robert louis stevenson-第7部分
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ifts is in the spirit indicated。'
〃As may be judged from this half…playful； half…serious remonstrance； Stevenson's relation to his parents was eminently human and beautiful。 The family dissensions above alluded to belonged only to a short but painful period； when the father could not reconcile himself to the discovery that the son had ceased to accept the formulas of Scottish Calvinism。 In the eyes of the older man such heterodoxy was for the moment indistinguishable from atheism； but he soon arrived at a better understanding of his son's position。 Nothing appears more unmistakably in these letters than the ingrained theism of Stevenson's way of thought。 The poet； the romancer within him； revolted from the conception of formless force。 A personal deity was a necessary character in the drama； as he conceived it。 And his morality； though （or inasmuch as） it dwelt more on positive kindness than on negative lawlessness； was； as he often insisted； very much akin to the morality of the New Testament。〃
Anyway it is clear that much in the interminglings of blood we CAN trace； may go to account for not a little in Stevenson。 His peculiar interest in the enormities of old…time feuds； the excesses； the jealousies； the queer psychological puzzles； the desire to work on the outlying and morbid； and even the unallowed and unhallowed； for purposes of romance … the delight in dealing with revelations of primitive feeling and the out…bursts of the mere natural man always strangely checked and diverted by the uprise of other tendencies to the dreamy； impalpable； vague； weird and horrible。 There was the undoubted Celtic element in him underlying what seemed foreign to it； the disregard of conventionality in one phase； and the falling under it in another … the reaction and the retreat from what had attracted and interested him； and then the return upon it； as with added zest because of the retreat。 The confessed Hedonist； enjoying life and boasting of it just a little； and yet the Puritan in him； as it were； all the time eyeing himself as from some loophole of retreat； and then commenting on his own behaviour as a Hedonist and Bohemian。 This clearly was not what most struck Beerbohm Tree； during the time he was in close contact with Stevenson； while arranging the production of BEAU AUSTIN at the Haymarket Theatre； for he sees； or confesses to seeing； only one side； and that the most assertive； and in a sense； unreal one：
〃Stevenson；〃 says Mr Tree； 〃always seemed to me an epicure in life。 He was always intent on extracting the last drop of honey from every flower that came in his way。 He was absorbed in the business of the moment； however trivial。 As a companion； he was delightfully witty； as a personality； as much a creature of romance as his own creations。〃
This is simple； and it looks sincere； but it does not touch 'tother side； or hint at； not to say； solve the problem of Stevenson's personality。 Had he been the mere Hedonist he could never have done the work he did。 Mr Beerbohm Tree certainly did not there see far or all round。
Miss Simpson says：
〃Mr Henley recalls him to Edinburgh folk as he was and as the true Stevenson would have wished to be known … a queer； inexplicable creature； his Celtic blood showing like a vein of unknown metal in the stolid； steady rock of his sure…founded Stevensonian pedigree。 His cousin and model； 'Bob' Stevenson； the art critic； showed that this foreign element came from the men who lit our guiding lights for seamen； not from the gentle…blooded Balfours。
〃Mr Henley is right in saying that the gifted boy had not much humour。 When the joke was against himself he was very thin…skinned and had a want of balance。 This made him feel his honest father's sensible remarks like the sting of a whip。〃
Miss Simpson then proceeds to say：
〃The R。 L。 Stevenson of old Edinburgh days was a conceited； egotistical youth； but a true and honest one： a youth full of fire and sentiment； protesting he was misunderstood； though he was not。 Posing as 'Velvet Coat' among the slums； he did no good to himself。 He had not the Dickens aptitude for depicting the ways of life of his adopted friends。 When with refined judgment he wanted a figure for a novel； he went back to the Bar he scorned in his callow days and then drew in WEIR OF HERMISTON。〃
CHAPTER V … TRAVELS
HIS interest in engineering soon went … his mind full of stories and fancies and human nature。 As he had told his mother： he did not care about finding what was 〃the strain on a bridge；〃 he wanted to know something of human beings。
