The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-26
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
uEy. r. III. CONVEYS LECTURE on
THE GREAT NOVELIST.
Man Whose ccpiEs HAS Enfo'e"
Name Among the imn'ortais-
Leader of the Younger schooi Oh
Ffcti.n-.uaf,sis of His " ori<s.

Rev. Herbert Henry Gowen. r. X o. ..
rector u trinity parish cAuFsA. asasStsa
last nlzht IN the Chamber Of Commerce
tn second lecture IL his winter series on
art and literature. his theme for the even
ing being Robert Louis Stevenson.
Ia This A. ia his other lectures, Dir.
Cowen showed himself thorough master
o. his subject. and MS inelsise and intel
ieetuaI analysts Of the great noveiists
writings gsa supplemented and Infused ny
g sympathetic and artistic appreciation
which contributed much TO TIE enjoyment
OF the audience aud 10 the literary value
OF the lecture.
The large nah In the Chamber OF Com
raefee building was well rIied. the audi
ence seeming to have realized fully the
treat IL store for tas evening. Every seat
VAS taken. and q number Of people re-
manned standing throughou; the lecture
Ths listeners were aided by clear sylia-
bus Which sir. Gowen had placed conspicu-
ously on a blackboard on which the novel
lists works were grouped IN logical az
rangement.
After an Introductory reference 10 the
subject Of hero-w oFship. the lecturer said
that the critics ana public opinion had
decided TO curoil Robert Louis Stevenson
among the iramDFtais. The estimate placed
upon him as Il writer shortly after MS
bat It haa been confirmed by reflection,
and now the younger school of noveIists
regards Stevenson as their leader. through
whom the most unworthy is a little more
worthy and the meanest a little less mean.
Stevenson. after al his wanderings. re-
manned al heart Scotchman, Scotch IN
that strain OF the uncaBBy which runs
through his writings ina his habit of NOR
ailzing In his wandering habits. and his
! sincere fiiiaI affection.
The lecturer described Stevcnsons grief
a. not being able TO crafty his father hy
following the profession OF an engineer.
his struggle AZ an engineering pupil under
Prof. Fieemlng Jenkin. his brief acaualni-
arce with the iaw courts and then went
on % describe SteveDson's career as an
author. The attempts and failures of
the writer iii he was q ssere recounted
and commented on. then the romantic
origin OF Treasure Island" was given.
Then books of travel such as An In
land Voyage" were described in order,
and the essays which place Stevenson
side by side with Montalgne as primo of
essayists =
The speaker then took up the group Of
works whfeh placed tie writer in the
front rank OF fealists. There is some
faint or morbid feeling in some of them,
but sucD works a. the New Arabian
Nights" "Ths Merry Men" and DIR.
Jekyll and MIR Hyde won universal re-
eognItion for their extraordinary clever
ness ard exquisite art.
Ia a similar way the books which fol-
lowed were rapidly characterized. partic-
ular praise being given 10 kidnapped
and David Baifour." the latter being
remarkable as containing Steyenson's first
sncsse ssfu impersonation OF female char
-aelFr,I The Pacific ocean stories were
. taken ia a group by themselves. some ac-
count being given from the lecturers
knowledge Of the genesis Of The Wreck
err" Next followed brief description Of
the two last novels incc mniete At the
authors death.
The lecturer went on 10 deal with Sic
venson as q writer Of plays. as a writer
OF fables and as the poet of childhood
IN a field where Eugene Field alone was
rival. Several very appropriate fables
and poems were quoted. The next part
81 the lecture described Stevenson as a
man. his life in Samoa. where his heart
npnt stnan into mornings whence no
wifdiass might extract nor any diver fish
II up: his domestic life: his dealings with
the natives. teaching, helping amusing
and worsnipplng with them his literary
methods and his political action. which all
hut led to his deportation by the Ger
mans but which caused the natives to
build fer him the Road Of Gratitude"
and the romantic BURIAL on the Paia
mountain We're depicted. and the lecturer
wound up with eulogy Of Stevenson as
lifelong optimist. courageous preacher
Of the gospel of eheerfuincss under diff
ncult CIRCUMSTANCE as one who consist
entity believed IN the ultimate docsucy of
things ana iahoTsd Ia teach the same n
others. lie had written in one Of his
early essays: by all means begin Your
foiio, even III your doctor gives You onty
= year 90 live; ever ii M hesitates about
month. see what You can accomplish in
week. spirit goes oui of the man
who means execution which outlives the
most untlmeiy end" So ut his death The
clouds were "hiown ava aud he found
his grave as he desired
''Ifnder tha wide and starry sky.
Dig the grave AND let no H..
Glad have | lived and gladly de
And lay me down with a will.
This he the lire yoa grave for me
Here he les. where ne l0nged to ne:
Homo IS the sailor. home from the sea
And TIE auntVV home ffc,n the hlll "