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climate； of which I can say no good except that it suits me and
some others of the same or similar persuasions whom （by all rights）
it ought to kill。 It is a form of Arctic St。 Andrews； I should
imagine； and the miseries of forty degrees below zero； with a high
wind； have to be felt to be appreciated。 The greyness of the
heavens here is a circumstance eminently revolting to the soul； I
have near forgot the aspect of the sun … I doubt if this be news；
it is certainly no news to us。 My mother suffers a little from the
inclemency of the place； but less on the whole than would be
imagined。 Among other wild schemes； we have been projecting yacht
voyages； and I beg to inform you that Cogia Hassan was cast for the
part of passenger。 They may come off！ … Again this is not news。
The lad？ Well； the lad wrote a tale this winter； which appeared to
me so funny that I have taken it in hand； and some of these days
you will receive a copy of a work entitled 'A GAME OF BLUFF； by
Lloyd Osbourne and Robert Louis Stevenson。'
Otherwise he （the lad） is much as usual。 There remains； I believe；
to be considered only R。 L。 S。； the house…bond； prop； pillar；
bread…winner； and bully of the establishment。 Well； I do think him
much better； he is making piles of money； the hope of being able to
hire a yacht ere long dances before his eyes； otherwise he is not
in very high spirits at this particular moment； though compared
with last year at Bournemouth an angel of joy。
And now is this news； Cogia； or is it not？ It all depends upon the
point of view； and I call it news。 The devil of it is that I can
think of nothing else； except to send you all our loves； and to
wish exceedingly you were here to cheer us all up。 But we'll see
about that on board the yacht。 … Your affectionate friend；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
＇SARANAC LAKE＇； APRIL 9TH！！ 1888
MY DEAR COLVIN； … I have been long without writing to you； but am
not to blame； I had some little annoyances quite for a private eye；
but they ran me so hard that I could not write without lugging them
in； which （for several reasons） I did not choose to do。 Fanny is
off to San Francisco； and next week I myself flit to New York：
address Scribner's。 Where we shall go I know not； nor （I was going
to say） care； so bald and bad is my frame of mind。 Do you know our
… ahem！ … fellow clubman； Colonel Majendie？ I had such an
interesting letter from him。 Did you see my sermon？ It has evoked
the worst feeling： I fear people don't care for the truth； or else
I don't tell it。 Suffer me to wander without purpose。 I have sent
off twenty letters to…day； and begun and stuck at a twenty…first；
and taken a copy of one which was on business； and corrected
several galleys of proof； and sorted about a bushel of old letters；
so if any one has a right to be romantically stupid it is I … and I
am。 Really deeply stupid； and at that stage when in old days I
used to pour out words without any meaning whatever and with my
mind taking no part in the performance。 I suspect that is now the
case。 I am reading with extraordinary pleasure the life of Lord
Lawrence： Lloyd and I have a mutiny novel …
（NEXT MORNING； AFTER TWELVE OTHER LETTERS） … mutiny novel on hand …
a tremendous work … so we are all at Indian books。 The idea of the
novel is Lloyd's： I call it a novel。 'Tis a tragic romance； of
the most tragic sort： I believe the end will be almost too much
for human endurance … when the hero is thrown to the ground with
one of his own （Sepoy） soldier's knees upon his chest； and the
cries begin in the Beebeeghar。 O truly； you know it is a howler！
The whole last part is … well the difficulty is that； short of
resuscitating Shakespeare； I don't know who is to write it。
I still keep wonderful。 I am a great performer before the Lord on
the penny whistle。 Dear sir； sincerely yours；
ANDREW JACKSON。
Letter： TO MISS ADELAIDE BOODLE
＇SARANAC LAKE； APRIL 1888。＇ ADDRESS C/O MESSRS。 SCRIBNER'S SONS；
743 BROADWAY； N。Y。
MY DEAR GAMEKEEPER； … Your p。 c。 （proving you a good student of
Micawber） has just arrived； and it paves the way to something I am
anxious to say。 I wrote a paper the other day … PULVIS ET UMBRA； …
I wrote it with great feeling and conviction： to me it seemed
bracing and healthful； it is in such a world （so seen by me）； that
I am very glad to fight out my battle； and see some fine sunsets；
and hear some excellent jests between whiles round the camp fire。
But I find that to some people this vision of mine is a nightmare；
and extinguishes all ground of faith in God or pleasure in man。
Truth I think not so much of； for I do not know it。 And I could
wish in my heart that I had not published this paper； if it
troubles folk too much： all have not the same digestion； nor the
same sight of things。 And it came over me with special pain that
perhaps this article （which I was at the pains to send to her）
might give dismalness to my GAMEKEEPER AT HOME。 Well； I cannot
take back what I have said； but yet I may add this。 If my view be
everything but the nonsense that it may be … to me it seems self…
evident and blinding truth … surely of all things it makes this
world holier。 There is nothing in it but the moral side … but the
great battle and the breathing times with their refreshments。 I
see no more and no less。 And if you look again； it is not ugly；
and it is filled with promise。
Pray excuse a desponding author for this apology。 My wife is away
off to the uttermost parts of the States； all by herself。 I shall
be off； I hope； in a week； but where？ Ah！ that I know not。 I keep
wonderful； and my wife a little better； and the lad flourishing。
We now perform duets on two D tin whistles； it is no joke to make
the bass； I think I must really send you one； which I wish you
would correct 。 。 。 I may be said to live for these instrumental
labours now； but I have always some childishness on hand。 … I am；
dear Gamekeeper； your indulgent but intemperate Squire；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
UNION HOUSE； MANASQUAN； N。J。； BUT ADDRESS TO SCRIBNER'S； 11TH MAY
1888。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … I have found a yacht； and we are going the full
pitch for seven months。 If I cannot get my health back （more or
less）； 'tis madness； but； of course； there is the hope； and I will
play big。 。 。 。 If this business fails to set me up； well； 2000
pounds is gone； and I know I can't get better。 We sail from San
Francisco； June 15th； for the South Seas in the yacht CASCO。 … With
a million thanks for all your dear friendliness； ever yours
affectionately；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： To HOMER ST。 GAUDENS
MANASQUAN； NEW JERSEY； 27TH MAY 1888。
DEAR HOMER ST。 GAUDENS； … Your father has brought you this day to
see me； and he tells me it is his hope you may remember the
occasion。 I am going to do what I can to carry out his wish； and
it may amuse you； years after； to see this little scrap of paper
and to read what I write。 I must begin by testifying that you
yourself took no interest whatever in the introduction； and in the
most proper spirit displayed a single…minded ambition to get back
to play； and this I thought an excellent and admirable point in
your character。 You were also （I use the past tense； with a view
to the time when you shall read； rather than to that when I am
writing） a very pretty boy； and （to my European views） startlingly
self…possessed。 My time of observation was so limited that you
must pardon me if I can say no more： what else I marked； what
restlessness of foot and hand； what graceful clumsiness； what
experimental designs upon the furniture； was but the common
inheritance o