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already a thing of beauty and a joy for ever； and so far as he has
gone FAR my best character。
＇LATER。＇
Second thought。 I wish Pitcairn's CRIMINAL TRIALS QUAM PRIMUM。
Also； an absolutely correct text of the Scots judiciary oath。
Also； in case Pitcairn does not come down late enough； I wish as
full a report as possible of a Scotch murder trial between 1790…
1820。 Understand； THE FULLEST POSSIBLE。
Is there any book which would guide me as to the following facts？
The Justice…Clerk tries some people capitally on circuit。 Certain
evidence cropping up； the charge is transferred to the J。…C。's own
son。 Of course； in the next trial the J。…C。 is excluded； and the
case is called before the Lord…Justice General。
Where would this trial have to be？ I fear in Edinburgh； which
would not suit my view。 Could it be again at the circuit town？
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MRS。 JENKIN
DECEMBER 5TH； 1892。
MY DEAR MRS。 JENKIN； … 。 。 。 So much said； I come with guilty speed
to what more immediately concerns myself。 Spare us a month or two
for old sake's sake； and make my wife and me happy and proud。 We
are only fourteen days from San Francisco； just about a month from
Liverpool； we have our new house almost finished。 The thing CAN be
done； I believe we can make you almost comfortable。 It is the
loveliest climate in the world； our political troubles seem near an
end。 It can be done； it must！ Do； please； make a virtuous effort；
come and take a glimpse of a new world I am sure you do not dream
of； and some old friends who do often dream of your arrival。
Alas； I was just beginning to get eloquent； and there goes the
lunch bell； and after lunch I must make up the mail。
Do come。 You must not come in February or March … bad months。
From April on it is delightful。 … Your sincere friend；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
DECEMBER 5TH； 1892。
MY DEAR JAMES； … How comes it so great a silence has fallen？ The
still small voice of self…approval whispers me it is not from me。
I have looked up my register； and find I have neither written to
you nor heard from you since June 22nd； on which day of grace that
invaluable work began。 This is not as it should be。 How to get
back？ I remember acknowledging with rapture the … of the MASTER；
and I remember receiving MARBOT： was that our last relation？
Hey； well！ anyway； as you may have probably gathered from the
papers； I have been in devilish hot water； and （what may be new to
you） devilish hard at work。 In twelve calendar months I finished
THE WRECKER； wrote all of FALESA but the first chapter （well； much
of）； the HISTORY OF SAMOA； did something here and there to my LIFE
OF MY GRANDFATHER； and began And Finished DAVID BALFOUR。 What do
you think of it for a year？ Since then I may say I have done
nothing beyond draft three chapters of another novel； THE JUSTICE…
CLERK； which ought to be shorter and a blower … at least if it
don't make a spoon； it will spoil the horn of an Aurochs （if that's
how it should be spelt）。
On the hot water side it may entertain you to know that I have been
actually sentenced to deportation by my friends on Mulinuu； C。 J。
Cedercrantz； and Baron Senfft von Pilsach。 The awful doom；
however； declined to fall； owing to Circumstances over Which。 I
only heard of it （so to speak） last night。 I mean officially； but
I had walked among rumours。 The whole tale will be some day put
into my hand； and I shall share it with humorous friends。
It is likely； however； by my judgment； that this epoch of gaiety in
Samoa will soon cease； and the fierce white light of history will
beat no longer on Yours Sincerely and his fellows here on the
beach。 We ask ourselves whether the reason will more rejoice over
the end of a disgraceful business； or the unregenerate man more
sorrow over the stoppage of the fun。 For； say what you please； it
has been a deeply interesting time。 You don't know what news is；
nor what politics； nor what the life of man； till you see it on so
small a scale and with your own liberty on the board for stake。 I
would not have missed it for much。 And anxious friends beg me to
stay at home and study human nature in Brompton drawing…rooms！
FARCEURS！ And anyway you know that such is not my talent。 I could
never be induced to take the faintest interest in Brompton QUA
Brompton or a drawing…room QUA a drawing…room。 I am an Epick
Writer with a k to it； but without the necessary genius。
Hurry up with another book of stories。 I am now reduced to two of
my contemporaries； you and Barrie … O； and Kipling … you and Barrie
and Kipling are now my Muses Three。 And with Kipling； as you know；
there are reservations to be made。 And you and Barrie don't write
enough。 I should say I also read Anstey when he is serious； and
can almost always get a happy day out of Marion Crawford … CE N'EST
PAS TOUJOURS LA GUERRE； but it's got life to it and guts； and it
moves。 Did you read the WITCH OF PRAGUE？ Nobody could read it
twice； of course； and the first time even it was necessary to skip。
E PUR SI MUOVE。 But Barrie is a beauty； the LITTLE MINISTER and
the WINDOW IN THRUMS； eh？ Stuff in that young man； but he must see
and not be too funny。 Genius in him； but there's a journalist at
his elbow … there's the risk。 Look； what a page is the glove
business in the WINDOW！ knocks a man flat； that's guts； if you
please。
Why have I wasted the little time that is left with a sort of naked
review article？ I don't know； I'm sure。 I suppose a mere
ebullition of congested literary talk I am beginning to think a
visit from friends would be due。 Wish you could come！
Let us have your news anyway； and forgive this silly stale
effusion。 … Yours ever；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO J。 M。 BARRIE
＇VAILIMA； DECEMBER 1892。＇
DEAR J。 M。 BARRIE； … You will be sick of me soon； I cannot help it。
I have been off my work for some time； and re…read the EDINBURGH
ELEVEN； and had a great mind to write a parody and give you all
your sauce back again； and see how you would like it yourself。 And
then I read （for the first time … I know not how） the WINDOW IN
THRUMS； I don't say that it is better than THE MINISTER； it's less
of a tale … and there is a beauty； a material beauty； of the tale
IPSE； which clever critics nowadays long and love to forget； it has
more real flaws； but somehow it is … well； I read it last anyway；
and it's by Barrie。 And he's the man for my money。 The glove is a
great page； it is startlingly original； and as true as death and
judgment。 Tibbie Birse in the Burial is great； but I think it was
a journalist that got in the word 'official。' The same character
plainly had a word to say to Thomas Haggard。 Thomas affects me as
a lie … I beg your pardon； doubtless he was somebody you knew； that
leads people so far astray。 The actual is not the true。
I am proud to think you are a Scotchman … though to be sure I know
nothing of that country； being only an English tourist； quo' Gavin
Ogilvy。 I commend the hard case of Mr。 Gavin Ogilvy to J。 M。
Barrie； whose work is to me a source of living pleasure and
heartfelt national pride。 There are two of us now that the Shirra
might have patted on the head。 And please do not think when I thus
seem to bracket myself with you； that I am wholly blinded with
vanity。 Jess is beyond my frontier line； I could not touch her
skirt； I have no such glamour of twilight on my pen。 I am a
capable artist； but it begins to look to me as if you were a man of
genius。 Take care of yourself； for my sake。 It's a devilish hard
thing for a man who writes so many novels as I do； that I should
get so few to read。 And I can read yours； and