robert louis stevenson-第39章

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ven　than　the　TRAVELS　WITH　A　　DONKEY　IN　THE　CEVENNES　or　the　INLAND　VOYAGE。　　These　might　be　ranked　　with　the　〃Sentimental　Journeys〃　that　have　sometimes　been　the　　fashion　…　that　was　truly　of　a　prosaic　and　risky　order。　　The　appeal　　thus　made　to　an　element　deep　in　the　English　nature　will　do　much　to　　keep　his　memory　green　in　the　hearts　that　could　not　rise　to　　appreciation　of　his　style　and　literary　gifts　at　all。　　He　loves　the　　roadways　and　the　by…ways；　and　those　to　be　met　with　there　…　like　him　　in　this；　though　unlike　him　in　most　else。　　The　love　of　the　roadsides　　and　the　greenwood　…　and　the　queer　miscellany　of　life　there　unfolded　　and　ever　changing　…　a　kind　of　gipsy…like　longing　for　the　tent　and　　familiar　contact　with　nature　and　rude　human…nature　in　the　open　　dates　from　beyond　Chaucer；　and　remains　and　will　have　gratification　　…　the　longing　for　novelty　and　all　the　accidents；　as　it　were；　of　　pilgrimage　and　rude　social　travel。　　You　see　it　bubble　up；　like　a　　true　and　new　nature…spring；　through　all　the　surface　coatings　of　　culture　and　artificiality；　in　Stevenson。　　He　anew；　without　　pretence；　enlivens　it　…　makes　it　first　a　part　of　himself；　and　then　　a　part　of　literature　once　more。　　Listen　to　him；　as　he　sincerely　　sings　this　passion　for　the　pilgrimage　…　or　the　modern　phase　of　it　…　　innocent　vagabond　roving：


〃Give　to　me　the　life　I　love；　Let　the　lave　go　by　me；　Give　the　jolly　heaven　above；　And　the　by…way　nigh　me：　Bed　in　the　bush；　with　stars　to　see；　Bread　I　dip　in　the　river　…　Here's　the　life　for　a　man　like　me；　Here's　the　life　for　ever。。。。

〃Let　the　blow　fall　soon　or　late；　Let　what　will　be　o'er　me；　Give　the　face　of　earth　around　And　the　road　before　me。　Health　I　ask　not；　hope　nor　love；　Nor　a　friend　to　know　me：　All　I　ask　the　heaven　above；　And　the　road　below　me。〃


True；　this　is　put　in　the　mouth　of　another；　but　Stevenson　could　not　　have　so　voiced　it；　had　he　not　been　the　born　rover　that　he　was；　with　　longing　for　the　roadside；　the　high　hills；　and　forests　and　newcomers　　and　varied　miscellaneous　company。　　Here　he　does　more　directly　speak　　in　his　own　person　and　quite　to　the　same　effect：


〃I　will　make　you　brooches　and　toys　for　your　delight　Of　bird　song　at　morning；　and　star　shine　at　night；　I　will　make　a　palace　fit　for　you　and　me；　Of　green　days　in　forests　and　blue　days　at　sea。

〃I　will　make　my　kitchen；　and　you　shall　keep　your　room；　Where　white　flows　the　river；　and　bright　blows　the　broom；　And　you　shall　wash　your　linen　and　keep　your　body　white；　In　rainfall　at　morning　and　dew…fall　at　night。

〃And　this　shall　be　for　music　when　no　one　else　is　near；　The　fine　song　for　singing；　the　rare　song　to　hear！　That　only　I　remember；　that　only　you　admire；　Of　the　broad　road　that　stretches；　and　the　roadside　fire。〃


Here　Stevenson；　though　original　in　his　vein　and　way；　but　follows　a　　great　and　gracious　company　in　which　Fielding　and　Sterne　and　so　many　　others　stand　as　pleasant　proctors。　　Scott　and　Dickens　have　each　in　　their　way　essayed　it；　and　made　much　of　it　beyond　what　mere　　sentiment　would　have　reached。　　PICKWICK　itself　…　and　we　must　always　　regard　Dickens　as　having　himself　gone　already　over　every　bit　of　　road；　described　every　nook　and　corner；　and　tried　every　resource　…　　is　a　vagrant　fellow；　in　a　group　of　erratic　and　most　quaint　　wanderers　or　pilgrims。　　This　is　but　a　return　phase　of　it；　Vincent　　Crummles　and　Mrs　Crummles　and　the　〃Infant　Phenomenon；〃　yet　another。　　　The　whole　interest　lies　in　the　roadways；　and　the　little　inns；　and　　the　odd　and　unexpected　RENCONTRES　with　oddly…assorted　fellows　there　　experienced：　　glimpses　of　grim　or　grimy；　or　forbidding；　or　happy；　　smiling　smirking　vagrants；　and　out…at…elbows　fellow…passengers　and　　guests；　with　jests　and　quips　and　cranks；　and　hanky…panky　even。　　On　　high　roads　and　in　inns；　and　alehouses；　with　travelling　players；　　rogues　and　tramps；　Dickens　was　quite　at　home；　and　what　is　yet　more；　　he　made　us　all　quite　at　home　with　them：　　and　he　did　it　as　Chaucer　　did　it　by　thorough　good　spirits　and　〃hail…fellow…well…met。〃　　And；　　with　all　his　faults；　he　has　this　merit　as　well　as　some　others；　that　　he　went　willingly　on　pilgrimage　always；　and　took　others；　promoting　　always　love　of　comrades；　fun；　and　humorous　by…play。　　The　latest　　great　romancer；　too；　took　his　side：　　like　Dickens；　he　was　here　full　　brother　of　Dan　Chaucer；　and　followed　him。　　How　characteristic　it　is　　when　he　tells　Mr　Trigg　that　he　preferred　Samoa　to　Honolulu　because　　it　was　more　savage；　and　therefore　yielded　more　FUN。



