New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-04

long and necessarily had s"''
s,,. - h,s letters about his phH9i'"
- as,,o,,aua .hor. ie nothing depressn's
ahout hin, Tho retrospective hao't Una
belonged to him turned u
s rather when he dwet upon 'il'"7
snirit than when he spoke oil -
one cannot help speculating' ny wv
.s - ,.ha, r,iqht have happeneu 'c
Stevenson's whole nature IL w ,
gun life under different "iaii''
, tions with more of Southern
and Ceniality in his surro"''--'7
Doubtless there was loving kno''e'' j."
; that Scotch household IN when ~
brorght M hut il must also nave "Veh
somewhat bleak and therel'i'
damping 10 the temperament OF ono ''i "
tn sit spinning tales in the sun III 'ie
first Of these volumes there Is pa 'ii' III
and even tragic letter written 10 the
authors father Stevenson wrote u III q
Partisan cafe. being suddenly lh"N'" ~
touch upon religious things and not walt
ing an instant 10 change his environ
ment one can read between 'iio liiies
his eagerness to be in harmony win a
stern parent. But even as ne Writes lie
realizes the difficulty OF establishing per-
feet community of thought, and ne adds
this sad postscript:
While [ am writing gravely. let me say
one word more. | have taken I'll con
| ards more intimate relations WIN r. w w.
| But don't expect too much or me 80 W
| take me a. / am. This Is rare nloii,''l'
and I have prohted by IT. p put '' ~ sneak
| of what | really feel, TO that eAte"t . .,,
| when ! find myself cOTHGod ] nave '''!-
dency TO say the reverse.
There was too much of this sort "i
thing in Stevenson's early life ana II
gave the soul of him a dour slant winch
by the same token. makes ms general
cheerfulness all the more a thing to com
mand our admiration and respect
The passage just quoted holds another
clew 10 Stevensons character, illustrat-
ing as il does his preference for facing
life as he found it, In the last ot the
letters printed in these volumes, letter
written 10 his friend Edmund iosse he
speaks Of himself as "a childless rather
| hitter very clear eyed. bighted youth.
| Clear eyed he was. from beginning 10
end. and it is largely because OF that
| fact that his letters are interesting. He
| eaw clearly and, in the main he thought
| clearly. Whether he is describing tho
newest scene 10 which nc has been car
| rled i'm his wide wanderngs after heaith
| or is talking sheer friendship or literary
"shop." he leaves his reader in no doubt
at all about the very essence OF MS
meaning. He is honest with everything
and especially with himself But here
we return again TO his invinciblc gayety'
which made il impossible for him to take
anv Of the issues of life with undue seri-
BUSINESS. II he turned moody be could
not stay so. The reaction always came
and with il laughter. There dre guam
ties Of letters here upon which we might
draw 10 show his manliness IN dealing
with hard problems. his industry. his
| readiness to criticise his own work. MS
fidelity to a noble ideal of art. but We
choose instead this early letter:
Nv dear Colvin.-Thanks. only why
cont you tell me II can get my Spring
priutod2 / want 10 print 10. because II +
nice and genuine 10 boot, and mas got les,
side on than my other game. besldes'
want coin badly. ~, 80,
principal resemblance 10 Baudciaircs i
fIot they are rather longer ana not qult,
80 good. They are very clever l"ords oI
two syllablcsi. .. so aw-tul-N clever
words Of three. -, SO dam-na bly, clever
words OF a devil Of a number OF sNllaples ,
Il have written fifteen IN a fortnight
lave also written some beautitul poetry
would like "a cake and cricket bat; ana
"a uasskcy 20 Heaven IL you please. ana as
much money az my friend ne baron rom
schild can spare. ! used 10 look across 70
ILothsch.d of a morning when We were
brushing our hair. and say 'ths Is quite
true only We were Oh the opposite SIDE %
the street. and though | used TO look over
4 cannot say / ever detected the begEar
ne feared 10 meet my eagle eyc)-wel
t.ed to saw 10 him. ''Rothschild. old man
lend us I'VE hundred francs, and II i
characteristic Of Rothy's dry humour that
Lee used never TO reply when II was ques-
ton Of money. lie was a very humorous
dog indeed. was Eothy. Heigh-ho. those
happy old days. Funny funny fellow. the
How's that for genuine American wit and
lumour2 Take notice OF this in your an
swcr. say. for instance, Even although
the letter had been unsigned. J could nave
dear. HrciH. rim correspondent Yours
ILpitia Laneush.
on, my mind has given way. have
zone into g mild. babbng. sunny idiocy.
II rhaU buy q Jews harp and sit by the
roadside with womau's bonnet on my
manly head begging my honest livelihood.
Meantime. adleu.
: would send YOU some Of these PIP. Pofmc'
of mine. only 7 know you would never
Ia,knowledge receipt or return them Yours.
and Rothschlld's. r. l. STEVENSON.
Stevenson was twenty-five when he
wrote this. The tone Of his correspond
cncc at forty-four, the age at which he
died. is not. at bottom, different. His
humor stayed with him. his humor and
that artistic pair which enabled him to
find drama in trifes and urged him to
give even a casual letter something of
the fash and spirit Of romantic MARIA
tive.
II is pleasant to have his correspond
cncc i'm this new form. Mr.. Colyin s an
editor Of exceptional sympathy, tact and
skill. and there is a good index.