ccepted; I pray Heaven I may be able to do it. But I am not sure that
my incapacity to work is wholly due to illness; I believe the morphine
I have been taking for my bray may have a hand in it. It moderates the
bray, but, I think, sews up the donkey.

I think my wife is a little better. If only I could get in trim, and get
this work done, I should be quite chipper.

R. L. S.

TO CHARLES BAXTER

The two next letters, on the same subject, are written in the styles
and characters of the two Edinburgh ex-elders, Johnstone (or Johnson)
and Thomson alternately.

_Bonallie Towers, Branksome Park, Bournemouth, November 11 [1884]._

MY DEAR CHARLES,--I am in my new house, thus proudly styled, as you
perceive; but the deevil a tower ava' can be perceived (except out of
window); this is not as it should be; one might have hoped, at least, a
turret. We are all vilely unwell. I put in the dark watches imitating a
donkey with some success, but little pleasure; and in the afternoon I
indulge in a smart fever, accompanied by aches and shivers. There is
thus little monotony to be deplored. I at least am a _regular_ invalid;
I would scorn to bray in the afternoon; I would indignantly refuse the
proposal to fever in the night. What is bred in the bone will come out,
sir, in the flesh; and the same spirit that prompted me to date my
letter regulates the hour and character of my attacks.--I am, sir,
yours,

THOMSON.

TO MISS FERRIER

The controversy here mentioned had been one in which Mr. Samuel
Smiles and others had taken part, concerning the rival claims of
Robert Stevenson, the grandfather of R. L. S., and John Rennie to
have been the chief engineers of the Bell Rock Lighthouse (see _A
Family of Engineers_, chap. iii.).

_Bonallie Towers, Bournemouth, Nov. 12, 1884._

MY DEAR COGGIE,--Many thanks for the two photos which now decorate my
room. I was particularly glad to have the Bell Rock. I wonder if you
saw me plunge, lance in rest, into a controversy thereanent? It was a
very one-sided affair. The man I attacked cried "Boo-hoo!" and referred
me to his big brother. And the big brother refused to move. So I slept
upon the field of battle, paraded, sang Te Deum, and came home after a
review rather than a campaign.

Please tell Campbell I got his letter. The Wild Woman of the West has
been much amiss and complaining sorely. I hope nothing more serious is
wrong wi