aring　the　form　of　dress　most　usual　in　that　hot　climate　a　white　　mess　jacket；　and　white　trousers；　but　their　feet　were　still　bare。　　　The　guest　put　up　his　eyeglass　and　stared　for　a　bit；　then　he　looked　　down　upon　his　own　beautifully　shod　feet；　and　sighed。　　They　all　　talked　and　laughed　until　the　ladies　came　in；　the　ladies　in　silk　　dresses；　befrilled　with　lace；　but　still　with　bare　feet；　and　the　　guest　took　a　covert　look　through　his　eyeglass　and　gasped；　but　when　　he　noticed　that　there　were　gold　bangles　on　Mrs　Strong's　ankles　and　　rings　upon　her　toes；　he　could　bear　no　more　and　dropped　his　eyeglass　　on　the　ground　of　the　verandah　breaking　it　all　to　bits。〃
  Miss　Stubbs　met　on　the　other　side　of　the　island　a　photographer　who　　told　her　this：
  〃I　had　but　recently　come　to　Samoa；〃　he　said；　〃and　was　standing　one　　day　in　my　shop　when　Mr　Stevenson　came　in　and　spoke。　　'Man；'　he　　said；　'I　tak　ye　to　be　a　Scotsman　like　mysel'。'
  〃I　would　I　could　have　claimed　a　kinship；〃　deplored　the　　photographer；　〃but；　alas！　　I　am　English　to　the　backbone；　with　never　　a　drop　of　Scotch　blood　in　my　veins；　and　I　told　him　this；　regretting　　the　absence　of　the　blood　tie。〃
  〃'I　could　have　sworn　your　back　was　the　back　of　a　Scotsman；'　was　his　　comment；　'but；'　and　he　held　out　his　hand；　'you　look　sick；　and　there　　is　a　fellowship　in　sickness　not　to　be　denied。'　I　said　I　was　not　　strong；　and　had　come　to　the　Island　on　account　of　my　health。　　'Well；　　then；'　replied　Mr　Stevenson；　'it　shall　be　my　business　to　help　you　　to　get　well；　come　to　Vailima　whenever　you　like；　and　if　I　am　out；　　ask　for　refreshment；　and　wait　until　I　come　in；　you　will　always　find　　a　welcome　there。'〃
  At　this　point　my　informant　turned　away；　and　there　was　a　break　in　　his　voice　as　he　exclaimed；　〃Ah；　the　years　go　on；　and　I　don't　miss　　him　less；　but　more；　next　to　my　mother　he　was　the　best　friend　I　ever　　had：　　a　man　with　a　heart　of　gold；　his　house　was　a　second　home　to　　me。〃
  Stevenson's　experience　shows　how　easy　it　is　with　a　certain　type　of　　man；　to　restore　the　old　feudal　conditions　of　service　and　　relationship。　　Stevenson　did　this　in　essentials　in　Samoa。　　He　tells　　us　how　he　managed　to　get　good　service　out　of　the　Samoans　（who　are　　accredited　with　great　unwillingness　to　work）；　and　this　he　DID　by　　firm；　but　generous；　kindly；　almost　brotherly　treatment；　reviving；　　as　it　were；　a　kind　of　clan　life　…　giving　a　livery　of　certain　　colours　…　symbol　of　all　this。　　A　little　fellow　of　eight；　he　tells；　　had　been　taken　into　the　household；　made　a　pet　of　by　Mrs　Strong；　his　　stepdaughter；　and　had　had　a　dress　given　to　him；　like　that　of　the　　men；　and；　when　one　day　he　had　strolled　down　by　himself　as　far　as　　the　hotel；　and　the　master　of　it；　seeing　him；　called　out　in　Samoan；　　〃Hi；　youngster；　who　are　you？〃　　The　eight…year…old　replied；　〃Why；　　don't　you　see　for　yourself？　　I　am　one　of　the　Vailima　men！〃
  The　story　of　the　ROAD　OF　THE　LOVING　HEART　was　but　another　fine　　attestation　of　it。
  CHAPTER　XII　…　HIS　GENIUS　AND　METHODS
