R.A.M. STEVENSOP TO HENLEY
Chevreuse n.d.

Hotel du Grand Courrier

[rule]

Sagnard
Marchand de Chevaux [letterhead]

a Chevreuse
(Seine-&-Oise)
[rule]

Excellent Henley,

Received your letter, thanks for prompt attention, shall
renew my dealings with your house of business, am entirely content with
your manner of conductiong affairs. It is "sans Blague" very kind of
you. Smith's &c was a printer's error for Birch. Sam Birch Esq the
principal Egyptologue since death of Smith. Having always heard people
speak of Smith wrote his name by mistake Sorry you are in the "pomade"
shall be so myself when I go back Have seen many curious views of life
here which you will hear of by degrees probably when I return. Have
met many French Hogs; if you dont understand apply to Louis. Belouse
is one of the principal French Hogs. I was a Hog once ["so" deleted]
but thank God not a French one. However I see myself mirrored at least
faintly and "Ce n est pas beau" [sic] Have not your letter in pocket
so do not pretend to answer it Am at 2 leagues from Carney Will answer
later. Hope Antony's tableau is a success. It is a triste out of date
trade picture making and has long lost its meaning to most people it
? is like "pioching" in dead languages or "papyri" -- not a living art.

R.A.M. STEVENSOn to HENLEY [cont'd.]

2.

Chevreuse d.d.

I daresay you would willingly quit journalism it is à peu près la même chose que la paysage sans la charme d'une vie devant la nature -- agreements de la campagne [sic]. Stodginess &c &c but will answer your letter on my return to Cernay and more fully soon in London with my organ I cannot write and can rarely speak but when I do better than when I write is that it is not a paradox Writing demands to[o] great a ["g" deleted] crystallisation of detail of thought one can wave over defects with the hand and eye and "viser" always at the masses. When one thinks one whips through 3 or 4 pages of preparatory or corrobor["r" deleted]atory quite necessary, but in writing one appears to have made an essay of a little detail and to have begun the ["A" deleted] Encyclopedia Britannica before one has seized one's point all the fire and all the interest has died out

I have not come ["hear" deleted] here to buy a horse. This is an inn altho' "affickyed" Marchand de Chevaux for some hidden reason. Poesy has fled like the wind over pools and standing corn and all is peas again and prose. I will hold an exposition in my studio to 2 or 3 individuals on my return when the mighty products of my genius will be offered to Public Censure.

Present my compliments and kind wishes to your wife and if you see Louis tell him I should like to know *what* pictures I have in the Scotch A. and *how* hung and *sich* details and *how* they look if he has seen them. I have planned a Colony in central Africa politics mands constitution money maps of townships &c &c for 1st 1000 men & their females, 2 for 10.000 men & their females 3rd for 100.000 men and their females

R.A.M. STEVENSON to HENLEY [?]

[The beginning of the letter is missing.]

I have made a sonnet in French you see in 8 syllables the other is in 10. I dare not try a sonnet in 10 the caesura and all is so damned difficult. Of course the sonnet is rot but I made it in the 3rd day I ever tried Poeshie Française Dont speak of my affairs to Bloomer dear old soul. He knows nothing officially and knows many people I know and hate and accidents might occur. Tell Louis this too and burn this please

Now write I have done to[o] much Poeshie Anglaise lately and not enough French I teem with half finished Sonnets Rondels Triolets Terza Rimas Heroic Verse Ballades &c &c &c Hallelujah. Would I had a future of longer than a month before but I am not of a "trempe" to mind the chagrins of money and a precarious future incident to all Bohemians.

Ever yours R Stevenson
Esquire

[The "sonnet in French" referred to above is as follows.]

