ice a woman; that's where
all imperfect loves conduct us. At the same time, if you can make it
convenient to be chaste, for God's sake, avoid the primness of your
virtue; hardness to a poor harlot is a sin lower than the ugliest
unchastity.

Never be in a hurry anyhow.

There is my sermon.

Certainly, you cannot too earnestly go in for the Greek; and about any
art, think last of what pays, first of what pleases. It is in that
spirit only that an art can be made. Progress in art is made by learning
to _enjoy_ it. That which seems a little dull at first, is found to
contain the elements of pleasure more largely though more quietly
commingled.

I return to my sermon for one more word: Natural desire gives you no
right to any particular woman: that comes with love only, and don't be
too ready to believe in love: there are many shams: the true love will
not allow you to reason about it.

It is your fault if I appear so pulpiteering.

Wishing you well in life and art, and that you may long be
young.--Believe me, yours truly,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

TO EDMUND GOSSE

_[Edinburgh] Sunday [June 1882]._

... NOTE turned up, but no gray opuscule, which, however, will probably
turn up to-morrow in time to go out with me to Stobo Manse,
Peeblesshire, where, if you can make it out, you will be a good soul to
pay a visit. I shall write again about the opuscule; and about Stobo,
which I have not seen since I was thirteen, though my memory speaks
delightfully of it.

I have been very tired and seedy, or I should have written before,
_inter alia_, to tell you that I had visited my murder place and found
_living traditions_ not yet in any printed book; most startling. I also
got photographs taken, but the negatives have not yet turned up. I lie
on the sofa to write this, whence the pencil; having slept yesterday--1
+ 4 + 7-1/2 = 12-1/2 hours and being (9 A.M.) very anxious to sleep
again. The arms of Porpus, quoi! A poppy gules, etc.

From Stobo you can conquer Peebles and Selkirk, or to give them their
old decent names, Tweeddale and Ettrick. Think of having been called
Tweeddale, and being called PEEBLES! Did I ever tell you my skit on my
own travel books? We understand that Mr. Stevenson has in the press
another volume of unconventional travels: _Personal Adventures in
Peeblesshire_. Je la trouve mechante.--Yours affectionately,

R. L. S.

Did I say I had seen a verse on two of the Buccaneers