New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-18
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.


70 the merely startling is permanent IN htera-
,ure then the name of Robert Louis Baiour sic
venson will be immortal If mere grace of style
randers certain A lasting fame then he Is sure OF
4, Tho exnerience of the past. however rehders
these contingencies doubtful. When that when
., tho outset seemed startling has been found 10
ba only a clearer reading f tn worlds mysteries
Il has been accepted and has gradually taken l'S
Mace In the lore Of humanity But II II turns out
merely an eccentrcity of the individual or even
q group of individuals. no matter now hu-
ms,ous IL gradually falls into oblivion. VIII any
one saw that a book which makes the dis'inc'io"
between the good side and the bad in man
character rest chemical reacuoh Is Pe'
manent contribution to morals?
Tho son Of Thomas Stevenson. celebrated
LIGHTHOUSE engineer and the author OF a work on
Lighthouse Optics" Louis Stevenson was porn
IN Edinburgh. November l3. 1850 HIS grahu-
father had also been engineer Of wide repu'e'
1,us's childhood was a time OF anxiety for MS
narents and especially for his nurse Alison Gun
ninrhan,e for il seemed impossible that ne cou'd
live 10 manhood. Whatever there was Oh '"e
erratlc idler in his disposition may well De at
irhuted to those years OF forced ihac'ion 80 "''-
usual for a child. When he reached schooi ase
he was sent to what was known as the lhSu'u-
ton" in Queen-st.. Edinburgh. and there 'he pc
culiarjties due TO his earlier years were observer
by the few Of his comrades who could spare tlfhe
from their more boisterous pleasures 10 iHdhe '''
oooua,ntance of the shy pale lad whose life was
q struggle with death. one OF his contemporaries
remembers that he took next 10 no interest III
the daily lessons. but that ne was always reauihe
Erarch povels'' OF his college days. he himself
has left the record "All through my boyhooh anu
youth was known and pointed out for the pat
my ou,n nr,vate end which was to learn 10
write" His constant companions were pii"'eu
hook and A blank book for his own scribohhe
-, ra,La1" writes he my mind was busy
firing what saw with appropriate words; wheh
7 cat ~, the roadside would either read or
,e,cu and a nenny versiOn-bOo would De IN lily
hand N note down the features OF the scene VI
N commemorate some hating stanzas mus
lived with words" 1t was thus that Ms "'''
book one known to few even or MS aoirie'a' So
into his head and out again in the form 81
green-covered pamphlet entitled Inc iei''
Rising a Page of History, 1866 ihoush o"'S
TWENTY-FIVE pages in length. and thoush ii'''i'"
ture in style II Is said by those VINO nave ie"u i
TO have the vivldness ADD simplicity Vi IL"
tive nv on ove-witness Naturally at sixteen the
youth. In the midst OF such influences "
rounded him was an ardent Covenanter In fac''
,n..x... ,ho ossav he had as il were. acted the
drama Of persecution and religious constancy Il"
n. - nrsor 81 skulked in my favorlte
vjId.rraos" no Saws like Cameronian OF '"e
Killing Time and John Todd was my CIa'''"'u :
and b,s dogs nv auestng Dragons but ''e
vanderpgs NJ which this little book was the ear
lest result do not seem TO have impressed lawn
ably those who knew the boy. lie wa" va
temptuous,y described as lying aDoo' the 49,
backs wi a bulk" And 1t is not very SUI ~ ''.'e
that the elder stevenson looked asKahce a' ""N'
must have seemed trining habits All '"e '' 90,
OF the race seemed at that time to nave oo~eu o''
Of this long lazy. feckless youngster' nun" -.
with a few comrades who cuitiVateu ''''
silent and sulky in the presence Oh 'i''' ,.o,
he instinctively held unworthy 10 De 60,
into his little world OF !maginings." If the Sco'-
fish adventures OF Dodd. the nero Vi :,
wrecker." be Stevenson's work ana not ''"'
h,s 10 ,.horor Osborne one may suspect SOME
ren;niscence in Il OF the clash between o'e"'',
indifferent voutb and a hard-headed prac"'o
father .
On the other hand both father ana sol" "
have known nv what a slender thread 'he YUM
lo,erer chung TO l.fe The boy never 'e
Greek and quoted Professor B.ackie WIN ~
amusement az kind enough to reha'H va
did not know my face" II he couio nav ,,d
Greek without a lexicon al his elbow % u,,,
the French and English authors in MS ia'o' :.
nook beside that "nameess trickle tha' 'p'" e-,.
the green side Of Allermuir. and Is leu ,,,I
Halkerside with a perennial teacupiu' "e ,,,
doubtless have been as friendly 10 '"e -,
literature to the modern But eVe" ~ - h.
never got beyond the less perfect s'"se IN.
could read a Greek book, with MS iees % -,
fender" and Macaulay's industry wo"'o s." 60
have frightened stevenson Only one OF h'S -
structors Professor Fleming Jenkin seems -