d I thought I might
address it to him as a kind of open letter.

_Dec. 4th._--No time after all. Good-bye.

R. L. S.

TO J. HORNE STEVENSON

The following refers again to the introduction to the history of his
own family which Stevenson was then preparing under the title _A
Family of Engineers_. The correspondent was a specialist in
genealogical research. I give this letter as a sample of many which
passed between these two namesakes on this subject; omitting the
remainder as too technical to be of general interest.

_Vailima, Samoa, November 5th, 1893._

MY DEAR STEVENSON,--A thousand thanks for your voluminous and delightful
collections. Baxter--so soon as it is ready--will let you see a proof of
my introduction, which is only sent out as a sprat to catch whales. And
you will find I have a good deal of what you have, only mine in a
perfectly desultory manner, as is necessary to an exile. My uncle's
pedigree is wrong; there was never a Stevenson of Caldwell, of course,
but they were tenants of the Mures; the farm held by them is in my
introduction; and I have already written to Charles Baxter to have a
search made in the Register House. I hope he will have had the
inspiration to put it under your surveillance. Your information as to
your own family is intensely interesting, and I should not wonder but
what you and we and old John Stevenson, "land labourer in the parish of
Dailly," came all of the same stock. Ayrshire--and probably
Cunningham--seems to be the home of the race--our part of it. From the
distribution of the name--which your collections have so much extended
without essentially changing my knowledge of--we seem rather pointed to
a British origin. What you say of the Engineers is fresh to me, and must
be well thrashed out. This introduction of it will take a long while to
walk about!--as perhaps I may be tempted to let it become long; after
all, I am writing _this_ for my own pleasure solely. Greetings to you
and other Speculatives of our date, long bygone, alas!--Yours very
sincerely,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

_P.S._--I have a different version of my grandfather's arms--or my
father had if I could find it.

R. L. S.

TO JOHN P----N

The next two numbers are in answer to letters of appreciation
received from two small boys in England, whose mother desires that
they should remain nameless.

_Vailima, Samoa, December 3rd, 18