looked　　forward；　after　the　engineering　was　abandoned；　to　his　devoting　　himself　to　the　work　of　the　Parliament　House　（as　the　Hall　of　the　　Chief　Court　is　called　in　Scotland；　from　the　building　having　been　　while　yet　there　was　a　Scottish　Parliament　the　place　where　it　sat）；　　though　truly　one　cannot　help　feeling　how　much　Stevenson's　very　air　　and　figure　would　have　been　out　of　keeping　among　the　bewigged；　　pushing；　sharp…set；　hard…featured；　and　even　red…faced　and　red…nosed　　（some　of　them；　at　any　rate）　company；　who　daily　walked　the　　Parliament　House；　and　talked　and　gossiped　there；　often　of　other　　things　than　law　and　equity。　　〃Well；　yes；　perhaps　it　was　all　for　the　　best；〃　he　said；　with　a　sigh；　on　my　having　interjected　the　remark　　that　R。　L。　Stevenson　was　wielding　far　more　influence　than　he　ever　　could　have　done　as　a　Scottish　counsel；　even　though　he　had　risen　　rapidly　in　his　profession；　and　become　Lord…Advocate　or　even　a　　judge。
  There　was；　indeed；　a　very　pathetic　kind　of　harking　back　on　the　　might…have…beens　when　I　talked　with　him　on　this　subject。　　He　had　　reconciled　himself　in　a　way　to　the　inevitable；　and；　like　a　sensible　　man；　was　now　inclined　to　make　the　most　and　the　best　of　it。　　The　　marriage；　which；　on　the　report　of　it；　had　been　but　a　new　　disappointment　to　him；　had；　as　if　by　magic；　been　transformed　into　a　　blessing　in　his　mind　and　his　wife's　by　personal　contact　with　Fanny　　Van　der　Griff　Stevenson；　which　no　one　who　ever　met　her　could　wonder　　at；　but；　nevertheless；　his　dream　of　seeing　his　only　son　walking　in　　the　pathways　of　the　Stevensons；　and　adorning　a　profession　in　　Edinburgh；　and　so　winning　new　and　welcome　laurels　for　the　family　　and　the　name；　was　still　present　with　him　constantly；　and　by　　contrast；　he　was　depressed　with　contemplation　of　the　real　state　of　　the　case；　when；　as　I　have　said；　I　pointed　out　to　him；　as　more　than　　once　I　did；　what　an　influence　his　son　was　wielding　now；　not　only　　over　those　near　to　him；　but　throughout　the　world；　compared　with　　what　could　have　come　to　him　as　a　lighthouse　engineer；　however　　successful；　or　it　may　be　as　a　briefless　advocate　or　barrister；　　walking；　hardly　in　glory　and　in　joy；　the　Hall　of　the　Edinburgh　　Parliament　House。　　And　when　I　pictured　the　yet　greater　influence　　that　was　sure　to　come　to　him；　he　only　shook　his　head　with　that　　smile　which　tells　of　hopes　long…cherished　and　lost　at　last；　and　of　　resignation　gained；　as　though　at　stern　duty's　call　and　an　honest　　desire　for　the　good　of　those　near　and　dear　to　him。　　It　moved　me　　more　than　I　can　say；　and　always　in　the　midst　of　it　he　adroitly；　and　　somewhat　abruptly；　changed　the　subject。　　Such　penalties　do　parents　　often　pay　for　the　honour　of　giving　geniuses　to　the　world。　　Here；　　again；　it　may　be　true；　〃the　individual　withers　but　the　world　is　　more　and　more。〃