CHAPTER　XXX　…　LORD　ROSEBERY'S　CASE



IMMEDIATELY　on　reading　Lord　Rosebery's　address　as　Chairman　of　the　　meeting　in　Edinburgh　to　promote　the　erection　of　a　monument　to　R。　L。　　Stevenson；　I　wrote　to　him　politely　asking　him　whether；　since　he　　quoted　a　passage　from　a　somewhat　early　essay　by　Stevenson　naming　　the　authors　who　had　chiefly　influenced　him　in　point　of　style；　his　　Lordship　should　not；　merely　in　justice　and　for　the　sake　of　balance；　　have　referred　to　Thoreau。　　I　also　remarked　that　Stevenson's　later　　style　sometimes　showed　too　much　self…conscious　conflict　of　his　　various　models　in　his　mind　while　he　was　in　the　act　of　writing；　and　　that　this　now　and　then　imparted　too　much　an　air　of　artifice　to　his　　later　compositions；　and　that　those　who　knew　most　would　be　most　　troubled　by　it。　　Of　that　letter；　I　much　regret　now　that　I　did　not　　keep　any　copy；　but　I　think　I　did　incidentally　refer　to　the　　friendship　with　which　Stevenson　had　for　so　many　years　honoured　me。　　　This　is　a　copy　of　the　letter　received　in　reply：


〃38　BERKELEY　SQUARE；　W。；　17th　DECEMBER　1896。

〃DEAR　SIR；　…　I　am　much　obliged　for　your　letter；　and　can　only　state　　that　the　name　of　Thoreau　was　not　mentioned　by　Stevenson　himself；　　and　therefore　I　could　not　cite　it　in　my　quotation。

〃With　regard　to　the　style　of　Stevenson's　later　works；　I　am　inclined　　to　agree　with　you。…Believe　me；　yours　very　faithfully；　ROSEBERY。　〃Dr　ALEXANDER　H。　JAPP。〃


This　I　at　once　replied　to　as　follows：


〃NATIONAL　LIBERAL　CLUB；　WHITEHALL。　　PLACE；　S。W。；　19TH　DECEMBER　1896。


〃MY　LORD；　…　It　is　true　R。　L。　Stevenson　did　not　refer　to　Thoreau　in　　the　passage　to　which　you　allude；　for　the　good　reason　that　he　could　　not；　since　he　did　not　know　Thoreau　till　after　it　was　written；　but　　if　you　will　oblige　me　and　be　so　good　as　to　turn　to　p。　xix。　of　　Preface；　BY　WAY　OF　CRITICISM；　to　FAMILIAR　STUDIES　OF　MEN　AND　BOOKS　　you　will　read：

〃'Upon　me　this　pure；　narrow；　sunnily…ascetic　Thoreau　had　exercised　　a　wondrous　charm。　　I　HAVE　SCARCE　WRITTEN　TEN　SENTENCES　SINCE　I　WAS　　INTRODUCED　TO　HIM；　BUT　HIS　INFLUENCE　MIGHT　BE　SOMEWHERE　DETECTED　BY　　A　CLOSE　OBSERVER。'

〃It　is　very　detectable　in　many　passages　of　nature…description　and　　of　reflection。　　I　write；　my　Lord；　merely　that；　in　case　opportunity　　should　arise；　you　might　notice　this　fact。　　I　am　sure　R。　L。　　Stevenson　would　have　liked　it　recognised。　…　I　remain；　my　Lord；　　always　yours　faithfully；　etc。；

ALEXANDER　H。　JAPP。〃


In　reply　to　this　Lord　Rosebery　sent　me　only　the　most　formal　　acknowledgment；　not　in　the　least　encouraging　me　in　any　way　to　　further　aid　him　in　the　matter　with　regard　to　suggestions　of　any　　kind；　so　that　I　was　helpless　to　press　on　his　lordship　the　need　for　　some　corrections　on　other　points　which　I　would　most　willingly　have　　tendered　to　him　had　he　shown　himself　inclined　or　ready　to　receive　　them。

I　might　also　have　referred　Lord　Rosebery　to　the　article　in　THE　　BRITISH　WEEKLY　（1887）；　〃Books　that　have　Influenced　Me；〃　where；　　after　having　spoken　of　Shakespeare；　the　VICOMTE　DE　BRAGELONNE；　　Bunyan；　Montaigne；　Goethe；　Martial；　Marcus　Aurelius's　MEDITATIONS；　　and　Wordsworth；　he　proceeds：


〃I　suppose；　when　I　am　done；　I　shall　find　that　I　have　forgotten　much　　that　is　influential；　as　I　see　already　I　have　forgotten　Thoreau。〃


I　need　but　to　add　to　what　has　been　said　already　that；　had　Lord　　Rosebery　written　and　told　me　the　result　of　his　references　and　　encouraged　me　to　such　an　exercise；　I　should　by…and…by　have　been　　very　pleased　to　point　out　to　him　that　he　blundered；　proving　himself　　no　master　in　Burns'　literature；　precisely　as　Mr　Henley　blundered　　about　Burns'　ancestry；　when　he　gives　confirmation　to　the　idea　that　　Burns　came　of　a　race　of　peasants　on　both　sides；　and　was　himself　　nothing　but　a　peasant。

When　the　opportunity　came　to　correct　such　blunders；　corrections　　w