GEMSFROMTHEMASTER

November13th1850December4th1894
ROBERTLOUISSTEVENSON

NearlythirtyyearsagoonNovember26th1983,Icameacrossalittle treasure,aliterarygemonamarketstallinDoncaster.Itwasa pocketeditionofquotes,linesandpoemswrittenbyR.L.S.and producedbyChatto&Windusin1912Beingfavouritepassages fromtheworksofStevensonastheydescribeditoveracenturyago. Ipurchasedthepocketbiblesizedvolumeforfiftypencethe equivalentofaboutadollarandwhatawealthofenjoymenthasit procuredformeeversince!Ihavereaditovertentimesfromcover tocover.Hereareafewofmyfavouritepassages: ONTHEBEAUTYOFNATURE Thepleasurethatwetakeinbeautifulnatureisessentially capricious.Itcomessometimeswhenweleastlookforit;and sometimeswhenweexpectitmostcertainly;itleavesustogape joyouslyfordaystogether,intheveryhomelandofthebeautiful.We mayhavepassedaplaceathousandtimesandone;andonthe thousandandseconditwillbetransfigured,andstandforthin certainsplendourofrealityfromthedullcircleofsurroundings;so thatweseeitwithachildsfirstpleasureasWordsworthsawthe daffodilsbythelakeside.

ONTHEOUTDOORLIFE Youshouldhaveheardhimspeakofwhatheloved;ofthetent pitchedbesidethetalkingwater;ofthestarsoverheadatnight;ofthe blestreturnofmorning,thepeepofdayoverthemoors,theawaking birdsamongthebirches;howheabhorredthelongwintershutin cities;andwithwhatdelight,atthereturnofspring,heoncemore pitchedhiscampinthelivingoutofdoors. ONTHESTARS Nooneknowsthestarswhohasnotslept,astheFrenchhappilyput it,labelletoile.Hemayknowalltheirnamesanddistancesand magnitudes,andyetbeignorantofwhataloneconcernsmankind, theirsereneandgladsomeinfluenceonthemind.Thegreaterpartof poetryisaboutthestars;andveryjustly,fortheyarethemselvesthe mostclassicalofpoets. THEVAGABOND (ToanairofSchubert) GivetomethelifeIlove, Letthelavegobyme, Givethejollyheavenabove, Andthebywaynighme. Bedinthebushwithstarstosee, BreadIdipintheriver Theresthelifeforamanlikeme, Theresthelifeforever.

Lettheblowfallsoonorlate, Letwhatwillbeoerme; Givethefaceofeartharound, Andtheroadbeforeme. WealthIasknot,hopenorlove, Norafriendtoknowme; AllIask,theheavenabove Andtheroadbelowme. ONTRAINTRAVEL Herein,Ithink,liesthechiefattractionofrailwaytravel.Thespeed issoeasy,andthetraindisturbssolittlethescenesthroughwhichit takesus,thatourheartbecomesfulloftheplacidityandstillnessof thecountry;andwhilethebodyisborneforwardintheflyingchain ofcarriages,thethoughtsalight,asthehumourmovesthem,at unfrequentedstations;theymakehasteupthepoplaralleythatleads towardstown;theyareleftbehindwiththesignalmanas,shadinghis eyeswithhishand,hewatchesthelongtrainsweepawayintothe goldendistance. ONFORGETTINGTIME Itisalmostasifthemillenniumwerearrived,whenweshallthrow ourclocksandwatchesoverthehousetops,andremembertimeand seasonsnomore.Nottokeephoursforalifetimeis,Iwasgoingto say,toliveforever.Youhavenoidea,unlessyouhavetriedit,how

