to judge by her letters。 And I wish I had seen anything so
influential。 I suppose there was an aura； a halo； some sort of
effulgency about the place； for here I find you louder than the
rest。 Well； it may be there is a time coming； and I wonder； when
it comes； whether it will be a time of little； exclusive； one…eyed
rascals like you and me； or parties of the old stamp who can paint
and fight； and write and keep books of double entry； and sculp； and
scalp。 It might be。 You have a lot of stuff in the kettle； and a
great deal of it Celtic。 I have changed my mind progressively
about England； practically the whole of Scotland is Celtic； and the
western half of England； and all Ireland； and the Celtic blood
makes a rare blend for art。 If it is stiffened up with Latin
blood； you get the French。 We were less lucky： we had only
Scandinavians； themselves decidedly artistic； and the Low…German
lot。 However； that is a good starting…point； and with all the
other elements in your crucible； it may come to something great
very easily。 I wish you would hurry up and let me see it。 Here is
a long while I have been waiting for something GOOD in art； and
what have I seen？ Zola's DEBACLE and a few of Kipling's tales。
Are you a reader of Barbey d'Aurevilly？ He is a never…failing
source of pleasure to me； for my sins； I suppose。 What a work is
the RIDEAU CRAMOISI！ and L'ENSORCELEE！ and LE CHEVALIER DES
TOUCHES！
This is degenerating into mere twaddle。 So please remember us all
most kindly to Mrs。 Low； and believe me ever yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
P。S。 … Were all your privateers voiceless in the war of 1812？ Did
NO ONE of them write memoirs？ I shall have to do my privateer from
chic； if you can't help me。 My application to Scribner has been
quite in vain。 See if you can get hold of some historic sharp in
the club； and tap him； they must some of them have written memoirs
or notes of some sort； perhaps still unprinted； if that be so； get
them copied for me。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO H。 B。 BAILDON
VAILIMA； JANUARY 30TH； 1894。
MY DEAR BAILDON； … 'Call not blessed。' … Yes； if I could die just
now； or say in half a year； I should have had a splendid time of it
on the whole。 But it gets a little stale； and my work will begin
to senesce； and parties to shy bricks at me； and now it begins to
look as if I should survive to see myself impotent and forgotten。
It's a pity suicide is not thought the ticket in the best circles。
But your letter goes on to congratulate me on having done the one
thing I am a little sorry for； a little … not much … for my father
himself lived to think that I had been wiser than he。 But the
cream of the jest is that I have lived to change my mind； and think
that he was wiser than I。 Had I been an engineer； and literature
my amusement； it would have been better perhaps。 I pulled it off；
of course； I won the wager； and it is pleasant while it lasts； but
how long will it last？ I don't know； say the Bells of Old Bow。
All of which goes to show that nobody is quite sane in judging
himself。 Truly； had I given way and gone in for engineering； I
should be dead by now。 Well； the gods know best。
I hope you got my letter about the RESCUE。 … Adieu；
R。 L。 S。
True for you about the benefit： except by kisses； jests； song； ET
HOC GENUS OMNE； man CANNOT convey benefit to another。 The
universal benefactor has been there before him。
Letter： TO J。 H。 BATES
VAILIMA； SAMOA； MARCH 25TH； 1894。
MY DEAR MR。 JOE H。 BATES； … I shall have the greatest pleasure in
acceding to your complimentary request。 I shall think it an honour
to be associated with your chapter； and I need not remind you （for
you have said it yourself） how much depends upon your own exertions
whether to make it to me a real honour or only a derision。 This is
to let you know that I accept the position that you have seriously
offered to me in a quite serious spirit。 I need scarce tell you
that I shall always be pleased to receive reports of your
proceedings； and if I do not always acknowledge them； you are to
remember that I am a man very much occupied otherwise； and not at
all to suppose that I have lost interest in my chapter。
In this world； which （as you justly say） is so full of sorrow and
suffering； it will always please me to remember that my name is
connected with some efforts after alleviation； nor less so with
purposes of innocent recreation which； after all； are the only
certain means at our disposal for bettering human life。
With kind regards； to yourself； to Mr。 L。 C。 Congdon； to E。 M。 G。
Bates； and to Mr。 Edward Hugh Higlee Bates； and the heartiest
wishes for the future success of the chapter； believe me； yours
cordially；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO WILLIAM ARCHER
VAILIMA； SAMOA； MARCH 27TH； 1894。
MY DEAR ARCHER； … Many thanks for your THEATRICAL WORLD。 Do you
know； it strikes me as being really very good？ I have not yet read
much of it； but so far as I have looked； there is not a dull and
not an empty page in it。 Hazlitt； whom you must often have thought
of； would have been pleased。 Come to think of it； I shall put this
book upon the Hazlitt shelf。 You have acquired a manner that I can
only call august； otherwise； I should have to call it such amazing
impudence。 The BAUBLE SHOP and BECKET are examples of what I mean。
But it 'sets you weel。'
Marjorie Fleming I have known； as you surmise； for long。 She was
possibly … no； I take back possibly … she was one of the greatest
works of God。 Your note about the resemblance of her verses to
mine gave me great joy； though it only proved me a plagiarist。 By
the by； was it not over THE CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES that we first
scraped acquaintance？ I am sorry indeed to hear that my esteemed
correspondent Tomarcher has such poor taste in literature。 I fear
he cannot have inherited this trait from his dear papa。 Indeed； I
may say I know it； for I remember the energy of papa's disapproval
when the work passed through his hands on its way to a second
birth； which none regrets more than myself。 It is an odd fact； or
perhaps a very natural one； I find few greater pleasures than
reading my own works； but I never； O I never read THE BLACK ARROW。
In that country Tomarcher reigns supreme。 Well； and after all； if
Tomarcher likes it； it has not been written in vain。
We have just now a curious breath from Europe。 A young fellow just
beginning letters； and no fool； turned up here with a letter of
introduction in the well…known blue ink and decorative hieroglyphs
of George Meredith。 His name may be known to you。 It is Sidney
Lysaght。 He is staying with us but a day or two； and it is strange
to me and not unpleasant to hear all the names； old and new； come
up again。 But oddly the new are so much more in number。 If I
revisited the glimpses of the moon on your side of the ocean； I
should know com