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作者:天马行空      更新:2021-02-20 05:38      字数:9321
  Robert Louis Stevenson; A Record; An Estimate; A Memorial
  by A。 H。 Japp
  PREFACE
  A FEW words may here be allowed me to explain one or two points。   First; about the facsimile of last page of Preface to FAMILIAR  STUDIES OF MEN AND BOOKS。  Stevenson was in Davos when the greater  portion of that work went through the press。  He felt so much the  disadvantage of being there in the circumstances (both himself and  his wife ill) that he begged me to read the proofs of the Preface  for him。  This illness has record in the letter from him (pp。 28… 29)。  The printers; of course; had directions to send the copy and  proofs of the Preface to me。  Hence I am able now to give this  facsimile。
  With regard to the letter at p。 19; of which facsimile is also  given; what Stevenson there meant is not the 〃three last〃 of that  batch; but the three last sent to me before … though that was an  error on his part … he only then sent two chapters; making the  〃eleven chapters now〃 … sent to me by post。
  Another point on which I might have dwelt and illustrated by many  instances is this; that though Stevenson was fond of hob…nobbing  with all sorts and conditions of men; this desire of wide contact  and intercourse has little show in his novels … the ordinary fibre  of commonplace human beings not receiving much celebration from him  there; another case in which his private bent and sympathies  received little illustration in his novels。  But the fact lies  implicit in much I have written。
  I have to thank many authors for permission to quote extracts I  have used。
  ALEXANDER H。 JAPP。
  CONTENTS
  I。      INTRODUCTION AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS II。     TREASURE ISLAND AND SOME REMINISCENCES III。    THE CHILD FATHER OF THE MAN IV。     HEREDITY ILLUSTRATED V。      TRAVELS VI。     SOME EARLIER LETTERS VII。    THE VAILIMA LETTERS VIII。   WORK OF LATER YEARS IX。     SOME CHARACTERISTICS X。      A SAMOAN MEMORIAL OF R。 L。 STEVENSON XI。     MISS STUBBS' RECORD OF A PILGRIMAGE XII。    HIS GENIUS AND METHODS XIII。   PREACHER AND MYSTIC FABULIST XIV。    STEVENSON AS DRAMATIST XV。     THEORY OF GOOD AND EVIL XVI。    STEVENSON'S GLOOM XVII。   PROOFS OF GROWTH XVIII。  EARLIER DETERMINATIONS AND RESULTS XIX。    MR EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN'S ESTIMATE XX。     EGOTISTIC ELEMENT AND ITS EFFECTS XXI。    UNITY IN STEVENSON'S STORIES XXII。   PERSONAL CHEERFULNESS AND INVENTED GLOOM XXIII。  EDINBURGH REVIEWERS' DICTA INAPPLICABLE TO LATER WORK XXIV。   MR HENLEY'S SPITEFUL PERVERSIONS XXV。    MR CHRISTIE MURRAY'S IMPRESSIONS XXVI。   HERO…VILLAINS XXVII。  MR G。 MOORE; MR MARRIOTT WATSON; AND OTHERS XXVIII。 UNEXPECTED COMBINATIONS XXIX。   LOVE OF VAGABONDS XXX。    LORD ROSEBERY'S CASE XXXI。   MR GOSSE AND MS。 OF TREASURE ISLAND XXXII。  STEVENSON PORTRAITS XXXIII。 LAPSES AND ERRORS IN CRITICISM XXXIV。  LETTERS AND POEMS IN TESTIMONY APPENDIX
  ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
  CHAPTER I … INTRODUCTION AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS
  MY little effort to make Thoreau better known in England had one  result that I am pleased to think of。  It brought me into personal  association with R。 L。 Stevenson; who had written and published in  THE CORNHILL MAGAZINE an essay on Thoreau; in whom he had for some  time taken an interest。  He found in Thoreau not only a rare  character for originality; courage; and indefatigable independence;  but also a master of style; to whom; on this account; as much as  any; he was inclined to play the part of the 〃sedulous ape;〃 as he  had acknowledged doing to many others … a later exercise; perhaps  in some ways as fruitful as any that had gone before。  A recent  poet; having had some seeds of plants sent to him from Northern  Scotland to the South; celebrated his setting of them beside those  native to the Surrey slope on which he dwelt; with the lines …
  〃And when the Northern seeds are growing; Another beauty then bestowing; We shall be fine; and North to South Be giving kisses; mouth to mouth。〃
  So the Thoreau influence on Stevenson was as if a tart American  wild…apple had been grafted on an English pippin; and produced a  wholly new kind with the flavours of both; and here wild America  and England kissed each other mouth to mouth。
  The direct result was the essay in THE CORNHILL; but the indirect  results were many and less easily assessed; as Stevenson himself;  as we shall see; was ever ready to admit。  The essay on Thoreau was  written in America; which further; perhaps; bears out my point。