  TO　have　created　a　school　of　idolaters；　who　will　out　and　out　swear　　by　everything；　and　as　though　by　necessity；　at　the　same　time；　a　　school　of　studious　detractors；　who　will　suspiciously　question　　everything；　or　throw　out　suggestions　of　disparagement；　is　at　all　　events；　a　proof　of　greatness；　the　countersign　of　undoubted　genius；　　and　an　assurance　of　lasting　fame。　　R。　L。　Stevenson　has　certainly　　secured　this。　　Time　will　tell　what　of　virtue　there　is　with　either　　party。　　For　me；　who　knew　Stevenson；　and　loved　him；　as　finding　in　　the　sweet…tempered；　brave；　and　in　some　things；　most　generous　man；　　what　gave　at　once　tone　and　elevation　to　the　artist；　I　would　fain　　indicate　here　my　impressions　of　him　and　his　genius　…　impressions　　that　remain　almost　wholly　uninfluenced　by　the　vast　mass　of　matter　　about　him　that　the　press　now　turns　out。　　Books；　not　to　speak　of　　articles；　pour　forth　about　him　…　about　his　style；　his　art；　his　　humour　and　his　characters　…　aye；　and　even　about　his　religion。
  Miss　Simpson　follows　Mr　Bellyse　Baildon　with　the　EDINBURGH　DAYS；　　Miss　Moyes　Black　comes　on　with　her　picture　in　the　FAMOUS　SCOTS；　and　　Professor　Raleigh　succeeds　her；　Mr　Graham　Balfour　follows　with　his　　LIFE；　Mr　Kelman's　volume　about　his　Religion　comes　next；　and　that　is　　reinforced　by　more　familiar　letters　and　TABLE　TALK；　by　Lloyd　　Osbourne　and　Mrs　Strong；　his　step…children；　Mr　J。　Hammerton　then　　comes　on　handily　with　STEVENSONIANA　…　fruit　lovingly　gathered　from　　many　and　far　fields；　and　garnered　with　not　a　little　tact　and　taste；　　and　catholicity；　Miss　Laura　Stubbs　then　presents　us　with　her　　touching　STEVENSON'S　SHRINE：　　THE　RECORD　OF　A　PILGRIMAGE；　and　Mr　　Sidney　Colvin　is　now　busily　at　work　on　his　LIFE　OF　STEVENSON；　which　　must　do　not　a　little　to　enlighten　and　to　settle　many　questions。
  Curiosity　and　interest　grow　as　time　passes；　and　the　places　　connected　with　Stevenson；　hitherto　obscure　many　of　them；　are　now　　touched　with　light　if　not　with　romance；　and　are　known；　by　name　at　　all　events；　to　every　reader　of　books。　　Yes；　every　place　he　lived　　in；　or　touched　at；　is　worthy　of　full　description　if　only　on　account　　of　its　associations　with　him。　　If　there　is　not　a　land　of　Stevenson；　　as　there　is　a　land　of　Scott；　or　of　Burns；　it　is　due　to　the　fact　　that　he　was　far…travelled；　and　in　his　works　painted　many　scenes：　　　but　there　are　at　home　…　Edinburgh；　and　Halkerside　and　Allermuir；　　Caerketton；　Swanston；　and　Colinton；　and　Maw　Moss　and　Rullion　Green　　and　Tummel；　〃the　WALE　of　Scotland；〃　as　he　named　it　to　me；　and　the　　Castletown　of　Braemar　…　Braemar　in　his　view　coming　a　good　second　to　　Tummel；　for　starting…points　to　any　curious　worshipper　who　would　go　　the　round　in　Scotland　and　miss　nothing。　　Mr　Geddie's　work　on　THE　　HOME　COUNTRY　OF　STEVENSON　may　be　found　very　helpful　here。
