Article #387-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from Vailima Letters, by Robert Louis Stevenson

And this is where I had got to, before the mail arrives with, I must say,
a real gentlemanly letter from yourself. Sir, that is the sort of letter
I want! Now, I’ll make my little proposal. I will accept Child’s Play
and Pan’s Pipes. Then I want Pastoral, The Manse, The Islet,
leaving out if you like all the prefacial matter and beginning at I. Then
the portrait of Robert Hunter, beginning ‘Whether he was originally big
or little,’ and ending ‘fearless and gentle.’ So much for Mem. and
Portraits. Beggars, sections I. and II., Random Memories II., and
Lantern Bearers; I’m agreeable. These are my selections. I don’t know
about Pulvis et Umbra either, but must leave that to you. But just
what you please.

About Davie I elaborately wrote last time, but still Davie is not
done; I am grinding singly at The Ebb Tide, as we now call the
Farallone; the most of it will go this mail. About the following, let
there be no mistake: I will not write the abstract of Kidnapped; write
it who will, I will not. Boccaccio must have been a clever fellow to
write both argument and story; I am not, et je me recuse.

We call it The Ebb Tide: a Trio and Quartette; but that secondary
name you may strike out if it seems dull to you. The book, however,
falls in two halves, when the fourth character appears. I am on p. 82 if
you want to know, and expect to finish on I suppose 110 or so; but it
goes slowly, as you may judge from the fact that this three weeks past, I
have only struggled from p. 58 to p. 82: twenty-four pages, et encore
sure to be rewritten, in twenty-one days. This is no prize-taker; not
much Waverley Novels about this!

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Vailima Letters by Robert Louis Stevenson**

Context of the Source

The Vailima Letters (1895) is a collection of Robert Louis Stevenson’s correspondence, primarily written during his final years in Samoa (1890–1894). These letters offer intimate insights into his literary process, personal struggles, and relationships with publishers, friends, and collaborators. Stevenson, already a celebrated author (Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kidnapped), was in poor health but remained prolific, working on novels, essays, and poetry while managing his estate, Vailima.

This particular letter is likely addressed to Sidney Colvin, Stevenson’s close friend, literary advisor, and eventual biographer. Colvin often helped Stevenson negotiate with publishers and select works for publication. The tone is informal yet precise, blending professional discussion with personal candor.

Themes in the Excerpt

The Writer’s Craft & Creative Struggle Stevenson’s letter reveals the laborious, often frustrating process of writing. He describes his slow progress on The Ebb-Tide (a novella co-written with Lloyd Osbourne), admitting that in three weeks, he has produced only 24 pages—and even those may require rewriting. His self-deprecating humor ("This is no prize-taker; not much Waverley Novels about this!") contrasts his work with Sir Walter Scott’s prolific Waverley Novels, underscoring his dissatisfaction with his pace.
Collaboration & Editorial Control Stevenson is negotiating selections for a potential collection, listing specific essays and stories he approves (Child’s Play, Pan’s Pipes, Pastoral, etc.) while deferring on others (Pulvis et Umbra). His firm refusal to write an abstract for Kidnapped ("I will not write the abstract of Kidnapped; write it who will, I will not") highlights his resistance to editorial demands that conflict with his artistic integrity. The French phrase "et je me recuse" ("and I recuse myself") reinforces his stubbornness.
Titles & Structural Decisions The renaming of Farallone to The Ebb-Tide (and its subtitle, A Trio and Quartette) reflects Stevenson’s meticulous attention to framing. He explains the book’s two-part structure, where a fourth character alters the dynamic, showing his narrative awareness. Yet, he remains open to Colvin’s input, demonstrating a balance between artistic vision and practical collaboration.
Health & Mortality Though not explicitly stated here, Stevenson’s slow writing pace and physical strain ("grinding singly") hint at his declining health (he died in 1894). His wry tone masks the effort behind his work, a common trait in his letters.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Features

Conversational Tone & Direct Address
- Stevenson writes as if speaking aloud, using imperatives ("let there be no mistake"), rhetorical questions ("if you want to know"), and parenthetical asides ("et encore sure to be rewritten"). This creates intimacy, as if the reader is privy to a private discussion.
- The abrupt shifts (e.g., from listing selections to discussing The Ebb-Tide) mimic natural speech, reinforcing the letter’s spontaneity.
Humor & Self-Deprecation
- His ironic understatement ("not much Waverley Novels about this!") mocks his own slow progress, contrasting his output with Scott’s legendary productivity.
- The French interjections ("et encore," "et je me recuse") add a playful, cosmopolitan flair, reflecting Stevenson’s multilingual background.
Precision & Lists
- The itemized selections (Child’s Play, Pan’s Pipes, Pastoral, etc.) showcase his methodical approach to curating his work. The specificity suggests a desire for control over his literary legacy.
- The numerical details (page counts, days spent writing) ground the letter in concrete reality, contrasting with the abstract nature of creative work.
Metaphor & Imagery
- "Grinding singly" evokes physical labor, framing writing as a solitary, arduous task.
- "The Ebb Tide" (the new title) metaphorically suggests decline, withdrawal, or inevitability, possibly reflecting Stevenson’s own sense of mortality or the story’s themes of moral decay.

