I have done no work, and scarce written a letter for three weeks, but I think I should soon begin again; my cough is now very trifling. I eat well, and seem to have lost but I little flesh in the meanwhile. I was WONDERFULLY well before I caught this horrid cold. I never thought I should have been as well again; I really enjoyed life and work; and, of course, I now have a good hope that this may return.
I suppose you heard of our ghost stories. They are somewhat delayed by my cold and a bad attack of laziness, embroidery, etc., under which Fanny had been some time prostrate. It is horrid that we can get no better weather. I did not get such good accounts of you as might have been. You must imitate me. I am now one of the most conscientious people at trying to get better you ever saw. I have a white hat, it is much admired; also a plaid, and a heavy stoop; so I take my walks abroad, witching the world.
Last night I was beaten at chess, and am still grinding under the blow. - Ever your faithful friend,
R. L. S.
Letter: TO EDMUND GOSSE
THE COTTAGE (LATE THE LATE MISS M'GREGOR'S), CASTLETON OF BRAEMAR, AUGUST 10, 1881.
MY DEAR GOSSE, - Come on the 24th, there is a dear fellow. Everybody else wants to come later, and it will be a godsend for, sir - Yours sincerely.
You can stay as long as you behave decently, and are not sick of, sir - Your obedient, humble servant.
We have family worship in the home of, sir - Yours respectfully.
Braemar is a fine country, but nothing to (what you will also see) the maps of, sir - Yours in the Lord.
A carriage and two spanking hacks draw up daily at the hour of two before the house of, sir - Yours truly.
The rain rains and the winds do beat upon the cottage of the late Miss Macgregor and of, sir - Yours affectionately.
It is to be trusted that the weather may improve ere you know the halls of, sir - Yours emphatically.
All will be glad to welcome you, not excepting, sir - Yours ever.
You will now have gathered the lamentable intellectual collapse of, sir - Yours indeed.
And nothing remains for me but to sign myself, sir - Yours,
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
N.B. - Each of these clauses has to be read with extreme glibness, coming down whack upon the 'Sir.' This is very important. The fine stylistic inspiration will else be lost.
I commit the man who made, the man who sold, and the woman who supplied me with my present excruciating gilt nib to that place where the worm never dies.
The reference to a deceased Highland lady (tending as it does to foster unavailing sorrow) may be with advantage omitted from the address, which would therefore run - The Cottage, Castleton of Braemar.
Letter: TO EDMUND GOSSE
THE COTTAGE, CASTLETON OF BRAEMAR, AUGUST 19, 1881.
IF you had an uncle who was a sea captain and went to the North Pole, you had better bring his outfit. VERBUM SAPIENTIBUS. I look towards you.
R. L. STEVENSON.
Letter: TO EDMUND GOSSE
[BRAEMAR], AUGUST 19, 1881.
MY DEAR WEG, - I have by an extraordinary drollery of Fortune sent off to you by this day's post a P. C. inviting you to appear in sealskin. But this had reference to the weather, and not at all, as you may have been led to fancy, to our rustic raiment of an evening.
As to that question, I would deal, in so far as in me lies, fairly with all men. We are not dressy people by nature; but it sometimes occurs to us to entertain angels. In the country, I believe, even angels may be decently welcomed in tweed; I have faced many great personages, for my own part, in a tasteful suit of sea-cloth with an end of carpet pending from my gullet. Still, we do maybe twice a summer burst out in the direction of blacks . . . and yet we do it seldom. . . . In short, let your own heart decide, and the capacity of your portmanteau. If you came in camel's hair, you would still, although conspicuous, be welcome.
The sooner the better after Tuesday. - Yours ever,
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
Letter: TO W.