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You wish to translate the BLACK ARROW： dear sir； you are hereby
authorised； but I warn you； I do not like the work。 Ah； if you；
who know so well both tongues； and have taste and instruction … if
you would but take a fancy to translate a book of mine that I
myself admired … for we sometimes admire our own … or I do … with
what satisfaction would the authority be granted！ But these things
are too much to expect。 VOUS NE DETESTEZ PAS ALORS MES BONNES
FEMMES？ MOI； JE LES DETESTE。 I have never pleased myself with any
women of mine save two character parts； one of only a few lines …
the Countess of Rosen； and Madame Desprez in the TREASURE OF
FRANCHARD。
I had indeed one moment of pride about my poor BLACK ARROW： Dickon
Crookback I did； and I do； think is a spirited and possible figure。
Shakespeare's … O； if we can call that cocoon Shakespeare！ …
Shakespeare's is spirited … one likes to see the untaught athlete
butting against the adamantine ramparts of human nature； head down；
breach up； it reminds us how trivial we are to…day； and what safety
resides in our triviality。 For spirited it may be； but O； sure not
possible！ I love Dumas and I love Shakespeare： you will not
mistake me when I say that the Richard of the one reminds me of the
Porthos of the other； and if by any sacrifice of my own literary
baggage I could clear the VICOMTE DE BRAGELONNE of Porthos； JEKYLL
might go； and the MASTER； and the BLACK ARROW； you may be sure； and
I should think my life not lost for mankind if half a dozen more of
my volumes must be thrown in。
The tone of your pleasant letters makes me egotistical； you make me
take myself too gravely。 Comprehend how I have lived much of my
time in France； and loved your country； and many of its people； and
all the time was learning that which your country has to teach …
breathing in rather that atmosphere of art which can only there be
breathed； and all the time knew … and raged to know … that I might
write with the pen of angels or of heroes； and no Frenchman be the
least the wiser！ And now steps in M。 Marcel Schwob； writes me the
most kind encouragement； and reads and understands； and is kind
enough to like my work。
I am just now overloaded with work。 I have two huge novels on hand
… THE WRECKER and the PEARL FISHER； in collaboration with my
stepson： the latter； the PEARL FISHER； I think highly of； for a
black； ugly； trampling； violent story； full of strange scenes and
striking characters。 And then I am about waist…deep in my big book
on the South Seas： THE big book on the South Seas it ought to be；
and shall。 And besides； I have some verses in the press； which；
however； I hesitate to publish。 For I am no judge of my own verse；
self…deception is there so facile。 All this and the cares of an
impending settlement in Samoa keep me very busy； and a cold （as
usual） keeps me in bed。
Alas； I shall not have the pleasure to see you yet awhile； if ever。
You must be content to take me as a wandering voice； and in the
form of occasional letters from recondite islands； and address me；
if you will be good enough to write； to Apia； Samoa。 My stepson；
Mr。 Osbourne； goes home meanwhile to arrange some affairs； it is
not unlikely he may go to Paris to arrange about the illustrations
to my South Seas； in which case I shall ask him to call upon you；
and give you some word of our outlandish destinies。 You will find
him intelligent； I think； and I am sure； if （PAR HASARD） you should
take any interest in the islands； he will have much to tell you。 …
Herewith I conclude； and am your obliged and interested
correspondent；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
P。S。 … The story you refer to has got lost in the post。
Letter： TO ANDREW LANG
UNION CLUB； SYDNEY ＇AUGUST 1890＇。
MY DEAR LANG； … I observed with a great deal of surprise and
interest that a controversy in which you have been taking sides at
home； in yellow London； hinges in part at least on the Gilbert
Islanders and their customs in burial。 Nearly six months of my
life has been passed in the group： I have revisited it but the
other day； and I make haste to tell you what I know。 The upright
stones … I enclose you a photograph of one on Apemama … are
certainly connected with religion； I do not think they are adored。
They stand usually on the windward shore of the islands； that is to
say； apart from habitation （on ENCLOSED ISLANDS； where the people
live on the sea side； I do not know how it is； never having lived
on one）。 I gathered from Tembinoka； Rex Apemamae； that the pillars
were supposed to fortify the island from invasion： spiritual
martellos。 I think he indicated they were connected with the cult
of Tenti … pronounce almost as chintz in English； the T being
explosive； but you must take this with a grain of salt； for I knew
no word of Gilbert Island； and the King's English； although
creditable； is rather vigorous than exact。 Now； here follows the
point of interest to you： such pillars； or standing stones； have
no connection with graves。 The most elaborate grave that I have
ever seen in the group … to be certain … is in the form of a RAISED
BORDER of gravel； usually strewn with broken glass。 One； of which
I cannot be sure that it was a grave； for I was told by one that it
was； and by another that it was not … consisted of a mound about
breast high in an excavated taro swamp； on the top of which was a
child's house； or rather MANIAPA … that is to say； shed； or open
house； such as is used in the group for social or political
gatherings … so small that only a child could creep under its
eaves。 I have heard of another great tomb on Apemama； which I did
not see； but here again； by all accounts； no sign of a standing
stone。 My report would be … no connection between standing stones
and sepulture。 I shall； however； send on the terms of the problem
to a highly intelligent resident trader； who knows more than
perhaps any one living； white or native； of the Gilbert group； and
you shall have the result。 In Samoa； whither I return for good； I
shall myself make inquiries； up to now； I have neither seen nor
heard of any standing stones in that group。 … Yours；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MRS。 CHARLES FAIRCHILD
UNION CLUB； SYDNEY ＇SEPTEMBER 1890＇。
MY DEAR MRS。 FAIRCHILD； … I began a letter to you on board the
JANET NICOLL on my last cruise； wrote； I believe； two sheets； and
ruthlessly destroyed the flippant trash。 Your last has given me
great pleasure and some pain； for it increased the consciousness of
my neglect。 Now； this must go to you； whatever it is like。
。 。 。 You are quite right； our civilisation is a hollow fraud； all
the fun of life is lost by it； all it gains is that a larger number
of persons can continue to be contemporaneously unhappy on the
surface of the globe。 O； unhappy！ … there is a big word and a
false … continue to be not nearly … by about twenty per cent。 … so
happy as they might be： that would be nearer the mark。
When … observe that word； which I will write again and larger …
WHEN you come to see us in Samoa； you will see for yourself a
healthy and happy people。
You see； you are one of the very few of our friends rich enough to
come and see us； and when my house is built； and the road is made；
and we have enough fruit planted and poultry and pigs raised； it is
undeniable that you must come … must is the word； that is the way
in which I speak to ladies。 You and Fairchild； anyway … perhaps my
friend Blair … we'll arrange details in good time。 It will be the
salvation of your souls； and make you willing to die。
Let me tell you this： In '74 or 5 there came to stay with my
father and mother a certain Mr。 Seed； a prime minister or something
of New Zealand。 He spotted what my comp