the boys" up and down the verandahs--you must decipher this
unhappy letter for yourself and, I fully admit, with everything against
you. A letter should be always well written; how much more a letter of
apology! Legibility is the politeness of men of letters, as punctuality
of kings and beggars. By the punctuality of my replies, and the beauty
of my hand-writing, judge what a fine conscience I must have!

Now, my dear gamekeeper, I must really draw to a close. For I have much
else to write before the mail goes out three days hence. Fanny being
asleep, it would not be conscientious to invent a message from her, so
you must just imagine her sentiments. I find I have not the heart to
speak of your recent loss. You remember perhaps, when my father died,
you told me those ugly images of sickness, decline, and impaired reason,
which then haunted me day and night, would pass away and be succeeded by
things more happily characteristic. I have found it so. He now haunts
me, strangely enough, in two guises; as a man of fifty, lying on a
hillside and carving mottoes on a stick, strong and well; and as a
younger man, running down the sands into the sea near North Berwick,
myself--_aetat. 11_--somewhat horrified at finding him so beautiful when
stripped! I hand on your own advice to you in case you have forgotten
it, as I know one is apt to do in seasons of bereavement.--Ever yours,
with much love and sympathy,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

TO MRS. A. BAKER

This refers again to the printing of some of his books in Braille
type for the blind.

_Vailima, Samoa, July 16, 1894._

DEAR MRS. BAKER,--I am very much obliged to you for your letter and the
enclosure from Mr. Skinner. Mr. Skinner says he "thinks Mr. Stevenson
must be a very kind man"; he little knows me. But I am very sure of one
thing, that you are a very kind woman. I envy you--my amanuensis being
called away, I continue in my own hand, or what is left of it--unusually
legible, I am thankful to see--I envy you your beautiful choice of an
employment. There must be no regrets at least for a day so spent; and
when the night falls you need ask no blessing on your work. "Inasmuch as
ye have done it unto one of these."--Yours truly,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

TO SIDNEY COLVIN

_July, 1894._

MY DEAR COLVIN,--I have to thank you this time for a very good letter,
and will announce for the future, though I cannot now begin to put in