The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson — Volume 1Stevenson, Robert Louis
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The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson — Volume 1
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Authors, Scottish -- 19th century -- Correspondence; Stevenson, Robert Louis, 1850-1894 -- Correspondence
Here lies
The carcase
of
Robert Louis Stevenson,
An active, austere, and not inelegant
writer,
who,
at the termination of a long career,
wealthy, wise, benevolent, and honoured by
the attention of two hemispheres,
yet owned it to have been his crowning favour
TO INHABIT
LA SOLITUDE.
(With the consent of the intelligent edility of Hyères, he has been
interred, below this frugal stone, in the garden which he honoured for so
long with his poetic presence.)
I must write more solemn letters. Adieu. Write.
R. L. S.
TO MRS. MILNE
_La Solitude_, _Hyères_, [_November_ 1883].
MY DEAR HENRIETTA,—Certainly; who else would they be? More by token, on
that particular occasion, you were sailing under the title of Princess
Royal; I, after a furious contest, under that of Prince Alfred; and
Willie, still a little sulky, as the Prince of Wales. We were all in a
buck basket about half-way between the swing and the gate; and I can
still see the Pirate Squadron heave in sight upon the weather bow.
I wrote a piece besides on Giant Bunker; but I was not happily inspired,
and it is condemned. Perhaps I’ll try again; he was a horrid fellow,
Giant Bunker! and some of my happiest hours were passed in pursuit of
him. You were a capital fellow to play: how few there were who could!
None better than yourself. I shall never forget some of the days at
Bridge of Allan; they were one golden dream. See ‘A Good Boy’ in the
_Penny Whistles_, much of the sentiment of which is taken direct from one
evening at B. of A. when we had had a great play with the little Glasgow
girl. Hallowed be that fat book of fairy tales! Do you remember acting
the Fair One with Golden Locks? What a romantic drama! Generally
speaking, whenever I think of play, it is pretty certain that you will
come into my head. I wrote a paper called ‘Child’s Play’ once, where, I
believe, you or Willie would recognise things. . . .
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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