GK Chesterton - Robert Louis Stevenson

7/31/2019 GK Chesterton - Robert Louis Stevenson

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bert KeithChesterton,WilliamRobertsonNicoll

P u b l

i c D o m a i n , G o o g l e - d i g i t i z e d

/ h t t p : / / w w w . h

a t h i t r u s t . o r g / a c c e s s_

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http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/gk-chesterton-robert-louis-stevenson 2/54 P u b l i c D o m a i n , G o o g l e - d i g i t i z e d

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PANY

P u b l i c D o m a i n , G o o g l e - d i g i t i z e d

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, 1906


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e underrated,

ybythem-

iredofmenjust as

that theyhaveto

llgreat men

qualitieswhichwill

censureand

eseinevitabledeficien-

eat menvaryinthe

Stevensonisopen

articularlyeffect-

t disparagement.

enlikeB lakeor

manisthat theydid


/ h t t p : / / w w w . h





ftechnicallitera-

vantageof

ecausehehada

attersinart,he is

animagination

medbysomethat

architect,andthe

assignisthat he

mistakewhich

eptionisonethat

numerousdepart-

ture,religion,

hesupremeand

Stevensonwashis

wasthef lowerofa

es.Thestrong

akman isalways

alagilityisthe

umanelevityis

th.A thor-

ngasledge-hammer

hell.A weaker


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mmerwillbreakthe

topieces.A lso,if

willbeproud of

ndcallhimselfa

hedestructive

ng,thepeculiar

ehadwhat maybe

leticism,whichen-

agtocrag,andto

duponanyques-

asan essayist and

ecouldalwaysre-

snot liketheaver-

urrent parties,

wnsword.Thisis

e,tomakehimstand

appyfriendMr.

unquestionableaffec-

tterandfeminine

dmirablepoet and

emanpare cellence


/ h t t p : / / w w w . h





adoftapping the

nStevensonhe

arandsupreme

eryemotionalre-

verencealmost uni-

almisfortunesof

fStevensonwasa

arewenot all

dheproceededtocall

andsick,andof

misfortunes.If

bleasthepermitting

t tocloudaclear

smost assuredly

ouldbeimpossible

derstandthereal

ourageofSteven-

ensonhasbeen

ufferinghumanity

odernandoccult

eone.It isnot


/ h t t p : / / w w w . h





likeanyotherman

osupport painand

ringorcommit-

ink.Inthat sense

enmenandweare

evenson spar-

atterwasthat he

thesuc cessfule po-

vemanliness,but

ety.Thiswounded

ainfromgroans,

song,sojuvenile

andsofmenwith-

tothebattle.This

arhisownburdens,

ontemporary

hingbut themost

erenceforthe

charwomanorthe

sistant.Stillthechar-

c sTriple , northe

rdenofV erses. Their


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nofwithreference

andfaith,and

ewandessential

ut asamatter

stingdetachment

body,is e hibited

wayinitspurely

fromanymoral

haracterisedbya

ainlight andcool

reandverydiffi-

regreatlythwarted

possibletofindan

kofa strongman,

ninvalidcapable

man.It ispossible

thefaithwhich

not easytofindan

at putsupwith

mpossibleoreven

his backonasick

eanoptimist. B ut it


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sthesameasnon-

ant authorof

a n , i n t he e l ec t ri c

at lifeismuchtoo

ously.ThusTer-

sof faith, said Credo

eimmediatelyre-

alc haracter~ofStev-

aginefora moment

fthat artistic

edonism w ithwhic h

edited.H isopti-

rfromdwelling

nbeamswhichform

entionaloptimism,

the contempla-

andgallows.It

of optimist whocan

onalsufferingby

angel,andquite

ndofoptimist who


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ofthefoulfat face

thisfaithof his

veryoriginalphilo-

enhavejustified

asaharmony. Hejusti-

tle,becauseit was

sdiscord.H eap-

factswhichliefar

” thegreat parado es

ularfac t isthat the

epressedbyallthe

aking,shoulden-

edbyallthethings

shoulddepressit.

anbeconceivedmore

rationalistice -

nceivesit asa

pontheworst peo-

and,canbe con-

andreassuringthan

ewhichteaches

Providenceupon


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heagonyofheroes,

eagonyofculprits.

