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house to the bridge； and thence to the garden； and by a bifurcation
to the pig pen。 It is thus much traversed； particularly by Fanny。
An oleander； the only one of your seeds that prospered in this
climate； grows there； and the name is now some week or ten days
applied and published。 ADELAIDE ROAD leads also into the bush； to
the banana patch； and by a second bifurcation over the left branch
of the stream to the plateau and the right hand of the gorges。 In
short； it leads to all sorts of good； and is； besides； in itself a
pretty winding path； bound downhill among big woods to the margin
of the stream。
What a strange idea； to think me a Jew…hater！ Isaiah and David and
Heine are good enough for me； and I leave more unsaid。 Were I of
Jew blood； I do not think I could ever forgive the Christians； the
ghettos would get in my nostrils like mustard or lit gunpowder。
Just so you as being a child of the Presbytery； I retain … I need
not dwell on that。 The ascendant hand is what I feel most
strongly； I am bound in and in with my forbears； were he one of
mine； I should not be struck at all by Mr。 Moss of Bevis Marks； I
should still see behind him Moses of the Mount and the Tables and
the shining face。 We are all nobly born； fortunate those who know
it； blessed those who remember。
I am； my dear Adelaide； most genuinely yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Write by return to say you are better； and I will try to do the
same。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
＇VAILIMA＇； TUESDAY； 19TH MAY '91。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … I don't know what you think of me； not having
written to you at all during your illness。 I find two sheets begun
with your name； but that is no excuse。 。 。 。 I am keeping bravely；
getting about better； every day； and hope soon to be in my usual
fettle。 My books begin to come； and I fell once more on the Old
Bailey session papers。 I have 1778； 1784； and 1786。 Should you be
able to lay hands on any other volumes； above all a little later； I
should be very glad you should buy them for me。 I particularly
want ONE or TWO during the course of the Peninsular War。 Come to
think； I ought rather to have communicated this want to Bain。
Would it bore you to communicate to that effect with the great man？
The sooner I have them； the better for me。 'Tis for Henry Shovel。
But Henry Shovel has now turned into a work called 'The Shovels of
Newton French： Including Memoirs of Henry Shovel； a Private in the
Peninsular War；' which work is to begin in 1664 with the marriage
of Skipper； afterwards Alderman Shovel of Bristol； Henry's great…
great…grandfather； and end about 1832 with his own second marriage
to the daughter of his runaway aunt。 Will the public ever stand
such an opus？ Gude kens； but it tickles me。 Two or three
historical personages will just appear： Judge Jeffreys；
Wellington； Colquhoun； Grant； and I think Townsend the runner。 I
know the public won't like it； let 'em lump it then； I mean to make
it good； it will be more like a saga。 … Adieu； yours ever
affectionately；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
VAILIMA ＇SUMMER 1891＇。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … I find among my grandfather's papers his own
reminiscences of his voyage round the north with Sir Walter； eighty
years ago； LABUNTUR ANNI！ They are not remarkably good； but he was
not a bad observer； and several touches seem to me speaking。 It
has occurred to me you might like them to appear in the MAGAZINE。
If you would； kindly let me know； and tell me how you would like it
handled。 My grandad's MS。 runs to between six and seven thousand
words； which I could abbreviate of anecdotes that scarce touch Sir
W。 Would you like this done？ Would you like me to introduce the
old gentleman？ I had something of the sort in my mind； and could
fill a few columns rather A PROPOS。 I give you the first offer of
this； according to your request； for though it may forestall one of
the interests of my biography； the thing seems to me particularly
suited for prior appearance in a magazine。
I see the first number of the WRECKER； I thought it went lively
enough； and by a singular accident； the picture is not unlike Tai…
o…hae！
Thus we see the age of miracles； etc。 … Yours very sincerely；
R。 L。 S。
Proofs for next mail。
Letter： TO W。 CRAIBE ANGUS
＇SUMMER 1891。＇
DEAR MR。 ANGUS； … You can use my letter as you will。 The parcel
has not come； pray Heaven the next post bring it safe。 Is it
possible for me to write a preface here？ I will try if you like；
if you think I must： though surely there are Rivers in Assyria。
Of course you will send me sheets of the catalogue； I suppose it
（the preface） need not be long； perhaps it should be rather very
short？ Be sure you give me your views upon these points。 Also
tell me what names to mention among those of your helpers； and do
remember to register everything； else it is not safe。
The true place （in my view） for a monument to Fergusson were the
churchyard of Haddington。 But as that would perhaps not carry many
votes； I should say one of the two following sites：… First； either
as near the site of the old Bedlam as we could get； or； second；
beside the Cross； the heart of his city。 Upon this I would have a
fluttering butterfly； and； I suggest； the citation；
Poor butterfly； thy case I mourn。
For the case of Fergusson is not one to pretend about。 A more
miserable tragedy the sun never shone upon； or （in consideration of
our climate） I should rather say refused to brighten。 … Yours
truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Where Burns goes will not matter。 He is no local poet； like your
Robin the First； he is general as the casing air。 Glasgow； as the
chief city of Scottish men； would do well； but for God's sake；
don't let it be like the Glasgow memorial to Knox： I remember；
when I first saw this； laughing for an hour by Shrewsbury clock。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO H。 C。 IDE
＇VAILIMA； JUNE 19； 1891。＇
DEAR MR。 IDE； … Herewith please find the DOCUMENT； which I trust
will prove sufficient in law。 It seems to me very attractive in
its eclecticism； Scots； English； and Roman law phrases are all
indifferently introduced； and a quotation from the works of Haynes
Bayly can hardly fail to attract the indulgence of the Bench。 …
Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
I； Robert Louis Stevenson； Advocate of the Scots Bar； author of THE
MASTER OF BALLANTRAE and MORAL EMBLEMS； stuck civil engineer； sole
owner and patentee of the Palace and Plantation known as Vailima in
the island of Upolu； Samoa； a British Subject； being in sound mind；
and pretty well； I thank you； in body：
In consideration that Miss Annie H。 Ide； daughter of H。 C。 Ide； in
the town of Saint Johnsbury； in the county of Caledonia； in the
state of Vermont； United States of America； was born； out of all
reason； upon Christmas Day； and is therefore out of all justice
denied the consolation and profit of a proper birthday；
And considering that I； the said Robert Louis Stevenson； have
attained an age when O； we never mention it； and that I have now no
further use for a birthday of any description；
And in consideration that I have met H。 C。 Ide； the father of the
said Annie H。 Ide； and found him about as white a land commissioner
as I require：
HAVE TRANSFERRED； and DO HEREBY TRANSFER； to the said Annie H。 Ide；
ALL AND WHOLE my rights and priviledges in the thirteenth day of
November； formerly my birthday； now； hereby； and henceforth； the
birthday of the said Annie H。 Ide； to have； hold； exercise； and
enjoy the same in the customary manner； by the sporting of fine
raiment； eating of rich meats； and receipt of gifts； compliments；
and cop