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success； I know not； but I think it's better than my English verse；
more marrow and fatness； and more ruggedness。
How goes KEATS？ Pray remark； if he （Keats） hung back from Shelley；
it was not to be wondered at； WHEN SO MANY OF HIS FRIENDS WERE
SHELLEY'S PENSIONERS。 I forget if you have made this point； it has
been borne in upon me reading Dowden and the SHELLEY PAPERS； and it
will do no harm if you have made it。 I finished a poem to…day； and
writ 3000 words of a story； TANT BIEN QUE MAL； and have a right to
be sleepy； and （what is far nobler and rarer） am so。 … My dear
Colvin； ever yours；
THE REAL MACKAY。
Letter： TO FREDERICK LOCKER…LAMPSON
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； FEBRUARY 5TH； 1887。
MY DEAR LOCKER； … Here I am in my bed as usual； and it is indeed a
long while since I went out to dinner。 You do not know what a
crazy fellow this is。 My winter has not so far been luckily
passed； and all hope of paying visits at Easter has vanished for
twelve calendar months。 But because I am a beastly and indurated
invalid； I am not dead to human feelings； and I neither have
forgotten you nor will forget you。 Some day the wind may round to
the right quarter and we may meet； till then I am still truly
yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； FEBRUARY 1887。＇
MY DEAR JAMES； … My health has played me it in once more in the
absurdest fashion； and the creature who now addresses you is but a
stringy and white…faced BOUILLI out of the pot of fever； with the
devil to pay in every corner of his economy。 I suppose （to judge
by your letter） I need not send you these sheets； which came during
my collapse by the rush。 I am on the start with three volumes；
that one of tales； a second one of essays； and one of … ahem …
verse。 This is a great order； is it not？ After that I shall have
empty lockers。 All new work stands still； I was getting on well
with Jenkin when this blessed malady unhorsed me； and sent me back
to the dung…collecting trade of the republisher。 I shall re…issue
VIRG。 PUER。 as Vol。 I。 of ESSAYS； and the new vol。 as Vol。 II。 of
ditto； to be sold； however； separately。 This is but a dry
maundering； however； I am quite unfit … 'I am for action quite
unfit Either of exercise or wit。' My father is in a variable
state； many sorrows and perplexities environ the house of
Stevenson； my mother shoots north at this hour on business of a
distinctly rancid character； my father （under my wife's tutorage）
proceeds to…morrow to Salisbury； I remain here in my bed and
whistle； in no quarter of heaven is anything encouraging apparent；
except that the good Colvin comes to the hotel here on a visit。
This dreary view of life is somewhat blackened by the fact that my
head aches； which I always regard as a liberty on the part of the
powers that be。 This is also my first letter since my recovery。
God speed your laudatory pen！
My wife joins in all warm messages。 … Yours；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO W。 H。 LOW
（APRIL 1887。）
MY DEAR LOW； … The fares to London may be found in any continental
Bradshaw or sich； from London to Bournemouth impoverished parties
who can stoop to the third class get their ticket for the matter of
10s。； or； as my wife loves to phrase it； 'a half a pound。' You
will also be involved in a 3s。 fare to get to Skerryvore； but this；
I dare say； friends could help you in on your arrival； so that you
may reserve your energies for the two tickets … costing the matter
of a pound … and the usual gratuities to porters。 This does not
seem to me much： considering the intellectual pleasures that await
you here； I call it dirt cheap。 I BELIEVE the third class from
Paris to London （VIA Dover） is ABOUT forty francs； but I cannot
swear。 Suppose it to be fifty。
50x2=100
The expense of spirit or spontaneous lapse of coin on the journey；
at 5 frcs。 a head； 5x2=10
Victuals on ditto； at 5 frcs。 a head； 5x2 = 10
Gratuity to stewardess； in case of severe prostration； at 3 francs
One night in London； on a modest footing； say 20
Two tickets to Bournemouth at 12。50； 12。50x2=25
Porters and general devilment； say 5
Cabs in London； say 2 shillings； and in Bournemouth； 3 shillings=5
shillings； 6 frcs。 25
Total frcs。 179。25
Or； the same in pounds； 7 pounds； 3s。 6 and a half d。
Or； the same in dollars； 35。45；
if there be any arithmetical virtue in me。 I have left out dinner
in London in case you want to blow out； which would come extry； and
with the aid of VANGS FANGS might easily double the whole amount …
above all if you have a few friends to meet you。
In making this valuable project； or budget； I discovered for the
first time a reason （frequently overlooked） for the singular
costliness of travelling with your wife。 Anybody would count the
tickets double； but how few would have remembered … or indeed has
any one ever remembered？ … to count the spontaneous lapse of coin
double also？ Yet there are two of you； each must do his daily
leakage； and it must be done out of your travelling fund。 You will
tell me； perhaps； that you carry the coin yourself： my dear sir；
do you think you can fool your Maker？ Your wife has to lose her
quota； and by God she will … if you kept the coin in a belt。 One
thing I have omitted： you will lose a certain amount on the
exchange； but this even I cannot foresee； as it is one of the few
things that vary with the way a man has。 … I am； dear sir； yours
financially；
SAMUEL BUDGETT。
Letter： TO ALISON CUNNINGHAM
SKERRYVORE； APRIL 16TH； 1887。
MY DEAREST CUMMY； … As usual； I have been a dreary bad fellow and
not written for ages； but you must just try to forgive me； to
believe （what is the truth） that the number of my letters is no
measure of the number of times I think of you； and to remember how
much writing I have to do。 The weather is bright； but still cold；
and my father； I'm afraid； feels it sharply。 He has had … still
has； rather … a most obstinate jaundice； which has reduced him
cruelly in strength； and really upset him altogether。 I hope； or
think； he is perhaps a little better； but he suffers much； cannot
sleep at night； and gives John and my mother a severe life of it to
wait upon him。 My wife is； I think； a little better； but no great
shakes。 I keep mightily respectable myself。
Coolin's Tombstone is now built into the front wall of Skerryvore；
and poor Bogie's （with a Latin inscription also） is set just above
it。 Poor； unhappy wee man； he died； as you must have heard； in
fight； which was what he would have chosen； for military glory was
more in his line than the domestic virtues。 I believe this is
about all my news； except that； as I write； there is a blackbird
singing in our garden trees； as it were at Swanston。 I would like
fine to go up the burnside a bit； and sit by the pool and be young
again … or no； be what I am still； only there instead of here； for
just a little。 Did you see that I had written about John Todd？ In
this month's LONGMAN it was； if you have not seen it； I will try
and send it you。 Some day climb as high as Halkerside for me （I am
never likely to do it for myself）； and sprinkle some of the well
water on the turf。 I am afraid it is a pagan rite； but quite
harmless； and YE CAN SAIN IT WI' A BIT PRAYER。 Tell the Peewies
that I mind their forbears well。 My heart is sometimes heavy； and
sometimes glad to mind it all。 But for what we have received； the
Lord make us truly thankful。 Don't forget to sprinkle the water；
and do it in my name； I feel a childish eagerness in this。
Remember me most kindly to James； and with all sorts of love to
yourself； believe me； your laddie；
ROBERT LOU