rdpainwhenit

est natureprotests

t it isrational.This

nsuffersmost is,of

rineofChristianity

erelyanelevating

undeservedsuf-

esufferingsbeen

vebeenpessimists.

calandphilosoph-

that herealisedthis

becomesmorefasci-

,that lifeisworth

fficult tolive.The

milymenclungto

y,the more,inhis

rusofthepraise of

st becausetohim

dnothingmore

ToStevenson,the


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frightfulepigrams

hosaidthat this

asmoredrenched

etable,thana

aidthat manwas

eddust.A ndhis

upremedifference

sismerelythis,

ssaythat lifeis

hings,but hesaid

ecauseofthem.

tleismorecomfort-

overedthesame

overedbyamanso

mhimthat themere

egitimatelaugh € ”

osay,that religious

st tothediscovery,

echurcheswasless

pirit thanthewar

foronemanwho


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hundredwantedto

venordinarymen,

ot lifeordeath,but

that ofallout-

ofthemost curious

oldevangelical

dtheelegant and

etters.B ut these

einfinitelythe

of thesanest ofall

hings.A splendid

a,livingin far-off

sameconceptions

rqfessorin the

rtherearemanyessen-

nB uddhaandScho-

should urgethat

cemereimitation,

hesamegreat

onouncedsimul-

becamesogrima


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camp-fires.H e

oftheLord:hedid

eenemy.H ereis

urchMilitant,

nrectitude,wages

ngwhichhastor-

sfromthebeginning

anviewofwar

rquestion,touch-

nwritten about

hnessandthechild.

hesplendidlyin-

nson smindsaved

om hismilitarism.

ehardwithawooden

stheteofviolence.

ack,but heneednot

sofblackandblue

bruise.It isun-

rse,that Steven-

f ightingsideofhuman


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ut thetragedyof

eamaleinfantâ€ ”

matter)issimply

on literatureand

elleyand Turner

feelswithinhim

sgrowing,ahun-

ge,forfighting

heryoffactsand

hy.A ndthenhe

crashout ofliter-

gbut Jack

ans. orinthe

nebook whichisat

sA ndersen,andyet

rchildren,and

sland.

.


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of

disengagethe

idewhether

htolive.Will

btedly . Heisfar

ythanmanyvery

fhis booksmay

evendisappearfrom

and then,but he

it mayturnout

earaswell asthat

eengageshisreaders

onalityandstyle.

sonisstrangely

eit wasadouble

othe Cevennes

eofustravelsabout


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trangeCaseofDr.

thedonkeybecomes

auntedbyhisH yde.

heStrangeCaseof

showedStevenson

amoralsense.

e act literary

ook,but asan

o sdeepest thought

nterest.H ewas

orldwherethelines

esheeparesepa-

ewouldhaveafoot

dwellneitherwholly

with thegoats.No

asinethicalprob-

inhismoraljudg-

inhisdiscussionof

ewasbynature

somethingofthe

searliest publication

nanters,andinhis


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osefriendshipwith

Yet hewasbyno

eitherinethic sorinre-

conduct,there

thesethemost

rspokeout.On

allthat goesw ithit, it

verspokehisfull

bic at least.

alityinhis per-

ewassimplythe

hen,asi nhis

helets usseeunder

hefought his

aworld likethis

whosuffers,and

teredorcorrupted

careforthepros-

c,richandlong-

ecture,indeed,

there ismuch

revealedtothem


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loveCharles

chhe went

lovehimnonethe

timesoverborne,be-

mbledandfell.

ne ampleof fortitude

on,but shewasnot

ner.Sheallowed

herlife andmake

mesfoundhimself

eedandroseup to

r.H etookthank-

rlifehadto offer

n,ofkindness,of

verinanytroublej

eart of thingswas

lobstaclehewent; "

or didheever

he best that he

amplesotouc hing, sorare,

ement whichweary


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ndeed,astheir

hadararecourtesy.

f theoldHebrewsong,

orrather, asRobert-

lovelyandw in-

ngstomenofallk inds,

underthecon-

gment.Witha

sonhadthepower

f.He couldreveal

otism,without of-

rmingindividual-

esintheirbooks.

elvesintheirnovels

tiseonmathematics,

apsless.There

nslikeA ugustusde

mourandperson-

etry.

