robert louis stevenson-第5章
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nsive; and dispensed in the most hidden and secret ways。 He acted here on the Scripture direction; 〃Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth。〃 He was much exercised when I saw him about some defects; as he held; in the methods of Scotch education (for he was a true lover of youth; and cared more for character being formed than for heads being merely crammed)。 Sagacious; with fine forecast; with a high ideal; and yet up to a certain point a most tolerant temper; he was a fine specimen of the Scottish gentleman。 His son tells that; as he was engaged in work calculated to benefit the world and to save life; he would not for long take out a patent for his inventions; and thus lost immense sums。 I can well believe that: it seems quite in keeping with my impressions of the man。 There was nothing stolid or selfishly absorbed in him。 He bore the marks of deep; true; honest feeling; true benevolence; and open…handed generosity; and despite the son's great pen…craft; and inventive power; would have forgiven my saying that sometimes I have had a doubt whether the father was not; after all; the greater man of the two; though certainly not; like the hero of IN MEMORIAM; moulded 〃in colossal calm。〃
In theological matters; in which Thomas Stevenson had been much and deeply exercised; he held very strong views; leading decisively to ultra…Calvinism; but; as I myself could well sympathise with such views; if I did not hold them; knowing well the strange ways in which they had gone to form grand; if sometimes sternly forbidding characters; there were no cross…purposes as there might have been with some on that subject。 And always I felt I had an original character and a most interesting one to study。
This is another very characteristic letter to me from Davos Platz:
〃CHALET BUOL; DAVOS; GRISONS; SWITZERLAND。 (NO DATE。)
〃MY DEAR DR JAPP; … You must think me a forgetful rogue; as indeed I am; for I have but now told my publisher to send you a copy of the FAMILIAR STUDIES。 However; I own I have delayed this letter till I could send you the enclosed。 Remembering the night at Braemar; when we visited the picture…gallery; I hoped they might amuse you。
〃You see we do some publishing hereaway。
〃With kind regards; believe me; always yours faithfully; ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。〃
〃I shall hope to see you in town in May。〃
The enclosed was the second series of MORAL EMBLEMS; by R。 L。 Stevenson; printed by Samuel Osbourne。 My answer to this letter brought the following:
〃CHALET…BUOL; DAVOS; APRIL 1st; 1882。
〃MY DEAR DR JAPP; … A good day to date this letter; which is; in fact; a confession of incapacity。 During my wife's wretched illness … or I should say the worst of it; for she is not yet rightly well … I somewhat lost my head; and entirely lost a great quire of corrected proofs。 This is one of the results: I hope there are none more serious。 I was never so sick of any volume as I was of that; I was continually receiving fresh proofs with fresh infinitesimal difficulties。 I was ill; I did really fear; for my wife was worse than ill。 Well; 'tis out now; and though I have already observed several carelessnesses myself; and now here is another of your finding … of which indeed; I ought to be ashamed … it will only justify the sweeping humility of the preface。
〃Symonds was actually dining with us when your letter came; and I communicated your remarks; which pleased him。 He is a far better and more interesting thing than his books。
〃The elephant was my wife's; so she is proportionately elate you should have picked it out for praise from a collection; let us add; so replete with the highest qualities of art。
〃My wicked carcass; as John Knox calls it; holds together wonderfully。 In addition to many other things; and a volume of travel; I find I have written since December ninety Cornhill pp。 of Magazine work … essays and stories … 40;000 words; and I am none the worse … I am better。 I begin to hope I may; if not outlive this wolverine upon my shoulders; at least carry him bravely like Symonds or Alexander Pope。 I begin to take a pride in that hope。
〃I shall be much interested to see your criticisms: you might perhaps send them on to me。 I believe you know that I am not dangerous … one folly I have not … I am not touchy under criticism。
〃Sam and my wife both beg to be remembered; and Sam also sends as a present a work of his own。 … Yours very sincerely; ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。〃
As indicating the estimate of many of the good Edinburgh people of Stevenson and the Stevensons that still held sway up to so late a date as 1893; I will here extract two characteristic passages from the letters of the friend and correspondent of these days just referred to; and to whom I had sent a copy of the ATALANTA Magazine; with an article of mine on Stevenson。
〃If you can excuse the garrulity of age; I can tell you one or two things about Louis Stevenson; his father and even his grandfather; which you may work up some other day; as you have so deftly embedded in the ATALANTA article that small remark on his acting。 Your paper is pleasant and modest: most of R。 L。 Stevenson's admirers are inclined to lay it on far too thick。 That he is a genius we all admit; but his genius; if fine; is limited。 For example; he cannot paint (or at least he never has painted) a woman。 No more could Fettes Douglas; skilful artist though he was in his own special line; and I shall tell you a remark of Russel's thereon some day。 (4) There are women in his books; but there is none of the beauty and subtlety of womanhood in them。
〃R。 L。 Stevenson I knew well as a lad and often met him and talked with him。 He acted in private theatricals got up by the late Professor Fleeming Jenkin。 But he had then; as always; a pretty guid conceit o' himsel' … which his clique have done nothing to check。 His father and his grandfather (I have danced with his mother before her marriage) I knew better; but 'the family theologian;' as some of R。 L。 Stevenson's friends dabbed his father; was a very touchy theologian; and denounced any one who in the least differed from his extreme Calvinistic views。 I came under his lash most unwittingly in this way myself。 But for this twist; he was a good fellow … kind and hospitable … and a really able man in his profession。 His father…in…law; R。 L。 Stevenson's maternal grandfather; was the Rev。 Dr Balfour; minister of Colinton … one of the finest…looking old men I ever saw … tall; upright; and ruddy at eighty。 But he was marvellously feeble as a preacher; and often said things that were deliciously; unconsciously; unintentionally laughable; if not witty。 We were near Colinton for some years; and Mr Russell (of the SCOTSMAN); who once attended the Parish Church with us; was greatly tickled by Balfour discoursing on the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife; remarking that Mrs P…'s conduct was 'highly improper'!〃
The estimate of R。 L。 Stevenson was not and could not be final in this case; for WEIR OF HERMISTON and CATRIONA were yet unwritten; not to speak of others; but the passages reflect a certain side of Edinburgh opinion; illustrating the old Scripture doctrine that a prophet has honour everywhere but in his own country。 And the passages themselves bear evidence that I violate no confidence then; for they were given to me to be worked into any after…effort I might make on Stevenson。 My friend was a good and an acute critic who had done some acceptable literary work in his day。
CHAPTER III … THE CHILD FATHER OF THE MAN
R。 L。 STEVENSON was born on 13th November 1850; the very year of the death of his grandfather; Robert Stevenson; whom he has so finely celebrated。 As a mere child he gave token of his character。 As soon as he could read; he was keen for books; and; before very long; had read all the story…books he could lay hands on; and; when the stock ran out; he would go and look in at all the shop windows within reach; and try to piece out the stories from the bits exposed in open pages and the woodcuts。
He had a nurse of very remarkable character … evidently