Significance of the Excerpt

Insight into Stevenson’s Working Method The letter demystifies the romanticized image of the "inspired" author, showing instead a practical, often frustrated craftsman. Stevenson’s struggles with rewriting and slow progress humanize the creative process.
Author-Publisher Dynamics The exchange reveals the negotiations behind literary production in the 19th century. Stevenson’s assertiveness (e.g., refusing to write the Kidnapped abstract) contrasts with his willingness to compromise (e.g., letting Colvin decide on Pulvis et Umbra), illustrating the balance of power between writer and editor.
The Evolution of The Ebb-Tide The letter documents the renaming and structural changes of the novella, which was later published posthumously (1896). Stevenson’s ambivalence about the subtitle (A Trio and Quartette) and his honesty about its flaws ("no prize-taker") foreshadow its mixed reception.
Stevenson’s Voice & Personality The letter captures his wit, stubbornness, and vulnerability. His bluntness ("I will not") and self-awareness ("Boccaccio must have been a clever fellow") make him feel immediately present, a key reason his letters remain compelling.

Key Takeaways from the Text Itself

Stevenson is a writer who labors, not one who dash off masterpieces effortlessly. His frustration with his pace is palpable.
He values artistic integrity over commercial demands, as seen in his refusal to summarize Kidnapped.
His relationship with Colvin is collaborative but firm—he trusts Colvin’s judgment but draws clear boundaries.
The letter is a blend of business and personality, showing how professional and personal concerns intertwine in a writer’s life.
His humor and precision make the letter engaging, even when discussing mundane details like page counts.

Conclusion

This excerpt from Vailima Letters is more than a practical discussion about publishing; it is a window into Stevenson’s mind—his doubts, his discipline, and his defiance. The letter’s candid, unpolished quality makes it a valuable document for understanding not just Stevenson’s works, but the human effort behind literary creation. His struggles with The Ebb-Tide mirror the broader tensions between art and commerce, ambition and limitation, that define many writers’ lives. In its apparent simplicity, the letter reveals the complex, often messy reality of being a working author.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of Stevenson’s creative process most strongly suggests which of the following tensions?

A. The conflict between commercial success and the pursuit of experimental literary forms.
B. The disparity between an author’s public persona and their private self-doubt.
C. The struggle to reconcile a romanticized view of authorship with the mundane realities of revision.
D. The friction between an artist’s desire for autonomy and the publisher’s demand for marketable uniformity.
E. The interplay between the disciplined rigor of craft and the unpredictable, often resistant nature of inspiration.

Question 2

Stevenson’s refusal to write the abstract for Kidnapped (“I will not write the abstract of Kidnapped; write it who will, I will not”) is primarily motivated by:

A. A principled objection to the reduction of narrative complexity into simplistic summaries.
B. A strategic maneuver to pressure his correspondent into assuming the task.
C. A self-aware acknowledgment of his own limitations as a writer of concise, non-narrative prose.
D. A passive-aggressive critique of Boccaccio’s ability to balance “argument and story.”
E. An implicit rejection of the commercialization of his earlier, more popular works.

Question 3

The phrase “The Ebb Tide: a Trio and Quartette” serves which of the following functions in the passage?

A. It signals Stevenson’s intent to experiment with musical structure as a narrative device.
B. It reflects a whimsical, almost dismissive attitude toward the work’s thematic seriousness.
C. It underscores the novella’s division into two distinct movements, mirroring classical composition.
D. It reveals an underlying structural tension between intimacy (the trio) and disruption (the quartette).
E. It demonstrates Stevenson’s preference for cryptic, allusive titles over straightforward descriptive ones.

Question 4

Stevenson’s use of French phrases (“et encore”, “et je me recuse”) primarily achieves which effect?

A. It introduces a layer of ironic detachment, underscoring the gap between his literary aspirations and his practical output.
B. It asserts his cosmopolitan sophistication, distinguishing him from less educated correspondents.
C. It functions as a shorthand for emotions he finds difficult to express in English, such as frustration or resignation.
D. It mimics the conversational style of his social circle, where multilingualism was a marker of intellectual camaraderie.
E. It serves as a subtle rebuke to his correspondent’s earlier suggestions, framing his refusals in a more “civilized” idiom.

Question 5

The passage’s closing lines—“This is no prize-taker; not much Waverley Novels about this!”—are best understood as:

A. A humorous deflection of his correspondent’s potential criticism of the work’s brevity.
B. A direct admission of artistic failure, couched in self-deprecating terms.
C. An oblique reference to the physical toll of his illness on his writing productivity.
D. A rejection of the Romantic-era expectation that literature should emerge effortlessly from genius.
E. A wry contrast between his own laborious process and the prolific, almost industrial output of Sir Walter Scott.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: E

Why E is most correct: The passage emphasizes Stevenson’s methodical, painstaking approach (“twenty-four pages in twenty-one days”) alongside his acknowledgment of the work’s resistance to his control (“sure to be rewritten”). This duality—between disciplined effort and the unpredictable, recalcitrant nature of the creative act—is the core tension. Option E captures this interplay, where inspiration is not a passive muse but an active, often obstinate force the writer must grapple with.