onlyapersonality,

ngift ofwordscan

ysometimeshave


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but thepowerofwrit-

ncommonthat

a veryfew.We

sstyleislargely an

esy . Hew ishedasa

andgoodw illtoe -

ecould.Infact,it

dhimtothisfamous

ofart,hischaracter-

eSonof Joy . The

evasionforoneem-

titionersthe

t isofthesame

onsof Joy , c hooseshis

nshis livelihoodby

artedwithsome-

tyofman. The

ationcannot be

scertainlynot

. Hew ishedtoplease,

r ends.H ehadto

science,andheobeyed


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righteously,andto

ut hewastoo

devenwiththat.

themost passion-

elievethat pleas-

rwouldhehave

ngwithhiscon-

getodeliver,andhe

ectiveformsat his

dhismessage,too,

orably.Ifthemes-

words,theywould

bebrave H ewas

onaSon ofJoy,

edwithallhis soulto

isart

ation sheart

LL.


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E N S ON

ted,slight unspeakably,

gered:inhis face € ”

dofbeak,andtouchedwith

mutableasthesea,

thvivacity € ”

dromanticgrace,

e,withtraceontrace

eandenergy.

LE Y .

onlysonof

ngineer,wasborn

No.8 Howard

ousewasoneofa

ebuildings,situ-

erofLeith.When

wo-and-a-half,a

recommodious


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ce but thisprov-

sdelicatehealth,

7H eriot Row,

r dinburghhome

selyconnected

esofStevenson s

Cottage, thec ountryresi-

olintonManse,the

dfather.Thesit-

rmer hedescribed

n dinburgh, in-

ardenhavebeen

on,bothinproseand

nslopeof thePent-

reesstands

andfromaneigh-

mokerising and

e.Straight above,

feet intotheair.

t thetimeoflambs,

ingofflocks and


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of paper-mills

here,andthesound

eelandthedamsingingtheir

dsfromeverybush

eoverhanging

testill theair

dinthemidst ofall

at Stevenson

,theRev.Lewis

nton, as ofsingu-

unemotional,and

hefelt; standing

y aloverofhislife

end. NowI

edlater, what Ihave

ster.I must sup-

fondofpreaching

gh Ineverheardit

slovedto hear

evensonwrotealsoin

s. H ewasaman


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ain withablended

t waswhollyScot-

at bewildering with

ncholyofdisposi-

ompaniesit)the

ncompany shrewd

lyattached,passion-

nofmanye tremes,

dnoverystable

glife stroubles.

nodescriptive

motherf romhispen € ”

edforbythefact

ersonshe wastall

tyandbrightness

dsomeideaofher

rit maybegath-

ford s Robert

hichhesaysofMrs.

t past si ty,aftera

dinburgh,thislady

eriot Row,removed


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toA pia,learned

gobare-footed,

ailimaandthelife

dswithequalgusto

onwasfondofcall-

gipsy,andthat he

s owingtothefact

aret Balfour.

orinhisearlylife

se, A lisonCun-

asheinvariablycalled

ailing childhood

rvehislifeandfos-

etry,andofwhom,

withtheutmost

Mydearoldnurse,

” andyouknowthereis

arerhisheart, e -

e € ” mydearold

to youallthegood

ercifullyforgive


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onthereremainsa

ngaseriesofphoto-

venson,dating

thefirst,asanin-

ee thesecond, at the

andagain,at four

eyes,wideapart,

fac e. Inthene t,

hishairisc roppedto

handshavelost

arenervous,long-

nhisgrasp,which

swere not inhis

yahead.A few

aphedwithhis

onehandis resting,

yishly,intohis

shimself ugly inhis

r. B aildon but I

everat anytime

as aboyabout

hichhepro-


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teenonewasaman)

Stevensonwas

islimbswerelong

is chest flat,soas

alnutrition,such

idhis jointsmake

hisfacethis was

and full,oversoft

alreadytohave

outhernvines.

encytoan oval

bout themouth

glight ofthe

readyA utolycus

estedtheslygod

asamortal.Theeyes

vergailythelights

bout themouththere

syandmocking,

peepedbehindthe

andmorethan


/ h t t p : / / w w w . h





ereemployedby

ortheprofession

nt thewinterand

essionsat theUni-

1871,however,he

nclinationtofol-

gineeringwasgiven

rangedthat he

shB ar,towhich

5.