No doubt； much to the disappointment and grief of his father； who wished him as an only son to carry on the traditions of the family； though he had written two engineering essays of utmost promise； the engineering was given up； and he consented to study law。 He had already contributed to College Magazines； and had had even a short spell of editing one； of one of these he has given a racy account。 Very soon after his call to the Bar articles and essays from his pen began to appear in MACMILLAN'S； and later； more regularly in the CORNHILL。 Careful readers soon began to note here the presence of a new force。 He had gone on the INLAND VOYAGE and an account of it was in hand； and had done that tour in the Cevennes which he has described under the title TRAVELS WITH A DONKEY IN THE CEVENNES； with Modestine； sometimes doubting which was the donkey； but on that tour a chill caught either developed a germ of lung disease already present； or produced it； and the results unfortunately remained。
He never practised at the Bar； though he tells facetiously of his one brief。 He had chosen his own vocation； which was literature； and the years which followed were； despite the delicacy which showed itself； very busy years。 He produced volume on volume。 He had written many stories which had never seen the light； but； as he says； passed through the ordeal of the fire by more or less circuitous ways。
By this time some trouble and cause for anxiety had arisen about the lungs； and trials of various places had been made。 ORDERED SOUTH suggests the Mediterranean； sunny Italy； the Riviera。 Then a sea…trip to America was recommended and undertaken。 Unfortunately； he got worse there； his original cause of trouble was complicated with others； and the medical treatment given was stupid； and exaggerated some of the symptoms instead of removing them； All along … up； at all events； to the time of his settlement in Samoa … Stevenson was more or less of an invalid。
Indeed； were I ever to write an essay on the art of wisely 〃laying… to；〃 as the sailors say； I would point it by a reference to R。 L。 Stevenson。 For there is a wise way of 〃laying…to〃 that does not imply inaction； but discreet； well…directed effort； against contrary winds and rough seas； that is； amid obstacles and drawbacks； and even ill…health； where passive and active may balance and give effect to each other。 Stevenson was by native instinct and temperament a rover … a lover of adventure； of strange by…ways； errant tracts （as seen in his INLAND VOYAGE and TRAVELS WITH A DONKEY THROUGH THE CEVENNES … seen yet more； perhaps； in a certain account of a voyage to America as a steerage passenger）； lofty mountain…tops； with stronger air； and strange and novel surroundings。 He would fain； like Ulysses； be at home in foreign lands； making acquaintance with outlying races； with
〃Cities of men； And manners； climates； councils； governments： Myself not least； but honoured of them all； Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy。〃
If he could not move about as he would； he would invent； make fancy serve him instead of experience。 We thus owe something to the staying and restraining forces in him； and a wise 〃laying…to〃 … for his works； which are； in large part； finely…healthy； objective； and in almost everything unlike the work of an invalid； yet； in some degree； were but the devices to beguile the burdens of an invalid's days。 Instead of remaining in our climate； it might be； to lie listless and helpless half the day； with no companion but his own thoughts and fancies （not always so pleasant either； if； like Frankenstein's monster； or； better still like the imp in the bottle in the ARABIAN NIGHTS； you cannot； once for all liberate them； and set them adrift on their own charges to visit other people）； he made a home in the sweeter air and more steady climate of the South Pacific； where； under the Southern Cross； he could safely and beneficially be as active as he would be involuntarily idle at home； or work only under pressure of hampering conditions。 That was surely an illustration of the true 〃laying…to〃 with an unaffectedly brave； bright resolution in it。
CHAPTER VI … SOME EARLIER LETTERS
CARLYLE was wont to say that； next to a faithful portrait； familiar letters were the best medium to reveal a man。 The letters must have been written with no idea of being used for this end； however … free； artless； the unstudied self…revealings of mind and heart。 Now； these letters of R。 L。 Stevenson； written to his friends in England； have a vast value in this way … they reveal the man … reveal him in his strength and his weakness … his ready gift in pleasing and adapting himself to those with whom he corresponded； and his great power at once of adapting himself to his circumstances and of humorously rising superior to them。 When he was ill and almost penniless in San Francisco； he could give Mr Colvin this account of his daily routine：
〃Any time between eight and half…past nine in the morning a slender gentleman in an ulster； with a volume buttoned into the breast of it； maybe observed leaving No。 608 Bush and descending Powell with an active step。 The gentleman is R。 L。 Stevenson； the volume relates to Benjamin Franklin； on whom he meditates one of his charming essays。 He descends Powell； crosses Market； and descends in Sixth on a branch of the original Pine Street Coffee…House； no less。 。 。 。 He seats himself at a table covered with waxcloth； and a pampered menial of High…Dutch extraction；
