Stevenson would speak of his father in such terms of love and admiration
as quite moved one, of his desire to please him, of his highest respect
and gratitude to him, and pride in having such a father. It was most
characteristic that when, in his travels in America, he met a gentleman
who expressed plainly his keen disappointment on learning that he had but
been introduced to the son and not to the father--to the as yet but
budding author--and not to the builder of the great lighthouse beacons
that constantly saved mariners from shipwreck round many stormy coasts,
he should record the incident, as his readers will remember, with such a
strange mixture of a pride and filial gratitude, and half humorous
humiliation. Such is the penalty a son of genius often pays in heart-
throbs for the inability to do aught else but follow his destiny--follow
his star, even though as Dante says:--

"Se tu segui tua stella
Non puoi fallire a glorioso porto." {3}

What added a keen thrill as of quivering flesh exposed, was that Thomas
Stevenson on one side was exactly the man to appreciate such attainments
and work in another, and I often wondered how far the sense of Edinburgh
propriety and worldly estimates did weigh with him here.

Mr Stevenson mentioned to me a peculiar fact which has since been noted
by his son, that, notwithstanding the kind of work he had so successfully
engaged in, he was no mathematician, and had to submit his calculations
to another to be worked out in definite mathematical formulae. Thomas
Stevenson gave one the impression of a remarkably sweet, great
personality, grave, anxious, almost morbidly forecasting, yet full of
childlike hope and ready affection, but, perhaps, so earnestly taken up
with some points as to exaggerate their importance and be too
self-conscious and easily offended in respect to them. But there was no
affectation in him. He was simple-minded, sincere to the core; most
kindly, homely, hospitable, much intent on brotherly offices. He had the
Scottish _perfervidum_ too--he could tolerate nothing mean or creeping;
and his eye would lighten and glance in a striking manner when such was
spoken of. I have since heard that his charities were very extensive,
and dispensed in the most hidden and secret ways. He acted here on the
Scripture direction, "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand
doeth." He was much exercised when I saw him about some defects, as he
held, in the met