New-York tribune., 1921-02-20
William Archer's Long
Friendship With Author
Of ''Treasure Island"

There is much in the vein Of sd-
venture and romantic Characterization
quite Stevensonian In William Archers
play "The Green Goddess" which
Winthrop Ames is presenting at the
Booth Theater. In view Of the long
friendship between the beloved Rob-
ert Louis Stevenson and Mr.. Archer,
one is moved to wonder If the lstteE
when he came to write his play, was
influenced by the great romanticist
There is no disputing the fact thh
Mr.. Archer's Raja of Rukh, the stell'
role, so deftly and powerfully inter
preted by George Arliss, is one ID
which the author Of The Master Of
Ballantree, The Ebb Tide and
Treasure Island would have reveIed'
The cold and polished urbanity, ths
subtle cruelty and suave humor OF shi'
princeling of the Orient with an Eng
lish university education, and VIZ
kins, the renegade Englishman, IS Ihe
RaJa's valet, SO potently acted by lvsg ,s
F. Simpson, are made of the very s'ull
that Stevenson visualized.
Mr. Archer, when asked the NAME
of his becoming acquainted VIZ W.
Stevenson, said that it was IN Zoe. .
and came about through q review ths'
he wrote anonymously Of Stevenson
Child's Garden OF Verses. steven.
son was so pleased by the review ths.
he dispatched a note TO the anonymSss'
reviewer asking, according 70 a.
Archer's recollection, "Now, Who "
devil are you ?" i.
Upon receiving Mr.. Archer's repp,
Stevenson wrote him from b0V'H'
mouth as follows:
Dear Mr.. Archer: Yes. have h'sse par,
Of you and read some OK your worS.' ssa Va
am bound in particular to thahs
for the notice OF my verses. There,
said, throwing IL over TO the frienS ~
was staying with me. tt's wortn ,sst
ing a book to draw an article Ike tsss
Had you been as hard upon me ~
were amiable 1 try to tell myesA So
should have been no bindsr 70
merits of your notice. For / saw NJ
20 admire and 10 be very gratefui ~ III,
most sober. agile pen and envisp.
touch; the marks OF reader, sncA
one iTnagires for ones seif In dresHsS
thoughtful, critical and kind; sno.
put the top on this memorial column.
greater readiness to describe the Sushe
criticized than to display the talents I"
his censor.
Il am a. man hlaae 20 injudiciosws
praise Though l hope souao OF u ~
be judtcious, tool. but ] have 70 thhssIH
you for the best criticism I ever hsS
and am, therefore, dear Mr. Archer. w
most grateful critiekee now e1tan.
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
That was the beginning of frisnei,
ship that lasted until Stevenson
death eight years later. The critic We. M
not always so friendly in his reTisss
of the noyelist's work and, OIL oeesslea
Stevenson took issue with the crltieisa,
but that did not interfere with snsa'
friendship. One can pleasantly rensr
his impressions Of Stevenson's nuHs,
charm by getting out the two voluins,
o. his letters and reading che Elississ,
addressed TO the author OF "The Grss. Gw
Goddess" and also gain an idea Of 70 ~
Archer and his attitude toward ~
and art. Some Of the letters are ~
dressed TO the playwright's son, lg. ga,
who was a great sdmirer Of ~
Black Arrow, which his father did hg
particularly like. The novelist, IN tns t
case, sided with the father, who ~ y.
gone through the proofs for the wFl'''
rather than with the small sen.