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revisited the glimpses of the moon on your side of the ocean； I
should know comparatively few of them。
My amanuensis deserts me … I should have said you； for yours is the
loss； my script having lost all bond with humanity。 One touch of
nature makes the whole world kin： that nobody can read my hand。
It is a humiliating circumstance that thus evens us with printers！
You must sometimes think it strange … or perhaps it is only I that
should so think it … to be following the old round； in the gas
lamps and the crowded theatres； when I am away here in the tropical
forest and the vast silences！
My dear Archer； my wife joins me in the best wishes to yourself and
Mrs。 Archer； not forgetting Tom； and I am yours very cordially；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO W。 B。 YEATS
VAILIMA； SAMOA； APRIL 14； 1894。
DEAR SIR； … Long since when I was a boy I remember the emotions
with which I repeated Swinburne's poems and ballads。 Some ten
years ago； a similar spell was cast upon me by Meredith's LOVE IN
THE VALLEY； the stanzas beginning 'When her mother tends her'
haunted me and made me drunk like wine； and I remember waking with
them all the echoes of the hills about Hyeres。 It may interest you
to hear that I have a third time fallen in slavery： this is to
your poem called the LAKE ISLE OF INNISFRAE。 It is so quaint and
airy； simple； artful； and eloquent to the heart … but I seek words
in vain。 Enough that 'always night and day I hear lake water
lapping with low sounds on the shore；' and am； yours gratefully；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO GEORGE MEREDITH
VAILIMA； SAMOA； APRIL 17TH； 1894。
MY DEAR MEREDITH； … Many good things have the gods sent to me of
late。 First of all there was a letter from you by the kind hand of
Mariette； if she is not too great a lady to be remembered in such a
style； and then there came one Lysaght with a charming note of
introduction in the well…known hand itself。 We had but a few days
of him； and liked him well。 There was a sort of geniality and
inward fire about him at which I warmed my hands。 It is long since
I have seen a young man who has left in me such a favourable
impression； and I find myself telling myself； 'O； I must tell this
to Lysaght；' or； 'This will interest him；' in a manner very unusual
after so brief an acquaintance。 The whole of my family shared in
this favourable impression； and my halls have re…echoed ever since；
I am sure he will be amused to know； with WIDDICOMBE FAIR。
He will have told you doubtless more of my news than I could tell
you myself； he has your European perspective； a thing long lost to
me。 I heard with a great deal of interest the news of Box Hill。
And so I understand it is to be enclosed！ Allow me to remark； that
seems a far more barbaric trait of manners than the most barbarous
of ours。 We content ourselves with cutting off an occasional head。
I hear we may soon expect the AMAZING MARRIAGE。 You know how long；
and with how much curiosity； I have looked forward to the book。
Now； in so far as you have adhered to your intention； Gower
Woodsere will be a family portrait； age twenty…five； of the highly
respectable and slightly influential and fairly aged TUSITALA。 You
have not known that gentleman； console yourself； he is not worth
knowing。 At the same time； my dear Meredith； he is very sincerely
yours … for what he is worth； for the memories of old times； and in
the expectation of many pleasures still to come。 I suppose we
shall never see each other again； flitting youths of the Lysaght
species may occasionally cover these unconscionable leagues and
bear greetings to and fro。 But we ourselves must be content to
converse on an occasional sheet of notepaper； and I shall never see
whether you have grown older； and you shall never deplore that
Gower Woodsere should have declined into the pantaloon TUSITALA。
It is perhaps better so。 Let us continue to see each other as we
were； and accept； my dear Meredith； my love and respect。
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
P。S。 … My wife joins me in the kindest messages to yourself and
Mariette。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
＇VAILIMA＇； APRIL 17； '94。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … ST。 IVES is now well on its way into the second
volume。 There remains no mortal doubt that it will reach the three
volume standard。
I am very anxious that you should send me …
1ST。 TOM AND JERRY； a cheap edition。
2nd。 The book by Ashton … the DAWN OF THE CENTURY； I think it was
called … which Colvin sent me； and which has miscarried； and
3rd。 If it is possible； a file of the EDINBURGH COURANT for the
years 1811； 1812； 1813； or 1814。 I should not care for a whole
year。 If it were possible to find me three months； winter months
by preference； it would do my business not only for ST。 IVES； but
for the JUSTICE…CLERK as well。 Suppose this to be impossible；
perhaps I could get the loan of it from somebody； or perhaps it
would be possible to have some one read a file for me and make
notes。 This would be extremely bad； as unhappily one man's food is
another man's poison； and the reader would probably leave out
everything I should choose。 But if you are reduced to that； you
might mention to the man who is to read for me that balloon
ascensions are in the order of the day。
4th。 It might be as well to get a book on balloon ascension；
particularly in the early part of the century。
。 。 。 。 。
III。 At last this book has come from Scribner； and； alas！ I have
the first six or seven chapters of ST。 IVES to recast entirely。
Who could foresee that they clothed the French prisoners in yellow？
But that one fatal fact … and also that they shaved them twice a
week … damns the whole beginning。 If it had been sent in time； it
would have saved me a deal of trouble。 。 。 。
I have had a long letter from Dr。 Scott Dalgleish； 25 Mayfield
Terrace； asking me to put my name down to the Ballantyne Memorial
Committee。 I have sent him a pretty sharp answer in favour of
cutting down the memorial and giving more to the widow and
children。 If there is to be any foolery in the way of statues or
other trash； please send them a guinea； but if they are going to
take my advice and put up a simple tablet with a few heartfelt
words； and really devote the bulk of the subscriptions to the wife
and family； I will go to the length of twenty pounds； if you will
allow me （and if the case of the family be at all urgent）； and at
least I direct you to send ten pounds。 I suppose you had better
see Scott Dalgleish himself on the matter。 I take the opportunity
here to warn you that my head is simply spinning with a multitude
of affairs； and I shall probably forget a half of my business at
last。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MRS。 SITWELL
VAILIMA； APRIL 1894。
MY DEAR FRIEND； … I have at last got some photographs； and hasten
to send you； as you asked； a portrait of Tusitala。 He is a strange
person； not so lean； say experts； but infinitely battered； mighty
active again on the whole； going up and down our break…neck road at
all hours of the day and night on horseback； holding meetings with
all manner of chiefs； quite a political personage … God save the
mark！ … in a small way； but at heart very conscious of the
inevitable flat failure that awaits every one。 I shall never do a
better book than CATRIONA； that is my high…water mark； and the
trouble of production increases on me at a great rate … and mighty
anxious about how I am to leave my family： an elderly man； with
elderly preoccupations； whom I should be ashamed to show you for
your old friend； but not a hope of my dying soon and cleanly； and
'winning off the stage。' Rather I am daily better in physical
health。 I