evensoncame

thSirWalter

whowasalsostudy ing

TheC igarette

t h us a i n T h e In l an d

terSimpson

,Stevensonbecame

ourne,whowaslater

arriagetookplace

springof1880.

matesuitedto


/ h t t p : / / w w w . h





t abroadat theclose

timeat H yeres,

,1883,he was

hisown € ” theChalet

uresquecottage,

onthe slopeofthe

ndhere,forsome

njoyedthehappiest

lldwelltogetherand

est houseyouever

airystory,anda

ape, hewrote.

t arge. B ut it is den

ctableMountains

esperideanIslesand

eagainst ill-

din1887Steven-

eB alfour, insistedon

ate,andasecond

undertaken.Inthe

outhSeacruises,


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wandering,culmi-

edresidenceat

n1889,Steven-

,thelepersettle-

ands,whichresulted

Dr. Hyde, inde-

n, whodiedamonth

Theplac easre-

omy,andbleak,

ettlement. Mighty

gsheeralongthe

o aseaunusually

ountain,iviedand

oneviridescent

meast towest,the

oryedgedinbe-

an thetwolittle

papa)seatedon

most asbathing

andthepopulation

re.


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,onthehills above

polui ntheSamoan

adetheirhomein

seitselfwas

methree hundred

ms,fromthewestern-

eof V aeamoun-

osetoa height of

vethesea. rom

butariestheestate

Samoannamefor ive

ndinterestingand

ow, hewrote.

c lef t ofV aeamoun-

eet abovethesea,

chisourstrangling

bat witha esand

built ofwood

kgreenoutside,

tediron.The

edincompatibility

efamily,andcon-


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892,ofthreerooms,

rsbelow,withfive

airs.Onthe

elvefeet deep,ran

eandalongone

eoftheinterior

houseisagreat

otheroc c asion we

withagreat red-

it,wherewedinein

thebigstaircase

ofB urmesegilded

mpsesofhislife

Mr.SidneyColvin.

eemstypical: Iknow

withathousandfaces

ndtonguesall

andallof them

ghamongtheseI

ngout herealoneby

rthesilenceofthe


/ h t t p : / / w w w . h





ngruoussoundsof

through,lookat

dedown € ” thoughI

yself € ” Iwouldnot

s.

t delight tokeep

andespeciallytoor-

hthenativescould

thishospitalitywas

othebandof the

12th,1898. Igot

fordtohavetheband

andtheycame,

um,fife,cymbalsand

ecaps,andsmiling

ecoratedwith

ndbelow.Wehad

workers,but acon-

in charityto

bandbesides,asit

dcollectedafollow-

,andwehada


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oreceivethem.

nced,theysang,

withthenativeswas

ofanywhiteresi-

ascertainlyre-

e,and bymanyhe

iendshipwith

pemama,whose

TheSouthSeas,

einthat volume.

of thegroup, poet,

fmark. Igot

eword it interlards

otherchief,withwhom

mpathy,wasMa-

gwhowasdefeatedand

3,uponoutbreak

afahebelievedto

ingcapacityamong

ashisdesirethat

teratherthan


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henearest thing

dreallyafine fel-

dthemost dignified,

eat V ailima,

rnedtotheworldof

ypart of1893

Sydney,wherehe

n. B . R . Wise. In

arhemadea voyage

rntoA piainNo-

ythemarkof

tendedtohimbythe

,dug,andcom-

ma € ” tillthenamere

traversedindry

buggy,goods

y twoNewZ ealand

eitselftheroute

thiswascut offby

Roadof theL ov ing

efscut tocommemorate


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othemduringtheir

ropeanPowers.

oveofTusitala,in

distressin the

preparedasplendid

y,it shallendure

ehavedug. Upon

adrinkingwas

eturn ofthanks,and

ss,whichwashisbest

ancetothepeople

December3d,

ewasinhis forty-

hichflewover

nandplacedover

wherehehad

elightfulhoursofhis

scut analmost per-

topofthe moun-

designedashis last


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halmost herculean

deckedhisgrave

emost valuableand

elies,by a

e,underotherstars

t,thankGod,by

eofman,but by

dthreat ofdeath

snative skies,into

ropicseas,hedraws,

swhilethe lan-

tenderness,the

ndlonelySamoan

great blocksof

otchthistleandthe

themisa bronze

inscription,his

arrysky

die

e,


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O MICH IGA N


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GK Chesterton - Robert Louis Stevenson