eady way of gaining the point； I might adopt it。 My law is all to the wind； and indeed I never knew but a taste。
I thank you at least for the remark。
I e rarely to town； and am usually damned sick when I do。 But if I can； I’ll try to see you。 （I know a cousin of yours here by the way。）
What are you about？ I am again at a boys’ story； but I’ve been a year at it already and may be longer。
Yours very truly；
R。 L。 Stevenson。
P。S。 — Further reflection on “K。S。M。” makes me think you are one who gets up steam slowly。 In that case； when you have your book finished； go back and rewrite the beginning up to the mark。
My case is the reverse： I always begin well； and often finish languidly or hurriedly。
P。P。S。 — How about a deed of partnership？
This “deed of partnership” on the face of it would seem to suggest some scheme of collaboration。 Yet I do not think that this could have been the case — for the following reason。 I remember that my late brother Bazett； who was afterwards an intimate friend of Stevenson’s in Samoa； told me that someone； I know not who； had written to him suggesting that he and I should collaborate in a story； and that he had returned an angry and offensive answer to the suggestion； as I dare say it was quite natural that he should do。 This answer； it seems； had however weighed upon his mind。 At any rate Bazett informed me that Stevenson on several occasions spoke to him with deep regret as to his petulant reply。 This is all I know； or at any rate all that I can recollect； of the matter。 Yet what else can have been referred to in the above letter I am at a loss to guess。
Stevenson’s remark as to his finishing languidly is interesting； and； so far as my judgment goes； his romantic work shows its truth。 Thus to my fancy the first part of “Treasure Island” is far and away better than its end。 In an adventure story what is called style； however brilliant； is not enough： the living interest must be kept up to the last page； it should increase to the very end。 Of course I know that many of our critics； like those of Alexandria in the first centuries of our era； think and preach that style is the really important thing； much more important than the substance of the story。 I cannot believe that they are right。 The substance is； as it were； the soul of the matter； the style is its outward and visible body。 I prefer a creation with a great soul； even if its form is somewhat marred； to one with a beautifully finished form and very little soul。 Of course when the two are found together； a rare event； there is perfection。 Also people differ in their ideas of what style really is。 By it some understand inverted sentences； unusual words and far…fetched metaphors or allusions； making up a whole that is difficult to prehend。 Others hold that the greater the simplicity of the language； the better the style。 I am not an authority； but my own view is that above all things the written word should be clear and absolutely readable； and that work which does not fulfil these conditions can scarcely be expected to endure。 It runs a grave risk of passing with the fashion of the hour。 To take a single instance； the Authorised version of the Old Testament； considered as literature； seems to me to fulfil all the requisites of good writing； in fact to be style in the truest sense。 Yet the meaning remains perfectly clear； and were those books to cease to be studied for their religious contents； they would still always be read as a model of plain and vigorous English。
But to return to Stevenson。 Here I will add the last letter save one that I received from him； though again I do not know to what it refers； since the enclosure of which he speaks is missing； or at any rate has not been found at present。 Like the others it is undated； but the allusion to “Nada the Lily” shows that it must have been written about twenty years ago； at the beginning of 1892。
Valima Plantation； Samoan Islands。
Rider Haggard； Esq。
Dear Haggard； — In cleaning up the hideous mess which accumulates about the man of letters I came on the enclosed sheet。 Its filthiness will indicate its age。 But there is internal evidence which to me dates it still further back； and that is the reference to your brother Bazett。 I now know him well and regard him with the most sincere and lively affection and respect。 Indeed we are panions in arms and have helped each other back and forth in some very difficult and some very annoying affairs。 This has given a wonderful jog to my sense of intimacy with yourself until I have a difficulty in remembering that I have never seen you。 Two remarks and I leave my filthy enclosure to speak for itself。 First； the equations on the fly…leaf were not in the least intended for you — they’re pieces of a lesson in the Samoan language — and you must kindly regard them as non…existent。 Second； “Nada the Lily” is A1。
Sincerely yours；
Robert Louis Stevenson。
I only wish I could find the “filthy enclosure；” or at least remember with what it had to do。
I have one more allusion to my brother besides the letter which came to me with “The Man Haggard。” It is written on a little triangular bit of foolscap pinned into the manuscript of “Nada the Lily。” I suppose that Lang must have sent it to me。
“If you see Haggard； tell him we have a great affection for his brother。 Our home rejoices when we see him ing； and that Chaka mourning for his mother is great。”
Here is this last letter pinned into the first of the two acpanying； parchment…bound volumes； that which is entitled “An Object of Pity； or； The Man Haggard。 A Romance。 By Many petent Hands。 Imprinted at Amsterdam。” These volumes were sent to me by Stevenson in July 1893。
Tivoli Hotel； Apia； Samoa；
South Paci。
Dear Rider Haggard； — I send you herewith a couple of small （and； so to speak； indecent） volumes in which your brother and I have been indulging in the juvenile sport of shying bricks at each other。 Honi soit qui mal y pense； say I。 And I hope you will say the same。 We are a large party； with nothing to do — Lady Jersey； my wife； Captain Leigh； your brother and I； and Mrs。 Strong； my daughter…inlaw — and that which we wrote was not according to wisdom。 I have heard some of yours called in question for steepness； here is your revenge。
Yours very truly；
Robert Louis Stevenson。
The panion volume is entitled “Objects of Pity； or； Self and pany。 By a Gentleman of Quality。 Imprinted at Amsterdam。” It is corrected throughout in my brother Bazett’s handwriting。 I should judge that it went to press without his having the advantage of seeing proofs。 Pinned to the title…page is the following letter to me from Bazett。
Apia； Samoa： July 17； 1893。
Dear Rider； — Enclosed letter from R。 L。 Stevn。 speaks for itself。 He says we all had nothing to do。 He is wrong there。 They wrote the “Object of Pity” on the days I was at work at n。 I did not write my letter till 3 ＇word illegible＇ after； when Stevenson insisted on having it printed and took it to Sydney and had it printed。 I was riled at being called “an object of Pity” rather； so set to and gave them a Roland for their Oliver。
We have had a very bad time here。 I have seen sights of “The French Revolution” — heads c