Veux tu que je te dis["e" deleted] quel con
De tous les cons sait mieux me plaire
Allons il faut que je t'eclaire
C'est à -- mais, Madame, Miss, oh non!
Je ["te" deleted] n'ose pas dire le nom;
Il vaut mieux dans pareille affaire
Savoir mentir ou bien se taire;
Permet ce que je dis, si non
Je ne puis pas vous dire même
C'est celui de celle qui m'aime,
Toujours prête a me recevoir
Sous la discrete couverture
Je puis la toucher et la voir
Cette provocante ouverture

R.A.M. STEVENSON to HENLEY

quality is hell to get but mon cher I send you the two first Ballades
I ever made I thought I would try the English game first it being so
difficult for me in French. Considering I started last night after
10 o'clock I have not done badly for my first Ballades as regards
pace but that is nothing of course. Which is the best. The first
questrain of the 2nd Strophe of the 2nd (Ballade of Love) does not come
well I have had it different ways but cant be bothered It really
is too restrained a game for English where Rime is so p<
> in comparison<
> not attempt to put
["and" deleted] an English substitute for feminine Rimes as I have
often done in Sonnets &c. it is too steep. Are the Ballades good enough
and if so bawdy enough for the History of Mexico. I will when I come to
London start you gents on to making French Poeshie naturally it is
purely [a] chinese puzzle and so can be done when ever so down in form
but not the least when drunk I get on slowly at it as I have not been
working much at it If Bourriaut and I had an English Shakespeare we
would translate some games in French as it is we are going to write a poem
Kind regards to M Henley &c WRITE and send works if you <
> sent a little work I<
> ballades when you

[The following, in pencil on another sheet, may be one of
the ballades referred to.]

Stray leaves & Winds in Autumn
Red buds & showers in Spring
Recall the vanished phantoms
Of Words we used to sing.

R.A.M. STEVENSON to MRS. STEVENSON
Chelsea n.d. [1884]

17 King's Road
Chelseo

My dear Fanny,

I got home all right. The Ticket has never come. I
hope nothing serious has occured to either of you to drive it from your
head. Is Louis well? Are you? Have you by any chance sent the ticket
to M² Verrender at Waterloo Station. I have not seen Henley yet so have
little news Has Louis heard from Charles Morley yet? I hope to hear
from one of you a line or post card saying you are both well. The
most horrible wet damp foggy heat has set in here. I hear that I am
very well hung at the Institute as well as could be. But it is only a
little affair like the sketch I gave to Louis. How is Bogue How is
Doc. I hope he has escaped real Diphtheria.

The little Tableau looks mellower and more finished in the
London light and I am sorry that the abomination of the main design
and arabesque of it ruins the composition. I must come back and get
the opening of Branksome chine for the Academy. You will not forget
to induce Sam to photograph it. Shall I be in the way just after Xmas?
You must let me know some time that will be suitable to you. If ["the"
deleted] such time coincides with my affairs I hope to be with you again.
I hope I am not much inconvenience, you must tell me anything of the sort
truly. With love to you both I am your's affectely

RAMS

PS Louisa sends love. I have just read Dark days by Hugh Carway. Have
you got Longman. I suppose so. Or shall I send it. Or did the Xmas
turn out to be the one. RAMS

R.A.M. STEVENSON to R.L.S.
Bonallie Tower n.d.

Bonallie Tower

My dear Fanny

I hope you are getting on all right and Valentine also
and have no calamities or obstacles cast in your path. Louis seems
well enough Much as he was. But the day Tree came down He was
tired after the long day with him and Henley devoted to business

Mary Ann seems to get on all right I think. Bogue behaves
fairly. He knows you are not there I think so. Fancies a good behaviour
will be appreciated by us more than it is by you

Ever your's affećtely

R A M S.

