Dr. Japp (known in literature at this date and for some time
afterwards under his pseudonym H. A. Page; later under his own name
the biographer of De Quincey) had written to R. L. S. criticising
statements of fact and opinion in his essay on Thoreau, and
expressing the hope that they might meet and discuss their
differences. In the interval between the last letter and this
Stevenson with all his family had moved to Braemar.
_The Cottage, Castleton of Braemar, Sunday [August 1881]._
MY DEAR SIR,--I should long ago have written to thank you for your kind
and frank letter; but in my state of health papers are apt to get
mislaid, and your letter has been vainly hunted for until this (Sunday)
morning.
I regret I shall not be able to see you in Edinburgh; one visit to
Edinburgh has already cost me too dear in that invaluable particular
health; but if it should be at all possible for you to push on as far as
Braemar, I believe you would find an attentive listener, and I can offer
you a bed, a drive, and necessary food, etc.
If, however, you should not be able to come thus far, I can promise you
two things: First, I shall religiously revise what I have written, and
bring out more clearly the point of view from which I regarded Thoreau;
second, I shall in the Preface record your objection.
The point of view (and I must ask you not to forget that any such short
paper is essentially only a _section through_ a man) was this: I desired
to look at the man through his books. Thus, for instance, when I
mentioned his return to the pencil-making, I did it only in passing
(perhaps I was wrong), because it seemed to me not an illustration of
his principles, but a brave departure from them. Thousands of such there
were I do not doubt; still, they might be hardly to my purpose, though,
as you say so, some of them would be.
Our difference as to pity I suspect was a logomachy of my making. No
pitiful acts on his part would surprise me; I know he would be more
pitiful in practice than most of the whiners; but the spirit of that
practice would still seem to be unjustly described by the word pity.
When I try to be measured, I find myself usually suspected of a sneaking
unkindness for my subject; but you may be sure, sir, I would give up
most other things to be so good a man as Thoreau. Even my knowledge of
him leads me thus far.
Should you find yourself able to push on to Braemar--it may even be on
your way--believe me, your visit will be most welcome. The weather is
cruel, but the place is, as I dare say you know, the very "wale" of
Scotland--bar Tummelside.--Yours very sincerely,