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not love this health…tending； housekeeping life of mine。 I have a
taste for danger； which is human； like the fear of it。 Here is a
fair cause； a just cause； no knight ever set lance in rest for a
juster。 Yet it needs not the strength I have not； only the passive
courage that I hope I could muster； and the watchfulness that I am
sure I could learn。
Here is a long midnight dissertation； with myself； with you。
Please let me hear。 But I charge you this： if you see in this
idea of mine the finger of duty； do not dissuade me。 I am nearing
forty； I begin to love my ease and my home and my habits； I never
knew how much till this arose； do not falsely counsel me to put my
head under the bed…clothes。 And I will say this to you： my wife；
who hates the idea； does not refuse。 'It is nonsense；' says she；
'but if you go； I will go。' Poor girl； and her home and her garden
that she was so proud of！ I feel her garden most of all； because
it is a pleasure （I suppose） that I do not feel myself to share。
1。 Here is a great wrong。
2。 〃 growing wrong。
3。 〃 wrong founded on crime。
4。 〃 crime that the Government cannot prevent。
5。 〃 crime that it occurs to no man to defy。
6。 But it has occurred to me。
7。 Being a known person； some will notice my defiance。
8。 Being a writer； I can MAKE people notice it。
9。 And； I think； MAKE people imitate me。
10。 Which would destroy in time this whole scaffolding of
oppression。
11。 And if I fail； however ignominiously； that is not my concern。
It is； with an odd mixture of reverence and humorous remembrances
of Dickens； be it said … it is A…nother's。
And here； at I cannot think what hour of the morning； I shall dry
up； and remain； … Yours； really in want of a little help；
R。 L S。
Sleepless at midnight's dewy hour。
〃 〃 witching 〃
〃 〃 maudlin 〃
〃 〃 etc。
NEXT MORNING。 … Eleventh Objection： I have a father and mother。
And who has not？ Macduff's was a rare case； if we must wait for a
Macduff。 Besides； my father will not perhaps be long here。
Twelfth Objection： The cause of England in Ireland is not worth
supporting。 A QUI LE DITES…VOUS？ And I am not supporting that。
Home Rule； if you like。 Cause of decency； the idea that
populations should not be taught to gain public ends by private
crime； the idea that for all men to bow before a threat of crime is
to loosen and degrade beyond redemption the whole fabric of man's
decency。
Letter： TO MRS。 FLEEMING JENKIN
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； APRIL 1886。＇
MY DEAR MRS。 JENKIN； … The Book … It is all drafted： I hope soon
to send you for comments Chapters III。； IV。； and V。 Chapter VII。
is roughly but satisfactorily drafted： a very little work should
put that to rights。 But Chapter VI。 is no joke； it is a MARE
MAGNUM： I swim and drown and come up again； and it is all broken
ends and mystification： moreover； I perceive I am in want of more
matter。 I must have； first of all； a little letter from Mr。 Ewing
about the phonograph work： IF you think he would understand it is
quite a matter of chance whether I use a word or a fact out of it。
If you think he would not： I will go without。 Also； could I have
a look at Ewing's PRECIS？ And lastly； I perceive I must interview
you again about a few points； they are very few； and might come to
little； and I propose to go on getting things as well together as I
can in the meanwhile； and rather have a final time when all is
ready and only to be criticised。 I do still think it will be good。
I wonder if Trelat would let me cut？ But no； I think I wouldn't
after all； 'tis so quaint and pretty and clever and simple and
French； and gives such a good sight of Fleeming： the plum of the
book； I think。
You misunderstood me in one point： I always hoped to found such a
society； that was the outside of my dream； and would mean entire
success。 BUT … I cannot play Peter the Hermit。 In these days of
the Fleet Street journalist； I cannot send out better men than
myself； with wives or mothers just as good as mine； and sisters （I
may at least say） better； to a danger and a long…drawn dreariness
that I do not share。 My wife says it's cowardice； what brave men
are the leader…writers！ Call it cowardice； it is mine。 Mind you；
I may end by trying to do it by the pen only： I shall not love
myself if I do； and is it ever a good thing to do a thing for which
you despise yourself？ … even in the doing？ And if the thing you do
is to call upon others to do the thing you neglect？ I have never
dared to say what I feel about men's lives； because my own was in
the wrong： shall I dare to send them to death？ The physician must
heal himself； he must honestly TRY the path he recommends： if he
does not even try； should he not be silent？
I thank you very heartily for your letter； and for the seriousness
you brought to it。 You know； I think when a serious thing is your
own； you keep a saner man by laughing at it and yourself as you go。
So I do not write possibly with all the really somewhat sickened
gravity I feel。 And indeed； what with the book； and this business
to which I referred； and Ireland； I am scarcely in an enviable
state。 Well； I ought to be glad； after ten years of the worst
training on earth … valetudinarianism … that I can still be
troubled by a duty。 You shall hear more in time； so far； I am at
least decided： I will go and see Balfour when I get to London。
We have all had a great pleasure： a Mrs。 Rawlinson came and
brought with her a nineteen…year…old daughter； simple； human； as
beautiful as … herself； I never admired a girl before； you know it
was my weakness： we are all three dead in love with her。 How nice
to be able to do so much good to harassed people by … yourself！
Ever yours；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MISS RAWLINSON
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； APRIL 1886。＇
OF the many flowers you brought me；
Only some were meant to stay；
And the flower I thought the sweetest
Was the flower that went away。
Of the many flowers you brought me；
All were fair and fresh and gay；
But the flower I thought the sweetest
Was the blossom of the May。
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MISS MONROE
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； MAY 25TH； 1886。
DEAR MISS MONROE； … （I hope I have this rightly） I must lose no
time in thanking you for a letter singularly pleasant to receive。
It may interest you to know that I read to the signature without
suspecting my correspondent was a woman； though in one point （a
reference to the Countess） I might have found a hint of the truth。
You are not pleased with Otto； since I judge you do not like
weakness； and no more do I。 And yet I have more than tolerance for
Otto； whose faults are the faults of weakness； but never of ignoble
weakness； and who seeks before all to be both kind and just。
Seeks； not succeeds。 But what is man？ So much of cynicism to
recognise that nobody does right is the best equipment for those
who do not wish to be cynics in good earnest。 Think better of
Otto； if my plea can influence you； and this I mean for your own
sake … not his； poor fellow； as he will never learn your opinion；
but for yours； because； as men go in this world （and women too）；
you will not go far wrong if you light upon so fine a fellow； and
to light upon one and not perceive his merits is a calamity。 In
the flesh； of course； I mean； in the book the fault； of course； is
with my stumbling pen。 Seraphina made a mistake about her Otto； it
begins to swim before me dimly that you may have some traits of
Seraphina？
With true ingratitude you see me pitch upon your exception； but it
is easier to defend oneself gracefully than to acknowledge praise。
I am tru