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note of it。 … With much respect； believe me； yours sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
＇SARANAC LAKE； MARCH 1888。＇
MY DEAR DELIGHTFUL JAMES； … To quote your heading to my wife； I
think no man writes so elegant a letter； I am sure none so kind；
unless it be Colvin； and there is more of the stern parent about
him。 I was vexed at your account of my admired Meredith： I wish I
could go and see him； as it is I will try to write。 I read with
indescribable admiration your EMERSON。 I begin to long for the day
when these portraits of yours shall be collected： do put me in。
But Emerson is a higher flight。 Have you a TOURGUENEFF？ You have
told me many interesting things of him； and I seem to see them
written； and forming a graceful and BILDEND sketch。 My novel is a
tragedy； four parts out of six or seven are written； and gone to
Burlingame。 Five parts of it are sound； human tragedy； the last
one or two； I regret to say； not so soundly designed； I almost
hesitate to write them； they are very picturesque； but they are
fantastic； they shame； perhaps degrade； the beginning。 I wish I
knew； that was how the tale came to me however。 I got the
situation； it was an old taste of mine： The older brother goes out
in the '45； the younger stays； the younger； of course； gets title
and estate and marries the bride designate of the elder … a family
match； but he （the younger） had always loved her； and she had
really loved the elder。 Do you see the situation？ Then the devil
and Saranac suggested this DENOUEMENT； and I joined the two ends in
a day or two of constant feverish thought； and began to write。 And
now … I wonder if I have not gone too far with the fantastic？ The
elder brother is an INCUBUS： supposed to be killed at Culloden； he
turns up again and bleeds the family of money； on that stopping he
comes and lives with them； whence flows the real tragedy； the
nocturnal duel of the brothers （very naturally； and indeed； I
think； inevitably arising）； and second supposed death of the elder。
Husband and wife now really make up； and then the cloven hoof
appears。 For the third supposed death and the manner of the third
reappearance is steep； steep； sir。 It is even very steep； and I
fear it shames the honest stuff so far； but then it is highly
pictorial； and it leads up to the death of the elder brother at the
hands of the younger in a perfectly cold…blooded murder； of which I
wish （and mean） the reader to approve。 You see how daring is the
design。 There are really but six characters； and one of these
episodic； and yet it covers eighteen years； and will be； I imagine；
the longest of my works。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
READ GOSSE'S RALEIGH。 First…rate。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO THE REV。 DR。 CHARTERIS
SARANAC LAKE； ADIRONDACKS； NEW YORK； U。S。A。； SPRING 1888。
MY DEAR DR。 CHARTERIS； … The funeral letter； your notes； and many
other things； are reserved for a book； MEMORIALS OF A SCOTTISH
FAMILY； if ever I can find time and opportunity。 I wish I could
throw off all else and sit down to it to…day。 Yes； my father was a
'distinctly religious man；' but not a pious。 The distinction
painfully and pleasurably recalls old conflicts； it used to be my
great gun … and you； who suffered for the whole Church； know how
needful it was to have some reserve artillery！ His sentiments were
tragic； he was a tragic thinker。 Now； granted that life is tragic
to the marrow； it seems the proper function of religion to make us
accept and serve in that tragedy； as officers in that other and
comparable one of war。 Service is the word； active service； in the
military sense； and the religious man … I beg pardon； the pious man
… is he who has a military joy in duty … not he who weeps over the
wounded。 We can do no more than try to do our best。 Really； I am
the grandson of the manse … I preach you a kind of sermon。 Box the
brat's ears！
My mother … to pass to matters more within my competence … finely
enjoys herself。 The new country； some new friends we have made；
the interesting experiment of this climate…which （at least） is
tragic … all have done her good。 I have myself passed a better
winter than for years； and now that it is nearly over have some
diffident hopes of doing well in the summer and 'eating a little
more air' than usual。
I thank you for the trouble you are taking； and my mother joins
with me in kindest regards to yourself and Mrs。 Charteris。 … Yours
very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO S。 R。 CROCKETT
＇SARANAC LAKE； SPRING 1888。＇
DEAR MINISTER OF THE FREE KIRK AT PENICUIK； … For O； man； I cannae
read your name！ … That I have been so long in answering your
delightful letter sits on my conscience badly。 The fact is I let
my correspondence accumulate until I am going to leave a place； and
then I pitch in； overhaul the pile； and my cries of penitence might
be heard a mile about。 Yesterday I despatched thirty…five belated
letters： conceive the state of my conscience； above all as the
Sins of Omission （see boyhood's guide； the Shorter Catechism） are
in my view the only serious ones； I call it my view； but it cannot
have escaped you that it was also Christ's。 However； all that is
not to the purpose； which is to thank you for the sincere pleasure
afforded by your charming letter。 I get a good few such； how few
that please me at all； you would be surprised to learn … or have a
singularly just idea of the dulness of our race； how few that
please me as yours did； I can tell you in one word … NONE。 I am no
great kirkgoer； for many reasons … and the sermon's one of them；
and the first prayer another； but the chief and effectual reason is
the stuffiness。 I am no great kirkgoer； says I； but when I read
yon letter of yours； I thought I would like to sit under ye。 And
then I saw ye were to send me a bit buik； and says I； I'll wait for
the bit buik； and then I'll mebbe can read the man's name； and
anyway I'll can kill twa birds wi' ae stane。 And； man！ the buik
was ne'er heard tell o'！
That fact is an adminicle of excuse for my delay。
And now； dear minister of the illegible name； thanks to you； and
greeting to your wife； and may you have good guidance in your
difficult labours； and a blessing on your life。
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
（No just so young sae young's he was； though …
I'm awfae near forty； man。）
Address c/o CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS；
743 BROADWAY； NEW YORK。
Don't put 'N。B。' in your paper： put SCOTLAND； and be done with it。
Alas； that I should be thus stabbed in the home of my friends！ The
name of my native land is not NORTH BRITAIN； whatever may be the
name of yours。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MISS FERRIER
＇SARANAC LAKE； APRIL 1888。＇
MY DEAREST COGGIE； … I wish I could find the letter I began to you
some time ago when I was ill； but I can't and I don't believe there
was much in it anyway。 We have all behaved like pigs and beasts
and barn…door poultry to you； but I have been sunk in work； and the
lad is lazy and blind and has been working too； and as for Fanny；
she has been （and still is） really unwell。 I had a mean hope you
might perhaps write again before I got up steam： I could not have
been more ashamed of myself than I am； and I should have had
another laugh。
They always say I cannot give news in my letters： I shall shake
off that reproach。 On Monday； if she is well enough； Fanny leaves
for California to see her friends； it is rather an anxiety to let
her go alone； but the doctor simply forbids it in my case； and she
is better anywhere than here … a bleak； blackguard； beggarly
climate； of which I can say no good except that it suits me and
some others of th