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This day is published
The works of Ludwig van Beethoven
arranged
and wiederdurchgearbeiteted
for two melodious forefingers
by；
Sir； … Your obedient servant；
PIMPERLY STIPPLE。
That's a good idea？ There's a person called Lenz who actually does
it … beware his den； I lost eighteenpennies on him； and found the
bleeding corpses of pieces of music divorced from their keys；
despoiled of their graces； and even changed in time； I do not wish
to regard music （nor to be regarded） through that bony Lenz。 You
say you are 'a spumfed idiot'； but how about Lenz？ And how about
me； sir； me？
I yesterday sent Lloyd by parcel post； at great expense； an empty
matchbox and empty cigarette…paper book； a bell from a cat's
collar； an iron kitchen spoon； and a piece of coal more than half
the superficies of this sheet of paper。 They are now
（appropriately enough） speeding towards the Silly Isles； I hope he
will find them useful。 By that； and my telegram with prepaid
answer to yourself； you may judge of my spiritual state。 The
finances have much brightened； and if KIDNAPPED keeps on as it has
begun； I may be solvent。 … Yours；
THRENODIAE AVCTOR
（The authour of ane Threnodie）。
Op。 2： Scherzo （in G Major） expressive of the Sense of favours to
come。
Letter： TO R。 A。 M。 STEVENSON
SKERRYVORE ＇BOURNEMOUTH； JULY 1886＇。
DEAR BOB； … Herewith another shy； more melancholy than before； but
I think not so abjectly idiotic。 The musical terms seem to be as
good as in Beethoven； and that； after all； is the great affair。
Bar the dam bareness of the base； it looks like a piece of real
music from a distance。 I am proud to say it was not made one hand
at a time； the base was of synchronous birth with the treble； they
are of the same age； sir； and may God have mercy on their souls！ …
Yours；
THE MAESTRO。
Letter： TO MR。 AND MRS。 THOMAS STEVENSON
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JULY 7TH； 1886。
MY DEAR PEOPLE； … It is probably my fault； and not yours； that I
did not understand。 I think it would be well worth trying the
winter in Bournemouth； but I would only take the house by the month
… this after mature discussion。 My leakage still pursues its
course； if I were only well； I have a notion to go north and get in
（if I could） at the inn at Kirkmichael； which has always smiled
upon me much。 If I did well there； we might then meet and do what
should most smile at the time。
Meanwhile； of course； I must not move； and am in a rancid box here；
feeling the heat a great deal； and pretty tired of things。
Alexander did a good thing of me at last； it looks like a mixture
of an aztec idol； a lion； an Indian Rajah； and a woman； and
certainly represents a mighty comic figure。 F。 and Lloyd both
think it is the best thing that has been done of me up to now。
You should hear Lloyd on the penny whistle； and me on the piano！
Dear powers； what a concerto！ I now live entirely for the piano；
he for the whistle； the neighbours； in a radius of a furlong and a
half； are packing up in quest of brighter climes。 … Ever yours；
R。 L。 S。
P。S。 … Please say if you can afford to let us have money for this
trip； and if so； how much。 I can see the year through without
help； I believe； and supposing my health to keep up； but can scarce
make this change on my own metal。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH； JULY 1886＇。
DEAR CHARLES； … Doubtless； if all goes well； towards the 1st of
August we shall be begging at your door。 Thanks for a sight of the
papers； which I return （you see） at once； fearing further
responsibility。
Glad you like Dauvit； but eh； man； yon's terrible strange conduc'
o' thon man Rankeillor。 Ca' him a legal adviser！ It would make a
bonny law…shuit； the Shaws case； and yon paper they signed； I'm
thinking； wouldnae be muckle thought o' by Puggy Deas。 … Yours
ever；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO THOMAS STEVENSON
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH＇； JULY 28； 1886。
MY DEAR FATHER； … We have decided not to come to Scotland； but just
to do as Dobell wished； and take an outing。 I believe this is
wiser in all ways； but I own it is a disappointment。 I am weary of
England； like Alan； 'I weary for the heather；' if not for the deer。
Lloyd has gone to Scilly with Katharine and C。； where and with whom
he should have a good time。 David seems really to be going to
succeed； which is a pleasant prospect on all sides。 I am； I
believe； floated financially； a book that sells will be a pleasant
novelty。 I enclose another review； mighty complimentary； and
calculated to sell the book too。
Coolin's tombstone has been got out； honest man！ and it is to be
polished； for it has got scratched； and have a touch of gilding in
the letters； and be sunk in the front of the house。 Worthy man；
he； too； will maybe weary for the heather； and the bents of
Gullane； where （as I dare say you remember） he gaed clean gyte； and
jumped on to his crown from a gig； in hot and hopeless chase of
many thousand rabbits。 I can still hear the little cries of the
honest fellow as he disappeared； and my mother will correct me； but
I believe it was two days before he turned up again at North
Berwick： to judge by his belly； he had caught not one out of these
thousands； but he had had some exercise。
I keep well。 … Ever your affectionate son；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MRS。 THOMAS STEVENSON
BRITISH MUSEUM ＇AUGUST 10TH； 1886＇。
MY DEAR MOTHER； … We are having a capital holiday； and I am much
better； and enjoying myself to the nines。 Richmond is painting my
portrait。 To…day I lunch with him； and meet Burne…Jones； to…night
Browning dines with us。 That sounds rather lofty work； does it
not？ His path was paved with celebrities。 To…morrow we leave for
Paris； and next week； I suppose； or the week after； come home。
Address here； as we may not reach Paris。 I am really very well。 …
Ever your affectionate son；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO T。 WATTS…DUNTON
SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH ＇SEPTEMBER 1886＇。
DEAR MR。 WATTS； The sight of the last ATHENAEUM reminds me of you；
and of my debt； now too long due。 I wish to thank you for your
notice of KIDNAPPED； and that not because it was kind； though for
that also I valued it； but in the same sense as I have thanked you
before now for a hundred articles on a hundred different writers。
A critic like you is one who fights the good fight； contending with
stupidity； and I would fain hope not all in vain； in my own case；
for instance； surely not in vain。
What you say of the two parts in KIDNAPPED was felt by no one more
painfully than by myself。 I began it partly as a lark； partly as a
pot…boiler； and suddenly it moved； David and Alan stepped out from
the canvas； and I found I was in another world。 But there was the
cursed beginning； and a cursed end must be appended； and our old
friend Byles the butcher was plainly audible tapping at the back
door。 So it had to go into the world； one part （as it does seem to
me） alive； one part merely galvanised： no work； only an essay。
For a man of tentative method； and weak health； and a scarcity of
private means； and not too much of that frugality which is the
artist's proper virtue； the days of sinecures and patrons look very
golden： the days of professional literature very hard。 Yet I do
not so far deceive myself as to think I should change my character
by changing my epoch； the sum of virtue in our books is in a
relation of equality to the sum of virtues in ourselves； and my
KIDNAPPED was doomed； while still in the womb and while I was yet
in the cradle； to be the thing it is。
And now to the more genial business of defence。 You