Strong XIV

ROBERT ALAN MOWBRAY STEVENSON TO MARGARET ISABELLA STEVENSON

Chiswick

n.d. [c. Jan 1895]

[Endorsed by M.K.S.] Bob

49 Stile Hall Gardens
Chiswick

My dear Aunt Maggie

I have passed a day of anxiety; but now I know it is true and the
world seems changed and deadened. But what must it be for you there
on the spot when it overwhelms and dazes me so far off. I think of
you and Fanny with sorrow and love - how will you bear this? To me the
thing just heard is still incomprehensible

All these past years seem gone as if we had lived in a dream and I
know, that far away as he was and long as it is since I saw him -
I did everything thinking of him who was my first and best friend

It does not seem as if there could be much pleasure or much
interest in what happens now. I must always have supposed that he knew
things or that we should meet again. To you everything is worse and
keener and more real and less like a strange dream than it is to me. I
ought not to write to you perhaps it may hurt you - but then it may not
for you know what I felt about him There was no one else like him to
me and I write for I can think of nothing else but the long off past
of friendship and the bitter present for all of you in Samoa

Baxter too who will be with you and who now I am sure after his sad
loss, dreamt daily of seeing his friend again, there is nothing but sadness

R.A.M. STEVENSON to KATHARINE DE MATTOS

[?Chelsea] n.d. [?1884]

My dear Katharine

Yes the letter in question (lost again) contained a request for installments and told you all I knew. Williams you see refused to transfer the thing or let me give it up. I am translating it as far as they are concerned. Henley however went guarantor [sic] as it were that ["there" deleted] it would be done and that he knew of a capable person who would aid me as I had work for him and other papers. The editor accepted this view, saw me and told me to do my best and make haste and said he understood I had efficient help. But of course I am responsible for the translation and it is me whom the reviews will abuse as they have done most of the others of the series. In fact this book comes after a row of gross failures so Cassell &c are anxious and this is unquestionably the most difficult of the lot. I fear we shall not succeed better than our predecessors, though we shall fail probably in another direction. Whereas they were inaccurate and too free we shall be unenglish and too literal. It was Henley who suggested handing over the greater part of the job and £20 to you while I should go over and revise as well as get up technical terms &c and stand responsible. Now the plan is excellent for as you send me installments I shall read them first without the book as the public will and shall pencil mark what is not free enough. Then with the book I shall mark in another colour what is not the right meaning or technically correct. Then it will be pretty safe. Such pages as require much correction I shall recopy. Et voila tout. It must be ["goin" deleted]

R.A.M. STEVENSON to KATHARINE DE MATTOS [cont'd.]

2.

[?Chelsea]

n.d. [?1864]

about done by end of month for Cassell already gnash their teeth
book being advertized. There is no need to send fragments of book
with the translation I have a copy here. My first few pages that
I sent to you with the Editor's corrections was considered quite close
enough to the original -- too literal if anything and not idiomatic
and flowing enough. To judge of that one must read it first without
knowing or regarding it as a translation. This, as you will do the
translating work first, I shall now be able to do myself which is a
great advantage as you can see. I thought Henley had explained to you
that you worked for me not for Cassell as I have a signed agreement with
them which still holds me. I hope Gatchy is now all right. Tell
her with my love that certainly she must take a lodging near the house
till it is renovated. Most of the window panes are broken and the house
is not at all ready to live in. Louisa met the Miss Langs the other day.
They seem much annoyed at the house being abandoned for so long. She
says as we (the Langs) next door could do nothing to prevent the damage
certainly you (us) several street away and sometimes several hundred
miles away could do nothing.

Tell Louis that I am glad he is better and that he must not
write too much. When I can get a studio that will not leak and is habitable which mine is not at present I will try some Kriegspiel with
him. I will write soon tell him. I am glad the picture looks at all
well in the drawing room I thought its colour very unsuitable for the
walls but I suppose a Red thing behind makes all the difference. A. Lamon will do a panel for the outside place on a bit of canvas to be fixed

R.A.M. STEVENSON to KATHARINE DE MATTOS [cont'd.] 3.

[?Chelsea] n.d. [1884?]

on to the panel when he knows the sizes. The weather was dreadful on
the Seine. With love to Catchy and all of you I am your

affectionate brother

RAMS

Tell Fanny that today I go for S. R. to a concert of American music
by one Pratt does she know him or of him. He wrote the opera Zenobia

Saturday