endlesslylongisasummersdaythatyoumeasureoutonlyby hunger,andbringtoanendonlywhenyouaredrowsy. ALITTLELUXURY IownIlikedefiniteforminwhatmyeyesaretorestupon;andif landscapesweresold,likethesheetsofcharactersofmyboyhood, onepennyplainandtwopencecoloured,Ishouldgothelengthof twopenceeverydayofmylife. THEREALBEAUTYOFAFOREST Butindeeditisnotsomuchforitsbeautythattheforestmakesa claimuponmenshearts,asforthatsubtlesomething,thatqualityof theair,thatemanationfromtheoldtrees,thatsowonderfully changesandrenewsawearyspirit. THECOUNTRYOFTHECAMISARDS Wetravelledintheprintofoldenwars; Yetallthelandwasgreen; Andlovewefound,andpeace, Wherefireandwarhadbeen. Theypassandsmile,thechildrenofthesword Nomoretheswordtheywield; AndO,howdeepthecorn Alongthebattlefield! ENEMYMINE Thespiceoflifeisbattle;thefriendliestrelationsarestillakindof contest;andifwewouldforegoallthatisvaluableinourlot,wemust continuallyfacesomeotherperson,eyetoeye,andwrestleafall

whetherinloveorenmity.Itisstillbyforceofbody,orcharacteror intellect,thatweattaintoworthypleasures. THEPLEASUREOFIDLENESS Extremebusyness,whetheratschoolorcollege,kirkormarket,isa symptomofdeficientvitality;andafacultyforidlenessimpliesa catholicappetiteandastrongsenseofpersonalidentity.Thereisa sortofdeadalive,hackneyedpeopleabout,whoarescarcely consciousoflivingexceptintheexerciseofsomeconventional occupation.Bringthesefellowsintothecountry,orsetthemaboard ship,andyouwillseehowtheypinefortheirdeskorstudy.They havenocuriosity;theycannotgivethemselvesovertorandom provocations;theydonottakepleasureintheexerciseoftheir facultiesforitsownsake;andunlessNecessitylaysaboutthemwith astick,theywillevenstandstill.Itisnogoodspeakingtosuchfolk: theycannotbeidle,theirnatureisnotgenerousenough;andthey passthosehoursinasortofcoma,whicharenotdedicatedtofurious moilinginthegoldmill. THEPLEASUREOFEATINGANDDRINKING Isupposenoneofusrecognizethegreatpartthatisplayedinlifeby eatinganddrinking.Theappetitetosoimperiousthatwecan stomachtheleastinterestingviands,andpassofadinnerhour

thankfullyenoughonbreadandwater;justastherearemenwho mustreadsomething,ifitwereonlyBradshawsGuide.Butthereis aromanceaboutthematter,afterall.Probablythetablehasmore devoteesthanlove;andIamsurethatfoodismuchmoregenerally entertainingthanscenery.Doyougivein,asWaltWhitmanwould say,thatyouarelessimmortalforthat?Thetruematerialismistobe ashamedofwhatweare.Todetecttheflavourofanoliveisnolessa pieceofhumanperfectionthantofindbeautyinthecoloursofthe sunset. ONTHESPIRITOFAPLACE IwaswalkingonenightintheverandahofasmallhouseinwhichI lived,outsidethehamletofSaranac.Itwaswinter;thenightwasvery dark;theairextraordinaryclearandcold,andsweetwiththepurity offorests.Fromagoodwaybelow,theriverwastobeheard contendingwithiceandboulders;afewlights,scatteredunevenly amongthedarkness,butsofarawayasnottolessenthesenseof isolation.Forthemakingofastoryherewerefineconditions. ONMAKINGDO Burns,tooproudandhonestnottowork,continuedthroughall reversestosingofpovertywithalight,defiantnote.Brangerwaited tillhewashimselfbeyondthereachofwantbeforewritingtheOld

VagabondorJacques.SamuelJohnson,althoughhewasverysorryto bepoorwasagreatarguerfortheadvantagesofpovertyinhisill days.Thusitisthatbravemencarrytheircrosses,andsmilewiththe foxburrowingintheirvitals. COUNTINGYOURBLESSINGS Now,whatIlikesomuchinFranceistheclear,unflinching recognitionbyeverybodyofhisownluck.Theyallknowonwhich sidetheirbreadisbuttered,andtakeapleasureinshowingitto others,whichissurelythebetterpartofreligion.Andtheyscornto makeapoormouthovertheirpoverty,whichItaketobethebetter partofmanliness. PRIDEFORTHEMOTHERCOUNTRY AgirlatschoolinFrancebegantodescribeoneofourregimentson paradetoherFrenchschoolmates,andasshewentonshetoldme therecollectiongrewsovivid,shebecamesoproudtobethe countrywomanofsuchsoldiers,andsosorrytobeinanother country,thathervoicefailedherandsheburstintotears.Ihave neverforgottenthatgirl,andIthinksheverynearlydeservesa statue.Tocallherayounglady,withallitsniminyassociations, wouldbetoofferheraninsult.Shemayrestassuredofonething, althoughshenevershouldmarryaheroicgeneral,neverseeany

