按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
photographs of the war； which will do for illustrations。 It is
conceivable you might wish to handle this in the Magazine； although
I am inclined to think you won't； and to agree with you。 But if
you think otherwise； there it is。 The travel letters （fifty of
them） are already contracted for in papers； these I was quite bound
to let M'Clure handle； as the idea was of his suggestion； and I
always felt a little sore as to one trick I played him in the
matter of the end…papers。 The war…volume will contain some very
interesting and picturesque details： more I can't promise for it。
Of course the fifty newspaper letters will be simply patches chosen
from the travel volume （or volumes） as it gets written。
But you see I have in hand：…
Say half done。 1。 THE WRECKER。
Lloyd's copy half done； mine not touched。 2。 THE PEARL FISHER （a
novel promised to the LEDGER； and which will form； when it comes in
book form； No。 2 of our SOUTH SEA YARNS）。
Not begun； but all material ready。 3。 THE WAR VOLUME。
Ditto。 4。 THE BIG TRAVEL BOOK； which includes the letters。
You know how they stand。 5。 THE BALLADS。
EXCUSEZ DU PEU！ And you see what madness it would be to make any
fresh engagement。 At the same time； you have THE WRECKER and the
WAR VOLUME； if you like either … or both … to keep my name in the
Magazine。
It begins to look as if I should not be able to get any more
ballads done this somewhile。 I know the book would sell better if
it were all ballads； and yet I am growing half tempted to fill up
with some other verses。 A good few are connected with my voyage；
such as the 'Home of Tembinoka' sent herewith； and would have a
sort of slight affinity to the SOUTH SEA BALLADS。 You might tell
me how that strikes a stranger。
In all this； my real interest is with the travel volume； which
ought to be of a really extraordinary interest
I am sending you 'Tembinoka' as he stands； but there are parts of
him that I hope to better； particularly in stanzas III。 and II。 I
scarce feel intelligent enough to try just now； and I thought at
any rate you had better see it； set it up if you think well； and
let me have a proof； so； at least； we shall get the bulk of it
straight。 I have spared you Tenkoruti； Tenbaitake； Tembinatake；
and other barbarous names； because I thought the dentists in the
States had work enough without my assistance； but my chiefs name is
TEMBINOKA； pronounced； according to the present quite modern habit
in the Gilberts； Tembinok'。 Compare in the margin Tengkorootch； a
singular new trick； setting at defiance all South Sea analogy； for
nowhere else do they show even the ability； far less the will； to
end a word upon a consonant。 Loia is Lloyd's name； ship becomes
shipe； teapot； tipote； etc。 Our admirable friend Herman Melville；
of whom； since I could judge； I have thought more than ever； had no
ear for languages whatever： his Hapar tribe should be Hapaa； etc。
But this is of no interest to you： suffice it； you see how I am as
usual up to the neck in projects； and really all likely bairns this
time。 When will this activity cease？ Too soon for me； I dare to
say。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO JAMES PAYN
FEBRUARY 4TH； 1890； SS。 'LUBECK。'
MY DEAR JAMES PAYN； … In virtue of confessions in your last； you
would at the present moment； if you were along of me； be sick； and
I will ask you to receive that as an excuse for my hand of write。
Excuse a plain seaman if he regards with scorn the likes of you
pore land…lubbers ashore now。 （Reference to nautical ditty。）
Which I may however be allowed to add that when eight months' mail
was laid by my side one evening in Apia； and my wife and I sat up
the most of the night to peruse the same … （precious indisposed we
were next day in consequence） … no letter； out of so many； more
appealed to our hearts than one from the pore； stick…in…the…mud；
land…lubbering； common （or garden） Londoner； James Payn。 Thank you
for it； my wife says； 'Can't I see him when we get back to London？'
I have told her the thing appeared to me within the spear of
practical politix。 （Why can't I spell and write like an honest；
sober； god…fearing litry gent？ I think it's the motion of the
ship。） Here I was interrupted to play chess with the chief
engineer； as I grow old； I prefer the 'athletic sport of cribbage；'
of which （I am sure I misquote） I have just been reading in your
delightful LITERARY RECOLLECTIONS。 How you skim along； you and
Andrew Lang （different as you are）； and yet the only two who can
keep a fellow smiling every page； and ever and again laughing out
loud。 I joke wi' deeficulty； I believe； I am not funny； and when I
am； Mrs。 Oliphant says I'm vulgar； and somebody else says （in
Latin） that I'm a whore； which seems harsh and even uncalled for：
I shall stick to weepers； a 5s。 weeper； 2s。 6d。 laugher； 1s。
shocker。
My dear sir； I grow more and more idiotic； I cannot even feign
sanity。 Sometime in the month of June a stalwart weather…beaten
man； evidently of seafaring antecedents； shall be observed wending
his way between the Athenaeum Club and Waterloo Place。 Arrived off
No。 17； he shall be observed to bring his head sharply to the wind；
and tack into the outer haven。 'Captain Payn in the harbour？' …
'Ay； ay； sir。 What ship？' … 'Barquentin R。 L。 S。； nine hundred and
odd days out from the port of Bournemouth； homeward bound； with
yarns and curiosities。'
Who was it said； 'For God's sake； don't speak of it！' about Scott
and his tears？ He knew what he was saying。 The fear of that hour
is the skeleton in all our cupboards； that hour when the pastime
and the livelihood go together； and … I am getting hard of hearing
myself； a pore young child of forty； but new come frae my Mammy； O！
Excuse these follies； and accept the expression of all my regards。
… Yours affectionately；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
UNION CLUB； SYDNEY； MARCH 7TH； 1890。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … I did not send off the enclosed before from
laziness； having gone quite sick； and being a blooming prisoner
here in the club； and indeed in my bedroom。 I was in receipt of
your letters and your ornamental photo； and was delighted to see
how well you looked； and how reasonably well I stood。 。 。 。 I am
sure I shall never come back home except to die； I may do it； but
shall always think of the move as suicidal； unless a great change
comes over me； of which as yet I see no symptom。 This visit to
Sydney has smashed me handsomely； and yet I made myself a prisoner
here in the club upon my first arrival。 This is not encouraging
for further ventures； Sydney winter … or； I might almost say；
Sydney spring； for I came when the worst was over … is so small an
affair； comparable to our June depression at home in Scotland。 。 。
。 The pipe is right again； it was the springs that had rusted； and
ought to have been oiled。 Its voice is now that of an angel； but；
Lord！ here in the club I dare not wake it！ Conceive my impatience
to be in my own backwoods and raise the sound of minstrelsy。 What
pleasures are to be compared with those of the Unvirtuous Virtuoso。
… Yours ever affectionately； the Unvirtuous Virtuoso；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
SS。 'JANET NICOLL；' OFF UPOLU ＇SPRING 1890＇。
MY DEAREST COLVIN； … I was sharply ill at Sydney； cut off； right
out of bed； in this steamer on a fresh island cruise； and have
already reaped the benefit。 We are excellently found this time； on
a spacious vessel； with an excellent table； the captain；
supercargo； our one fellow…passenger； etc。； very nice； and the
charterer； Mr。 Henderson； the very man I could have chosen。 The
truth is； I fear； this life is the only one that suits me； so long