  The　impression　of　a　kind　of　tragic　fatality　was　but　added　to　when　　Stevenson　would　speak　of　his　father　in　such　terms　of　love　and　　admiration　as　quite　moved　one；　of　his　desire　to　please　him；　of　his　　highest　respect　and　gratitude　to　him；　and　pride　in　having　such　a　　father。　　It　was　most　characteristic　that　when；　in　his　travels　in　　America；　he　met　a　gentleman　who　expressed　plainly　his　keen　　disappointment　on　learning　that　he　had　but　been　introduced　to　the　　son　and　not　to　the　father　…　to　the　as　yet　but　budding　author　…　and　　not　to　the　builder　of　the　great　lighthouse　beacons　that　constantly　　saved　mariners　from　shipwreck　round　many　stormy　coasts；　he　should　　record　the　incident；　as　his　readers　will　remember；　with　such　a　　strange　mixture　of　a　pride　and　filial　gratitude；　and　half　humorous　　humiliation。　　Such　is　the　penalty　a　son　of　genius　often　pays　in　　heart…throbs　for　the　inability　to　do　aught　else　but　follow　his　　destiny　…　follow　his　star；　even　though　as　Dante　says：…
  〃Se　tu　segui　tua　stella　Non　puoi　fallire　a　glorioso　porto。〃　（3）
  What　added　a　keen　thrill　as　of　quivering　flesh　exposed；　was　that　　Thomas　Stevenson　on　one　side　was　exactly　the　man　to　appreciate　such　　attainments　and　work　in　another；　and　I　often　wondered　how　far　the　　sense　of　Edinburgh　propriety　and　worldly　estimates　did　weigh　with　　him　here。
  Mr　Stevenson　mentioned　to　me　a　peculiar　fact　which　has　since　been　　noted　by　his　son；　that；　notwithstanding　the　kind　of　work　he　had　so　　successfully　engaged　in；　he　was　no　mathematician；　and　had　to　submit　　his　calculations　to　another　to　be　worked　out　in　definite　　mathematical　formulae。　　Thomas　Stevenson　gave　one　the　impression　of　　a　remarkably　sweet；　great　personality；　grave；　anxious；　almost　　morbidly　forecasting；　yet　full　of　childlike　hope　and　ready　　affection；　but；　perhaps；　so　earnestly　taken　up　with　some　points　as　　to　exaggerate　their　importance　and　be　too　self…conscious　and　easily　　offended　in　respect　to　them。　　But　there　was　no　affectation　in　him。　　　He　was　simple…minded；　sincere　to　the　core；　most　kindly；　homely；　　hospitable；　much　intent　on　brotherly　offices。　　He　had　the　Scottish　　PERFERVIDUM　too　…　he　could　tolerate　nothing　mean　or　creeping；　and　　his　eye　would　lighten　and　glance　in　a　striking　manner　when　such　was　　spoken　of。　　I　have　since　heard　that　his　charities　were　very　　extensive；　and　dispensed　in　the　most　hidden　and　secret　ways。　　He　　acted　here　on　the　Scripture　direction；　〃Let　not　thy　left　hand　know　　what　thy　right　hand　doeth。〃　　He　was　much　exercised　when　I　saw　him　　about　some　defects；　as　he　held；　in　the　methods　of　Scotch　education　　（for　he　was　a　true　lover　of　youth；　and　cared　more　for　character　　being　formed　than　for　heads　being　merely　crammed）。　　Sagacious；　with　　fine　forecast；　with　a　high　ideal；　and　yet　up　to　a　certain　point　a　　most　tolerant　temper；　he　was　a　fine　specimen　of　the　Scottish　　gentleman。　　His　son　tells　that；　as　he　was　engaged　in　work　　calculated　to　benefit　the　world　and　to　save　life；　he　would　not　for　　long　take　out　a　patent　for　his　inventions；　and　thus　lost　immense　　sums。　　I　can　well　believe　that：　　it　seems　quite　in　keeping　with　my　　impressions　of　the　man。　　There　was　nothing　stolid　or　selfishly　　absorbed　in　him。　　He　bore　the　marks　of　deep；　true；　honest　feeling；　　true　benevolence；　and　open…handed　generosity；　and　despite　the　son's　　great　pen…craft；　and　inventive　power；　would　have　forgiven　my　saying　　that　sometimes　I　have　had　a　doubt　whether　the　father　was　not；　after　　all；　the　greater　man　of　the　two；　though　certainly　not；　like　the　　hero　of　IN　MEMORIAM；　moulded　〃in　colossal　calm。〃