greatofimmediateresultofherlife,shewillnothavelivedinvainfor hernativeland. ONTHEDEBTWEOWETHEPAST Butourancestraladventuresarebeyondeventhearithmeticof fancy;anditisthechiefrecommendationoflongpedigreesthatwe canfollowbackwardthecareersofourhomunculusandbereminded ofourantenatallives.Ourconsciousyearsarebutamomentinthe historyoftheelementsthatbuildus. THEPASTRULESUS Thefutureisnothing;butthepastismyself,myownhistory,the seedofmypresentthoughts,themouldofmypresentdisposition.It isnotinvainthatIreturntothenothingsofmychildhood;forevery oneofthemhasleftsomestampuponmeorputsomefetteronmy boastedfreewill.Inthepastismypresentfate;andinthepastalsois myreallife. MAKINGTHEMOSTOFTHEMOMENT Childhoodmustpassaway,andthenyouthassurelyasage approaches.Thetruewisdomistobealwaysseasonable,andto changewithagoodgraceinchangingcircumstances.Tolove playthingswellasachild,toleadanadventurousanhonourable youth,andtosettlewhenthetimearrives,intoagreenandsmiling

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age,istobeagoodartistinlifeanddeservewellofyourselfandyour neighbour. THEDIFFERENCEBETWEENYOUTHANDOLDAGE Ageaskswithtimiditytobesparedintolerablepain;youth,taking fortunebythebeard,demandsjoylikearight. THEPAINOFBECOMING Ayoungmanfeelshimselfonetoomanyintheworld;hisisapainful situation;hehasnocalling;noobviousutility;notiesbuttohis parents,andtheseheissuretodisregard.Idonotthinkthataproper allowancehasbeenmadeforthistruecauseofsufferinginyouth;but bythemerefactofaprolongedexistence,weoutgroweitherthefact orelsethefeeling.Eitherwebecomesocallouslyaccustomedtoour ownuselessfigureintheworld,orelseandthis,thankGod,inthe majorityofcaseswesocollectaboutustheinterestortheloveof ourfellows,somultiplyoureffectivepartintheaffairsoflife,thatwe needtoentertainnolongerthequestionofourrighttobe. THEJOBOFYOUTH Youthisthetimetogoflashingfromoneendoftheworldtothe otherbothinmindandbody;totrythemannersofdifferentnations; tohearthechimesatmidnight;toseesunriseintownandcountry;to beconvertedatarevival;tocircumnavigatethemetaphysics,write

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haltingverses,runamiletoseeafire,andwaitalldaylonginthe theatretoapplaudHernani.Thereissomemeaningintheoldtheory aboutwildoats;andamanwhohasnothadhisgreensicknessand gotdonewithitforgoodisaslittletobedependedonasan unvaccinatedinfant. MEMORIESOFASICKLYCHILDHOOD Iroseandliftedacorneroftheblind.Overtheblackbeltofthe gardenIsawthelonglineofQueenStreet,withhereandtherea lightedwindow.Howoftenbeforehadmynurseliftedmeoutofbed andpointedthemouttome,whilewewonderedtogetherif,there also,therewerechildrenthatcouldnotsleep,andiftheselighted oblongsweresighsofthosethatwaitedlikeusforthemorning. Fromlongsleeplessnights,fosteredbyillhealthanddomestic captivity,thissicklychilddevelopedoneofthegreatestimaginations theworldhaseverknown: ROBERTLOUISSTEVENSON 2013 JohnTarttelin ASOULADREAMPRODUCTION