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and garnished。 … I am； dear sir； your delighted reader；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
P。S。 … Perhaps it is a pang of causeless honesty； perhaps。 I hope
it will set a value on my praise of RODERICK； perhaps it's a burst
of the diabolic； but I must break out with the news that I can't
bear the PORTRAIT OF A LADY。 I read it all； and I wept too； but I
can't stand your having written it； and I beg you will write no
more of the like。 INFRA； sir； Below you： I can't help it … it may
be your favourite work； but in my eyes it's BELOW YOU to write and
me to read。 I thought RODERICK was going to be another such at the
beginning； and I cannot describe my pleasure as I found it taking
bones and blood； and looking out at me with a moved and human
countenance； whose lineaments are written in my memory until my
last of days。
R。 L。 S。
My wife begs your forgiveness； I believe for her silence。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
SARANAC LAKE ＇DECEMBER 1887＇。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … This goes to say that we are all fit； and the
place is very bleak and wintry； and up to now has shown no such
charms of climate as Davos； but is a place where men eat and where
the cattarh； catarrh （cattarrh； or cattarrhh） appears to be
unknown。 I walk in my verandy in the snaw； sir； looking down over
one of those dabbled wintry landscapes that are （to be frank） so
chilly to the human bosom； and up at a grey； English … nay；
MEHERCLE； Scottish … heaven； and I think it pretty bleak； and the
wind swoops at me round the corner； like a lion； and fluffs the
snow in my face； and I could aspire to be elsewhere； but yet I do
not catch cold； and yet； when I come in； I eat。 So that hitherto
Saranac； if not deliriously delectable； has not been a failure；
nay； from the mere point of view of the wicked body； it has proved
a success。 But I wish I could still get to the woods； alas； NOUS
N'IRONS PLUS AU BOIS is my poor song； the paths are buried； the
dingles drifted full； a little walk is grown a long one； till
spring comes； I fear the burthen will hold good。
I get along with my papers for SCRIBNER not fast； nor so far
specially well； only this last； the fourth one （which makes a third
part of my whole task）； I do believe is pulled off after a fashion。
It is a mere sermon： 'Smith opens out'； but it is true； and I find
it touching and beneficial； to me at least； and I think there is
some fine writing in it； some very apt and pregnant phrases。
PULVIS ET UMBRA； I call it； I might have called it a Darwinian
Sermon； if I had wanted。 Its sentiments； although parsonic； will
not offend even you； I believe。 The other three papers； I fear；
bear many traces of effort； and the ungenuine inspiration of an
income at so much per essay； and the honest desire of the incomer
to give good measure for his money。 Well； I did my damndest
anyway。
We have been reading H。 James's RODERICK HUDSON； which I eagerly
press you to get at once： it is a book of a high order … the last
volume in particular。 I wish Meredith would read it。 It took my
breath away。
I am at the seventh book of the AENEID； and quite amazed at its
merits （also very often floored by its difficulties）。 The Circe
passage at the beginning； and the sublime business of Amata with
the simile of the boy's top … O Lord； what a happy thought！ … have
specially delighted me。 … I am； dear sir； your respected friend；
JOHN GREGG GILLSON； J。P。； M。R。I。A。； etc
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
＇SARANAC； DECEMBER 24； 1887。＇
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Thank you for your explanations。 I have done no
more Virgil since I finished the seventh book； for I have； first
been eaten up with Taine； and next have fallen head over heels into
a new tale； THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE。 No thought have I now apart
from it； and I have got along up to page ninety…two of the draft
with great interest。 It is to me a most seizing tale： there are
some fantastic elements； the most is a dead genuine human problem …
human tragedy； I should say rather。 It will be about as long； I
imagine； as KIDNAPPED。
DRAMATIS PERSONAE：
（1） My old Lord Durrisdeer。
（2） The Master of Ballantrae； AND
（3） Henry Durie； HIS SONS。
（4） Clementina； ENGAGED TO THE FIRST； MARRIED TO THE SECOND。
（5） Ephraim Mackellar； LAND STEWARD AT DURRISDEER AND NARRATOR OF
THE MOST OF THE BOOK。
（6） Francis Burke； Chevalier de St。 Louis； ONE OF PRINCE CHARLIE'S
IRISHMEN AND NARRATOR OF THE REST。
Besides these； many instant figures； most of them dumb or nearly
so： Jessie Brown the whore； Captain Crail； Captain MacCombie； our
old friend Alan Breck； our old friend Riach （both only for an
instant）； Teach the pirate （vulgarly Blackbeard）； John Paul and
Macconochie； servants at Durrisdeer。 The date is from 1745 to '65
（about）。 The scene； near Kirkcudbright； in the States； and for a
little moment in the French East Indies。 I have done most of the
big work； the quarrel； duel between the brothers； and announcement
of the death to Clementina and my Lord … Clementina； Henry； and
Mackellar （nicknamed Squaretoes） are really very fine fellows； the
Master is all I know of the devil。 I have known hints of him； in
the world； but always cowards； he is as bold as a lion； but with
the same deadly； causeless duplicity I have watched with so much
surprise in my two cowards。 'Tis true； I saw a hint of the same
nature in another man who was not a coward； but he had other things
to attend to； the Master has nothing else but his devilry。 Here
come my visitors … and have now gone； or the first relay of them；
and I hope no more may come。 For mark you； sir； this is our 'day'
… Saturday； as ever was； and here we sit； my mother and I； before a
large wood fire and await the enemy with the most steadfast
courage； and without snow and greyness： and the woman Fanny in New
York for her health； which is far from good； and the lad Lloyd at
the inn in the village because he has a cold； and the handmaid
Valentine abroad in a sleigh upon her messages； and to…morrow
Christmas and no mistake。 Such is human life： LA CARRIERE
HUMAINE。 I will enclose； if I remember； the required autograph。
I will do better； put it on the back of this page。 Love to all；
and mostly； my very dear Colvin； to yourself。 For whatever I say
or do； or don't say or do； you may be very sure I am； … Yours
always affectionately；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MISS ADELAIDE BOODLE
SARANAC LAKE； ADIRONDACKS； N。Y。； U。S。A。； CHRISTMAS 1887。
MY DEAR MISS BOODLE； … And a very good Christmas to you all； and
better fortune； and if worse； the more courage to support it …
which I think is the kinder wish in all human affairs。 Somewhile …
I fear a good while … after this； you should receive our Christmas
gift； we have no tact and no taste； only a welcome and （often）
tonic brutality； and I dare say the present； even after my friend
Baxter has acted on and reviewed my hints； may prove a White
Elephant。 That is why I dread presents。 And therefore pray
understand if any element of that hamper prove unwelcome； IT IS TO
BE EXCHANGED。 I will not sit down under the name of a giver of
White Elephants。 I never had any elephant but one； and his
initials were R。 L。 S。； and he trod on my foot at a very early age。
But this is a fable； and not in the least to the point： which is
that if； for once in my life； I have wished to make things nicer
for anybody but the Elephant （see fable）； do not suffer me to have
made them ineffably more embarrassing； and exchange … ruthlessly
exchange！
For my part； I am the most cockered up of any mortal being； and one
of the healthiest； or thereabout； at some modest distance from the
bull's eye。 I am condemned to write twelve articles in SCRIBNER'S
MAGAZINE for the love of gain； I think I