  1。　It　is　impossible　to　separate　Stevenson　from　his　work；　because　of　　the　imperious　personal　element　in　it；　and　so　I　shall　not　now　strive　　to　gain　the　appearance　of　cleverness　by　affecting　any　distinction　　here。　　The　first　thing　I　would　say　is；　that　he　was　when　I　knew　him　　…　what　pretty　much　to　the　end　he　remained　…　a　youth。　　His　outlook　　on　life　was　boyishly　genial　and　free；　despite　all　his　sufferings　　from　ill…health　…　it　was　the　pride　of　action；　the　joy　of　endurance；　　the　revelry　of　high　spirits；　and　the　sense　of　victory　that　most　　fascinated　him；　and　his　theory　of　life　was　to　take　pleasure　and　　give　pleasure；　without　calculation　or　stint　…　a　kind　of　boyish　　grace　and　bounty　never　to　be　overcome　or　disturbed　by　outer　　accident　or　change。　　If　he　was　sometimes　haunted　with　the　thought　　of　changes　through　changed　conditions　or　circumstances；　as　my　very　　old　friend；　Mr　Charles　Lowe；　has　told　even　of　the　College　days　that　　he　was　always　supposing　things　to　undergo　some　sea…change　into　　something　else；　if　not　〃into　something　rich　and　strange；〃　this　was　　but　to　add　to　his　sense　of　enjoyment；　and　the　power　of　conferring　　delight；　and　the　luxuries　of　variety；　as　boys　do　when　they　let　　fancy　loose。　　And　this　always　had；　with　him；　an　individual　　reference　or　return。　　He　was　thus　constantly；　and　latterly；　half…　consciously；　trying　to　interpret　himself　somehow　through　all　the　　things　which　engaged　him；　and　which　he　so　transmogrified　…　things　　that　especially　attracted　him　and　took　his　fancy。　　Thus；　if　it　must　　be　confessed；　that　even　in　his　highest　moments；　there　lingers　a　　touch　…　if　no　more　than　a　touch　…　of　self…consciousness　which　will　　not　allow　him　to　forget　manner　in　matter；　it　is　also　true　that　he　　is　cunningly　conveying　traits　in　himself；　and　the　sense　of　this　is　　often　at　the　root　of　his　sweet；　gentle；　naive　humour。　　There　is；　　therefore；　some　truth　in　the　criticisms　which　assert　that　even　　〃long　John　Silver；〃　that　fine　pirate；　with　his　one　leg；　was；　after　　all；　a　shadow　of　Stevenson　himself　…　the　genial　buccaneer　who　did　　his　tremendous　murdering　with　a　smile　on　his　face　was　but　Stevenson　　thrown　into　new　circumstances；　or；　as　one　has　said；　Stevenson…cum…　Henley；　so　thrown　as　was　also　Archer　in　WEIR　OF　HERMISTON；　and　more　　than　this；　that　his　most　successful　women…folk　…　like　Miss　Grant　　and　Catriona　…　are　studies　of　himself；　and　that　in　all　his　heroes；　　and　even　heroines；　was　an　unmistakable　touch　of　R。　L。　Stevenson。　　　Even　Mr　Baildon　rather　maladroitly　admits　that　in　Miss　Grant；　the　　Lord　Advocate's　daughter；　THERE　IS　A　GOOD　DEAL　OF　THE　AUTHOR　　HIMSELF　DISGUISED　IN　PETTICOATS。　　I　have　thought　of　Stevenson　in　　many　suits；　beside　that　which　included　the　velvet　jacket；　but　…　　petticoats！
  Youth　is　autocratic；　and　can　show　a　grand　indifferency：　　it　goes　　for　what　it　likes；　and　ignores　all　else　…　it　fondly　magnifies　its　　favourites；　and；　after　all；　to　a　great　extent；　it　is　but　analysing；　　dealing　with　and　presenting　itself　to　us；　if　we　only　watch　well。　　　This　is　the　secret　of　all　prevailing　romance：　　it　is　the　secret　of　　all　stories　of　adventure　and　chivalry　of　the　simpler　and　more　　primitive　order；　and　in　one　aspect　it　is　true　that　R。　L。　Stevenson　　loved　and　clung　to　the　primitive　and　elemental；　if　it　may　not　be　　said；　as　one　distinguished　writer　has　said；　that　he　even　loved　　savagery　in　itself。　　But　hardly　could　it　be　seriously　held；　as　Mr　　I。　Zangwill　held：
  〃That　women　did　not　cut　any　figure　in　his　books　springs　from　this　　same　interest　in　the　elemental。　　Women　are　not　born；