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（certainly not his fault） swept away his customers in a body。 Thus
you can imagine the pleasure I have to announce to him a spark of
hope； for he sits to…day in his pharmacy； doing nothing and taking
nothing； and watching his debts inexorably mount up。
To pass to other matters： your hand； you are perhaps aware； is not
one of those that can be read running； and the name of your
daughter remains for me undecipherable。 I call her； then； your
daughter … and a very good name too … and I beg to explain how it
came about that I took her house。 The hospital was a point in my
tale； but there is a house on each side。 Now the true house is the
one before the hospital： is that No。 11？ If not； what do you
complain of？ If it is； how can I help what is true？ Everything in
the DYNAMITER is not true； but the story of the Brown Box is； in
almost every particular； I lay my hand on my heart and swear to it。
It took place in that house in 1884； and if your daughter was in
that house at the time； all I can say is she must have kept very
bad society。
But I see you coming。 Perhaps your daughter's house has not a
balcony at the back？ I cannot answer for that； I only know that
side of Queen Square from the pavement and the back windows of
Brunswick Row。 Thence I saw plenty of balconies （terraces rather）；
and if there is none to the particular house in question； it must
have been so arranged to spite me。
I now come to the conclusion of this matter。 I address three
questions to your daughter：…
1st Has her house the proper terrace？
2nd。 Is it on the proper side of the hospital？
3rd。 Was she there in the summer of 1884？
You see； I begin to fear that Mrs。 Desborough may have deceived me
on some trifling points； for she is not a lady of peddling
exactitude。 If this should prove to be so； I will give your
daughter a proper certificate； and her house property will return
to its original value。
Can man say more？ … Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
I saw the other day that the Eternal had plagiarised from LOST SIR
MASSINGBERD： good again； sir！ I wish he would plagiarise the
death of Zero。
Letter： TO W。 H。 LOW
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JAN。 SOMETHINGOROTHER…TH； 1886。
MY DEAR LOW； … I send you two photographs： they are both done by
Sir Percy Shelley； the poet's son； which may interest。 The sitting
down one is； I think； the best； but if they choose that； see that
the little reflected light on the nose does not give me a turn…up；
that would be tragic。 Don't forget 'Baronet' to Sir Percy's name。
We all think a heap of your book； and I am well pleased with my
dedication。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
P。S。 … APROPOS of the odd controversy about Shelley's nose： I have
before me four photographs of myself； done by Shelley's son： my
nose is hooked； not like the eagle； indeed； but like the
accipitrine family in man： well； out of these four； only one marks
the bend； one makes it straight； and one suggests a turn…up。 This
throws a flood of light on calumnious man … and the scandal…
mongering sun。 For personally I cling to my curve。 To continue
the Shelley controversy： I have a look of him； all his sisters had
noses like mine； Sir Percy has a marked hook； all the family had
high cheek…bones like mine； what doubt； then； but that this turn…up
（of which Jeaffreson accuses the poet； along with much other
FATRAS） is the result of some accident similar to what has happened
in my photographs by his son？
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO THOMAS STEVENSON
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JANUARY 25； 1886。＇
MY DEAR FATHER； … Many thanks for a letter quite like yourself。 I
quite agree with you； and had already planned a scene of religion
in BALFOUR； the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge
furnishes me with a catechist whom I shall try to make the man。 I
have another catechist； the blind； pistol…carrying highway robber；
whom I have transferred from the Long Island to Mull。 I find it a
most picturesque period； and wonder Scott let it escape。 The
COVENANT is lost on one of the Tarrans； and David is cast on
Earraid； where （being from inland） he is nearly starved before he
finds out the island is tidal； then he crosses Mull to Toronsay；
meeting the blind catechist by the way； then crosses Morven from
Kinlochaline to Kingairloch； where he stays the night with the good
catechist； that is where I am； next day he is to be put ashore in
Appin； and be present at Colin Campbell's death。 To…day I rest；
being a little run down。 Strange how liable we are to brain fag in
this scooty family！ But as far as I have got； all but the last
chapter； I think David is on his feet； and （to my mind） a far
better story and far sounder at heart than TREASURE ISLAND。
I have no earthly news； living entirely in my story； and only
coming out of it to play patience。 The Shelleys are gone； the
Taylors kinder than can be imagined。 The other day； Lady Taylor
drove over and called on me； she is a delightful old lady； and
great fun。 I mentioned a story about the Duchess of Wellington
which I had heard Sir Henry tell； and though he was very tired； he
looked it up and copied it out for me in his own hand。 … Your most
affectionate son；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO C。 W。 STODDARD
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； FEB。 13TH； 1886。
MY DEAR STODDARD； … I am a dreadful character； but； you see； I have
at last taken pen in hand； how long I may hold it； God knows。 This
is already my sixth letter to…day； and I have many more waiting；
and my wrist gives me a jog on the subject of scrivener's cramp；
which is not encouraging。
I gather you were a little down in the jaw when you wrote your
last。 I am as usual pretty cheerful； but not very strong。 I stay
in the house all winter； which is base； but； as you continue to
see； the pen goes from time to time； though neither fast enough nor
constantly enough to please me。
My wife is at Bath with my father and mother； and the interval of
widowery explains my writing。 Another person writing for you when
you have done work is a great enemy to correspondence。 To…day I
feel out of health； and shan't work； and hence this so much overdue
reply。
I was re…reading some of your South Sea Idyls the other day： some
of the chapters are very good indeed； some pages as good as they
can be。
How does your class get along？ If you like to touch on OTTO； any
day in a by…hour； you may tell them … as the author's last dying
confession … that it is a strange example of the difficulty of
being ideal in an age of realism； that the unpleasant giddy…
mindedness； which spoils the book and often gives it a wanton air
of unreality and juggling with air…bells； comes from unsteadiness
of key； from the too great realism of some chapters and passages …
some of which I have now spotted； others I dare say I shall never
spot … which disprepares the imagination for the cast of the
remainder。
Any story can be made TRUE in its own key； any story can be made
FALSE by the choice of a wrong key of detail or style： Otto is
made to reel like a drunken … I was going to say man； but let us
substitute cipher … by the variations of the key。 Have you
observed that the famous problem of realism and idealism is one
purely of detail？ Have you seen my 'Note on Realism' in Cassell's
MAGAZINE OF ART； and 'Elements of Style' in the CONTEMPORARY； and
'Romance' and 'Humble Apology' in LONGMAN'S？ They are all in your
line of business； let me know what you have not seen and I'll send
'em。
I am glad I brought the old house up to you。 It was a pleasant old
spot； and I remember you there； though still more dearly in your
own strange den upon a hill in San Fran