Mr Hammerton, in his _Stevensoniana_ (pp. 323-4), has given the humorous
inscriptions on the volumes of his works which Stevenson presented to Dr
Trudeau, who attended him when he was in Saranac in 1887-88--very
characteristic in every way, and showing fully Stevenson's fine
appreciation of any attention or service. On the _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_
volume he wrote:
"Trudeau was all the winter at my side:
I never saw the nose of Mr Hyde."
And on _Kidnapped_ is this:
"Here is the one sound page of all my writing,
The one I'm proud of and that I delight in."
Stevenson was exquisite in this class of efforts, and were they all
collected they would form indeed, a fine supplement and illustration of
the leading lesson of his essays--the true art of pleasing others, and of
truly pleasing one's self at the same time. To my thinking the finest of
all in this line is the legal (?) deed by which he conveyed his birthday
to little Miss Annie Ide, the daughter of Mr H. C. Ide, a well-known
American, who was for several years a resident of Upolo, in Samoa, first
as Land Commissioner, and later as Chief Justice under the joint
appointment of England, Germany, and the United States. While living at
Apia, Mr Ide and his family were very intimate with the family of R. L.
Stevenson. Little Annie was a special pet and protege of Stevenson and
his wife. After the return of the Ides to their American home, Stevenson
"deeded" to Annie his birthday in the following unique document:
I, ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, advocate of the Scots Bar, author of _The
Master of Ballantrae_ and _Moral Emblems_, civil engineer, sole owner
and patentee of the palace and plantation known as Vailima, in the
island of Upolo, Samoa, a British subject, being in sound mind, and
pretty well, I thank you, in mind and body;
In consideration that Miss Annie H. Ide, daughter of H. C. Ide, in the
town of Saint Johnsbury, in the County of Caledonia, in the State of
Vermont, United States of America, was born, out of all reason, upon
Christmas Day, and is, therefore, out of all justice, denied the
consolation and profit of a proper birthday;
And considering that I, the said Robert Louis Stevenson, have attained
the age when we never mention it, and that I have now no further use
for a birthday of any description;
And in consideration that I have met H. C. Ide, the father of the said
Annie H. Ide, and found him as white a land commissioner as I require,
I have transferred, and do hereby transfer, to the said Annie H. Ide,
all and whole of my rights and privileges in the 13th day of November,
formerly my birthday, now, hereby and henceforth, the birthday of the
said Annie H. Ide, to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the same in the
customary manner, by the sporting of fine raiment, eating of rich
meats, and receipt of gifts, compliments, and copies of verse,
according to the manner of our ancestors;
And I direct the said Annie H. Ide to add to the said name of Annie H.
Ide the name of Louisa--at least in private--and I charge her to use
my said birthday with moderation and humanity, _et tamquam bona filia
familias_, the said birthday not being so young as it once was and
having carried me in a very satisfactory manner since I can remember;
And in case the said Annie H. Ide shall neglect or contravene either
of the above conditions, I hereby revoke the donation and transfer my
rights in the said birthday to the President of the United States of
America for the time being.
In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this 19th day of
June, in the year of grace eighteen hundred and ninety-one.
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. [Seal.]
_Witness_, LLOYD OSBOURNE.
_Witness_, HAROLD WATTS.
He died in Samoa in December 1894--not from phthisis or anything directly
connected with it, but from the bursting of a blood-vessel and suffusion
of blood on the brain. He had up to the moment almost of his sudden and
unexpected death been busy on _Weir of Hermiston_ and _St Ives_, which he
left unfinished--the latter having been brought to a conclusion by Mr
Quiller-Couch.