nd 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.

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.

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.

TO W. E. HENLEY

The following records the beginning of work upon _Treasure Island_,
the name originally proposed for which was _The Sea Cook_:--

[_Braemar, August 25, 1881._]

MY DEAR HENLEY,--Of course I am a rogue. Why, Lord, it's known, man; but
you should remember I have had a horrid cold. Now, I'm better, I think;
and see here--nobody, not you, nor Lang, nor the devil, will hurry me
with our crawlers. They are coming. Four of them are as good as done,
and the rest will come when ripe; but I am now on another lay for the
moment, purely owing to Lloyd, this one; but I believe there's more coin
in it than in any amount of crawlers: now, see here, _The Sea Cook, or
Treasure Island: A Story for Boys_.

If this don't fetch the kids, why, they have gone rotten since my day.
Will you be surprised to learn that it