, and to have received such a letter, they have
(in the old prefatorial expression) not been writ in vain. It would seem
from this that I have been not so much humbled as puffed up; but, I
assure you, I have in fact been both. A little of what that letter says
is my own earning; not all, but yet a little; and the little makes me
proud, and all the rest ashamed; and in the contrast, how much more
beautiful altogether is the ancient man than him of to-day!

Well, well, Henry James is pretty good, though he _is_ of the nineteenth
century, and that glaringly. And to curry favour with him, I wish I
could be more explicit; but, indeed, I am still of necessity extremely
vague, and cannot tell what I am to do, nor where I am to go for some
while yet. As soon as I am sure, you shall hear. All are fairly
well--the wife, your countrywoman, least of all; troubles are not
entirely wanting; but on the whole we prosper, and we are all
affectionately yours,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

TO SIDNEY COLVIN

_Honolulu, April 2nd, 1889._

MY DEAR COLVIN,--I am beginning to be ashamed of writing on to you
without the least acknowledgment, like a tramp; but I do not care--I am
hardened; and whatever be the cause of your silence, I mean to write
till all is blue. I am outright ashamed of my news, which is that we are
not coming home for another year. I cannot but hope it may continue the
vast improvement of my health: I think it good for Fanny and Lloyd; and
we have all a taste for this wandering and dangerous life. My mother I
send home, to my relief, as this part of our cruise will be (if we can
carry it out) rather difficult in places. Here is the idea: about the
middle of June (unless the Boston Board objects) we sail from Honolulu
in the missionary ship (barquentine auxiliary steamer) _Morning Star_:
she takes us through the Gilberts and Marshalls, and drops us (this is
my great idea) on Ponape, one of the volcanic islands of the Carolines.
Here we stay marooned among a doubtful population, with a Spanish
vice-governor and five native kings, and a sprinkling of missionaries
all at loggerheads, on the chance of fetching a passage to Sydney in a
trader, a labour ship or (maybe, but this appears too bright) a ship of
war. If we can't get the _Morning Star_ (and the Board has many reasons
that I can see for refusing its permission) I mean to try to fetch Fiji,
hire a schooner there, do the Fijis and Friendlies, hit the cour