New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-24

and his heartrendng efforts to reach the stanoaru
10 which he was feeling his way all his lie iohs'
These portions of the correspondence Will be IN
valuable to those precious critics who see noun
Ing in Stevenson but the Artist. the Artist 'he
everlasting Artist But the substantial value Vi
the vailima letters resides in their showing more
wildly than has ever been shown before one IN
teresting side of an impressionabie nature inc
most impressonable side. There Is fascination
IN this picture of man OF genius settling at last.
all wayworn and ailing, thousands or miles from
his most familiar haunts for In the depths OF
tropical region, AMI there undergoing In spite or
himself. a positive moding OF hts temperament.
II was a mysterious environment at the best.
and II made Stevenson restless. threw new
colors over his mind and work. stirred MIN
to subtle and more tormenting civnatiohs
NJ what he would like to do and thought
he could not. For he is never content with
his work. II style won't return to him;
he Is In despair. and the years of which MI
Colvin has given 20 us this picture appear to
have been a space of transition. time in which
the romancer was tossed about on little storms
of thinking on little seas of imagina ton. in
whirling clouds of high ambition from which he
must ultimately have emerged. had he lived, with
powers strengthened and his genius purified as
though by fire. The struggle ended, however as
we know and the highest peaks to which steven
son aspired remained an unexplored domain
The domain would have yielded his secrets 10
him, II is probable, and to him alone-a peaut-
full domain of pure romance with all the charni
of gentle and most sweetly human character
making us return to 1t and rejoice within Its
walls There must come now to every penetrat-
ing reader of the letters deep compassion for
the gallant struggler with such depressing odds.
The tension never relaxes. Try as he may, let
him be his bravest and smile his sunniest. the
fight was nevertheless a fight not one against
i'll health alone. but against a terrible weight
Of literary torment. 1t Is no wonder thal
Stevenson in so many Of his productions in
Spires dissatisfaction and wakes doubts Of his
longevity as a writer. He preoccupied with
literature with TIE art of making literature, to
an extent that is far from seeming, in letters
like these no more than the desirable measure
Of an ambitious man. His writings under the
demon of Art painful TO think on man
who lived in state like this would be hard put
TO II TO produce a masterpiece.
Two other volumes invite at this time re-
turn to the consideration Of this question or
whether Stevenson is great writer or not
new edition of his "Child's Garden Of Verses"
has been brought out, with illustrations drawn so
we'll that the book is more than ever winsome
and delightful, and the publishers who
give u9 the Vailima letters provide also an edi-
ton of "Macare." the play written In collabora-
ton between Stevenson and his friend Henley.
There is far less febrile excitement reflected in
these works than in the letters. But neither OF
the two volumes strikes us as being of major
quality The verse has a certain fragile charm
which is true and pleasing. The drama, or rather
the dramatic essay. has humor, and neatness
of dialogue which especially commands admira-
ton For the rest, all this Stevensonia provokes
a reflection similar to that which was offered In
this place not long ago. Stevenson had poetic
feeling and when 1t wrought its will upon him
IL gave him charm. But his genius was variable
in its triumphs Some Of the latter were great,
others were small "Maoaire" and the book OF
verses belong in the latter category The Nallima
letters give the grain and movement OF his life
in four interesting years, and in so far as they
throw any light on the triumphs for which he
strove they suggest that he might have won
more had it not been for the lack which has be-
fore this been pointed out in this place. single
ness Of aim accompanied by concentration of
power.