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your old friend； but not a hope of my dying soon and cleanly； and
'winning off the stage。' Rather I am daily better in physical
health。 I shall have to see this business out； after all； and I
think； in that case； they should have … they might have … spared me
all my ill…health this decade past； if it were not to unbar the
doors。 I have no taste for old age； and my nose is to be rubbed in
it in spite of my face。 I was meant to die young； and the gods do
not love me。
This is very like an epitaph； bar the handwriting； which is
anything but monumental； and I dare say I had better stop。 Fanny
is down at her own cottage planting or deplanting or replanting； I
know not which； and she will not be home till dinner； by which time
the mail will be all closed； else she would join me in all good
messages and remembrances of love。 I hope you will congratulate
Burne Jones from me on his baronetcy。 I cannot make out to be
anything but raspingly； harrowingly sad； so I will close； and not
affect levity which I cannot feel。 Do not altogether forget me；
keep a corner of your memory for the exile
LOUIS。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
＇VAILIMA； MAY 1894。＇
MY DEAR CHARLES； … My dear fellow； I wish to assure you of the
greatness of the pleasure that this Edinburgh Edition gives me。 I
suppose it was your idea to give it that name。 No other would have
affected me in the same manner。 Do you remember； how many years
ago … I would be afraid to hazard a guess … one night when I
communicated to you certain intimations of early death and
aspirations after fame？ I was particularly maudlin； and my remorse
the next morning on a review of my folly has written the matter
very deeply in my mind； from yours it may easily have fled。 If any
one at that moment could have shown me the Edinburgh Edition； I
suppose I should have died。 It is with gratitude and wonder that I
consider 'the way in which I have been led。' Could a more
preposterous idea have occurred to us in those days when we used to
search our pockets for coppers； too often in vain； and combine
forces to produce the threepence necessary for two glasses of beer；
or wander down the Lothian Road without any； than that I should be
strong and well at the age of forty…three in the island of Upolu；
and that you should be at home bringing out the Edinburgh Edition？
If it had been possible； I should almost have preferred the Lothian
Road Edition； say； with a picture of the old Dutch smuggler on the
covers。 I have now something heavy on my mind。 I had always a
great sense of kinship with poor Robert Fergusson … so clever a
boy； so wild； of such a mixed strain； so unfortunate； born in the
same town with me； and； as I always felt； rather by express
intimation than from evidence； so like myself。 Now the injustice
with which the one Robert is rewarded and the other left out in the
cold sits heavy on me； and I wish you could think of some way in
which I could do honour to my unfortunate namesake。 Do you think
it would look like affectation to dedicate the whole edition to his
memory？ I think it would。 The sentiment which would dictate it to
me is too abstruse； and besides； I think my wife is the proper
person to receive the dedication of my life's work。 At the same
time； it is very odd … it really looks like the transmigration of
souls … I feel that I must do something for Fergusson； Burns has
been before me with the gravestone。 It occurs to me you might take
a walk down the Canongate and see in what condition the stone is。
If it be at all uncared for； we might repair it； and perhaps add a
few words of inscription。
I must tell you； what I just remembered in a flash as I was walking
about dictating this letter … there was in the original plan of the
MASTER OF BALLANTRAE a sort of introduction describing my arrival
in Edinburgh on a visit to yourself and your placing in my hands
the papers of the story。 I actually wrote it； and then condemned
the idea … as being a little too like Scott； I suppose。 Now I must
really find the MS。 and try to finish it for the E。 E。 It will
give you； what I should so much like you to have； another corner of
your own in that lofty monument。
Suppose we do what I have proposed about Fergusson's monument； I
wonder if an inscription like this would look arrogant …
This stone originally erected
by Robert Burns has been
repaired at the
charges of Robert Louis Stevenson；
and is by him re…dedicated to
the memory of Robert Fergusson；
as the gift of one Edinburgh
lad to another。
In spacing this inscription I would detach the names of Fergusson
and Burns； but leave mine in the text。
Or would that look like sham modesty； and is it better to bring out
the three Roberts？
Letter： TO R。 A。 M。 STEVENSON
VAILIMA； JUNE 1894。
MY DEAR BOB； … I must make out a letter this mail or perish in the
attempt。 All the same； I am deeply stupid； in bed with a cold；
deprived of my amanuensis； and conscious of the wish but not the
furnished will。 You may be interested to hear how the family
inquiries go。 It is now quite certain that we are a second…rate
lot； and came out of Cunningham or Clydesdale； therefore BRITISH
folk； so that you are Cymry on both sides； and I Cymry and Pict。
We may have fought with King Arthur and known Merlin。 The first of
the family； Stevenson of Stevenson； was quite a great party； and
dates back to the wars of Edward First。 The last male heir of
Stevenson of Stevenson died 1670； 220 pounds； 10s。 to the bad； from
drink。 About the same time the Stevensons； who were mostly in
Cunningham before； crop up suddenly in the parish of Neilston； over
the border in Renfrewshire。 Of course； they may have been there
before； but there is no word of them in that parish till 1675 in
any extracts I have。 Our first traceable ancestor was a tenant
farmer of Muir of Cauldwells … James in Nether…Carsewell。
Presently two families of maltmen are found in Glasgow； both； by
re…duplicated proofs； related to James （the son of James） in Nether
Carsewell。 We descend by his second marriage from Robert； one of
these died 1733。 It is not very romantic up to now； but has
interested me surprisingly to fish out； always hoping for more …
and occasionally getting at least a little clearness and
confirmation。 But the earliest date； 1655； apparently the marriage
of James in Nether Carsewell； cannot as yet be pushed back。 From
which of any number of dozen little families in Cunningham we
should derive； God knows！ Of course； it doesn't matter a hundred
years hence； an argument fatal to all human enterprise； industry；
or pleasure。 And to me it will be a deadly disappointment if I
cannot roll this stone away！ One generation further might be
nothing； but it is my present object of desire； and we are so near
it！ There is a man in the same parish called Constantine； if I
could only trace to him； I could take you far afield by that one
talisman of the strange Christian name of Constantine。 But no such
luck！ And I kind of fear we shall stick at James。
So much； though all inchoate； I trouble you with； knowing that you；
at least； must take an interest in it。 So much is certain of that
strange Celtic descent； that the past has an interest for it
apparently gratuitous； but fiercely strong。 I wish to trace my
ancestors a thousand years； if I trace them by gallowses。 It is
not love； not pride； not admiration； it is an expansion of the
identity； intimately pleasing； and wholly uncritical； I can expend
myself in the person of an inglorious ancestor with perfect
comfort； or a disgraced； if I could find one。 I suppose； perhaps；
it is more to me who am childless； and refrain with a certain shock
from looking forwards。 But； I am sure； in th