  One of the authorities; quoted by Mr Hammerton; in STEVENSONIANA  says of the circumstances in which he found our author; when he was  busily engaged on that bit of work:
  〃I have visited him in a lonely lodging in California; it was  previous to his happy marriage; and found him submerged in billows  of bed…clothes; about him floated the scattered volumes of a  complete set of Thoreau; he was preparing an essay on that worthy;  and he looked at the moment like a half…drowned man; yet he was not  cast down。  His work; an endless task; was better than a straw to  him。  It was to become his life…preserver and to prolong his years。   I feel convinced that without it he must have surrendered long  since。  I found Stevenson a man of the frailest physique; though  most unaccountably tenacious of life; a man whose pen was  indefatigable; whose brain was never at rest; who; as far as I am  able to judge; looked upon everybody and everything from a  supremely intellectual point of view。〃  (1)
  We remember the common belief in Yorkshire and other parts that a  man could not die so long as he could stand up … a belief on which  poor Branwell Bronte was fain to act and to illustrate; but R。 L。  Stevenson illustrated it; as this writer shows; in a better;  calmer; and healthier way; despite his lack of health。
  On some little points of fact; however; Stevenson was wrong; and I  wrote to the Editor of THE SPECTATOR a letter; titled; I think;  〃Thoreau's Pity and Humour;〃 which he inserted。  This brought me a  private letter from Stevenson; who expressed the wish to see me;  and have some talk with me on that and other matters。  To this  letter I at once replied; directing to 17 Heriot Row; Edinburgh;  saying that; as I was soon to be in that City; it might be possible  for me to see him there。  In reply to this letter Mr Stevenson  wrote:
  〃THE COTTAGE; CASTLETON OF BRAEMAR; SUNDAY; AUGUST (? TH); 1881。
  〃MY DEAR SIR; … I should long ago have written to thank you for  your kind and frank letter; but; in my state of health; papers are  apt to get mislaid; and your letter has been vainly hunted for  until this (Sunday) morning。
  〃I must first say a word as to not quoting your book by name。  It  was the consciousness that we disagreed which led me; I daresay;  wrongly; to suppress ALL references throughout the paper。  But you  may be certain a proper reference will now be introduced。
  〃I regret I shall not be able to see you in Edinburgh:  one visit  to Edinburgh has already cost me too dear in that invaluable  particular; health; but if it should be at all possible for you to  pass by Braemar; I believe you would find an attentive listener;  and I can offer you a bed; a drive; and necessary food。
  〃If; however; you should not be able to come thus far; I can  promise two things。  First; I shall religiously revise what I have  written; and bring out more clearly the point of view from which I  regarded Thoreau。  Second; I shall in the preface record your  objection。
  〃The point of view (and I must ask you not to forget that any such  short paper is essentially only a SECTION THROUGH a man) was this:   I desired to look at the man through his books。  Thus; for  instance; when I mentioned his return to the pencil…making; I did  it only in passing (perhaps I was wrong); because it seemed to me  not an illustration of his principles; but a brave departure from  them。  Thousands of such there were I do not doubt; still they  might be hardly to my purpose; though; as you say so; I suppose  some of them would be。
  〃Our difference as to 'pity;' I suspect; was a logomachy of my  making。  No pitiful acts; on his part; would surprise me:  I know  he would be more pitiful in practice than most of the whiners; but  the spirit of that practice would still seem to me to be unjustly  described by the word pity。
  〃When I try to be measured; I find myself usually suspected of a  sneaking unkindness for my subject; but you may be sure; sir; I  would give up most other things to be as good a man as Thoreau。   Even my knowledge of him leads me thus far。
  〃Should you find yourself able to push on so far … it may even lie  on your way … believe me your visit will be very welcome。  The  weather is cruel; but the place is; as I daresay you know; the very  WALE of Scotland … bar Tummelside。 … Yours very sincerely;
  ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。〃
  Some delay took place in my leaving London for Scotland; and hence  what seemed a hitch。  I wrote mentioning the reason of my delay;  and expressing the fear that I might have to forego the prospect of  seeing him in Braemar; as his circumstances might have altered in  the meantime。  In answer came this note; like so many; if not most  of his; indeed; without date:…
  THE COTTAGE; CASTLETON