  In　theological　matters；　in　which　Thomas　Stevenson　had　been　much　and　　deeply　exercised；　he　held　very　strong　views；　leading　decisively　to　　ultra…Calvinism；　but；　as　I　myself　could　well　sympathise　with　such　　views；　if　I　did　not　hold　them；　knowing　well　the　strange　ways　in　　which　they　had　gone　to　form　grand；　if　sometimes　sternly　forbidding　　characters；　there　were　no　cross…purposes　as　there　might　have　been　　with　some　on　that　subject。　　And　always　I　felt　I　had　an　original　　character　and　a　most　interesting　one　to　study。
  This　is　another　very　characteristic　letter　to　me　from　Davos　Platz：
  〃CHALET　BUOL；　DAVOS；　GRISONS；　SWITZERLAND。　　（NO　DATE。）
  〃MY　DEAR　DR　JAPP；　…　You　must　think　me　a　forgetful　rogue；　as　indeed　　I　am；　for　I　have　but　now　told　my　publisher　to　send　you　a　copy　of　　the　FAMILIAR　STUDIES。　　However；　I　own　I　have　delayed　this　letter　　till　I　could　send　you　the　enclosed。　　Remembering　the　night　at　　Braemar；　when　we　visited　the　picture…gallery；　I　hoped　they　might　　amuse　you。
  〃You　see　we　do　some　publishing　hereaway。
  〃With　kind　regards；　believe　me；　always　yours　faithfully；　ROBERT　LOUIS　STEVENSON。〃
  〃I　shall　hope　to　see　you　in　town　in　May。〃
  The　enclosed　was　the　second　series　of　MORAL　EMBLEMS；　by　R。　L。　　Stevenson；　printed　by　Samuel　Osbourne。　　My　answer　to　this　letter　　brought　the　following：
  〃CHALET…BUOL；　DAVOS；　APRIL　1st；　1882。
  〃MY　DEAR　DR　JAPP；　…　A　good　day　to　date　this　letter；　which　is；　in　　fact；　a　confession　of　incapacity。　　During　my　wife's　wretched　　illness　…　or　I　should　say　the　worst　of　it；　for　she　is　not　yet　　rightly　well　…　I　somewhat　lost　my　head；　and　entirely　lost　a　great　　quire　of　corrected　proofs。　　This　is　one　of　the　results：　　I　hope　　there　are　none　more　serious。　　I　was　never　so　sick　of　any　volume　as　　I　was　of　that；　I　was　continually　receiving　fresh　proofs　with　fresh　　infinitesimal　difficulties。　　I　was　ill；　I　did　really　fear；　for　my　　wife　was　worse　than　ill。　　Well；　'tis　out　now；　and　though　I　have　　already　observed　several　carelessnesses　myself；　and　now　here　is　　another　of　your　finding　…　of　which　indeed；　I　ought　to　be　ashamed　…　　it　will　only　justify　the　sweeping　humility　of　the　preface。
  〃Symonds　was　actually　dining　with　us　when　your　letter　came；　and　I　　communicated　your　remarks；　which　pleased　him。　　He　is　a　far　better　　and　more　interesting　thing　than　his　books。
  〃The　elephant　was　my　wife's；　so　she　is　proportionately　elate　you　　should　have　picked　it　out　for　praise　from　a　collection；　let　us　add；　　so　replete　with　the　highest　qualities　of　art。
  〃My　wicked　carcass；　as　John　Knox　calls　it；　holds　together　　wonderfully。　　In　addition　to　many　other　things；　and　a　volume　of　　travel；　I　find　I　have　written　since　December　ninety　Cornhill　pp。　of　　Magazine　work　…　essays　and　stories　…　40；000　words；　and　I　am　none　　the　worse　…　I　am　better。　　I　begin　to　hope　I　may；　if　not　outlive　　this　wolverine　upon　my　shoulders；　at　least　carry　him　bravely　like　　Symonds　or　Alexander　Pope。　　I　begin　to　take