give here an unpublished letter of Stevenson's to myself, it
may require some explanation, not only of the commentatory
and commendatory kind but of fact. Stevenson, coming to dine
with me, had brought with him, and showed with much pride, a
new umbrella (a seven-and-sixpenny one) which, to my
surprise, he had bought. But when he went away that night he
forgot it; and when I met him next day at the Savile and
suggested that I should send it to him, there or somewhere,
he said he was going abroad almost immediately and begged me
to keep it for him. By this or that accident, but chiefly
owing to his constant expatriations, no opportunity of
restitution ever occurred: though I used to remind him of it
as a standing joke, and treasured it religiously, stored and
unused. This letter is partly in answer to a last reminder
in which I said that I was going to present it to the
nation, that it might be kept with King Koffee Kalcalli's,
but as a memory of a "victor in romance" not of a vanquished
enemy.
I of course told Mr. Kipling of the contents which concerned
him: and he, equally of course, demanded delivery of the
goods at once. But, half in joke, I demurred, saying that I
was a bailee, and the gift was not formal enough, being
undated and only a "suggestion"; he should have it without
fail at my death, or Stevenson's.[130]
When alas! this latter came, I prepared to act up to my
promise; but, alas! again, the umbrella had vanished! Some
prated of mislaying in house-removal, of illicit use by
servants, etc.; but for my part I had and have no doubt that
the thing had been enskyed and constellated--like Ariadne's
Crown, Berenice's Locks, Cassiopeia's Chair, and a whole
galaxy of other now celestial objects--to afford a special
place to my dead friend then, and to my live one when (may
the time still be far distant) he is ready for it.
As for the more serious subject of the letter, I must refer
curious readers to an essay of mine on Lockhart, originally
published in 1884 and reprinted in _Essays in English
Literature_ some years later. To this reprint I subjoined,
_before_ I got this letter from R. L. S., a reasoned defence
of Lockhart from the charge of cowardice and "caddishness":
but it is evident that Stevenson had not yet seen it. When
he did see it, he wrote me another letter chiefly about my
book itself, and so of no interest to the public, but
touching again on this Lockhart question. He avowed himself
still dissatisfied: but said he was sorry for his original
remark which was "ungracious and unhandsome" if not untrue,
adding, "for to whom do I owe more pleasure than to
Lockhart?"
54.
My dear Saintsbury,
Thanks for yours. Why did I call Lockhart a cad? That calls for an
answer, and I give it. "Scorpion"[131] literature seems at the best no
very fit employment for a man of genius, which Lockhart was--and none at
all for a gentleman. But if a man goes in for such a trade, he must be
ready for the consequences; and I do not conceive a gentleman as a
coward; the white feather is not his crest, it _almost_ excludes--and I
put the "almost" with reluctance. Well, now about the duel? Even
Bel-Ami[132] turned up on the _terrain_. But Lockhart? _Et responsum est
ab omnibus, Non est inventus._[133] I have often wondered how Scott took
that episode.[134] I do not know how this view will strike you;[135] it
seems to me the "good old honest" fashion of our fathers, though I own
it does not agree with the New Morality. "Cad" may be perhaps an
expression too vivacious and not well chosen; it is, at least upon my
view, substantially just.
Now if you mean to comb my wig, comb it from the right parting--I know
you will comb it well.
An infinitely small jest occurs to me in connection with the historic
umbrella: and perhaps its infinite smallness attracts me. Would you mind
handing it to Rudyard Kipling with the enclosed note?[136] It seems to
me fitly to consecrate and commemorate this most absurd episode.
Yours very sincerely,
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
[_Enclosure_]
This Umbrella
purchased in the year 1878 by
Robert Louis Stevenson
(and faithfully stabled for more than twelve years in the
halls of George Saintsbury)
is now handed on at the suggestion of the first and
by the loyal hands of the second,
to
Rudyard Kipling.
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE AND CO. LTD.
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, GLASGOW.
FOOTNOTES:
[130] Of this _moratorium_ I believe I duly advised R. L. S. and I don't
think he objected. There was, if I remember rightly, a further reason
for it--that I was living in two places at the time and the subject was
not immediately at hand.
[131] Lockhart's (self-given) name in the "_Chaldee MS._" was "the
Scorpion that delighteth to sting the faces of men."
[132] Maupassant's ineffable hero and title-giver.
[133] Hardly any school-boy of my or Stevenson's generation would have
needed a reference to the _Essay on Murder_. But I am told that De
Quincey has gone out of fashion, with school-boys and others.
[134] We know now: also what "The Duke" said when consulted. They did
not agree with Stevenson, but then they knew all the facts and he did
not.
[135] I should have held it myself, if the facts had been what R. L. S.
thought them.
[136] Which of course is Mr. Kipling's property, not mine. But he has
most kindly joined in, authorising its publication, and that of the rest
of the letter as far as he is concerned.
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
The Peace
of the Augustans
A Survey of Eighteenth Century Literature
as a Place of Rest and Refreshment
_Demy 8vo. 10s. 6d. net_
"No one living," according to the _Times_, "knows English
eighteenth century literature as well as Mr. Saintsbury
knows it.... If you do not know and like your eighteenth
century, then he will make you; and if you do, he will show
you that even what you thought the dullest parts are full of
rest and refreshment."
In the opinion of the _Spectator_, "Mr. Saintsbury in his
new book has given to the world a singularly delightful
gift. _The Peace of the Augustans_ is in no sense written
down. Yet every page is so subtly seasoned with amusing
comment, and the whole book is so charmingly garnished that
none but a dullard could fail to find delight in its
perusal, however little he knew of the spirit which animated
the eighteenth century. One can hardly imagine better
reading after a day of hard or uncongenial work."
"No bush is necessary to proclaim where good wine may be
had," says the _Glasgow Herald_, "and no author's name was
required to indicate the source of this always fresh and in
some respects original treatment of the Augustan
literature.... In literature there are many mansions, and
Mr. Saintsbury is at home in them all.... A book it has been
very pleasant and very profitable to read."
LONDON: G. BELL AND SONS, LTD.
YORK HOUSE, PORTUGAL STREET, W.C. 2
Handbooks of
English Literature
Edited by the late J. W. HALES, M.A.
Professor of English Literature, King's College, London
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+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| Transcriber's Notes |
| |
| Page 108: full stop inserted after "Duke of Burgundy" |
| Page 125: Second opening parenthesis from before "Cambridge |
| University Press" removed |
| Page 245: Removed closing parenthesis following "the Valley |
| of the Shadow of Frederick" |
| Page 260: "sunday" _sic_ |
| |
| Generally spelling, capitalization and punctuation in |
| letters has been retained as per the book, with the |
| following exceptions: |
| |
| Page 305: Removed closing quote marks following "terrain" |
| (Letter 54) |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+