Article #438-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from Underwoods, by Robert Louis Stevenson

DEDICATION

THERE are men and classes of men that stand above the common herd: the
soldier, the sailor and the shepherd not unfrequently; the artist rarely;
rarely still, the clergyman; the physician almost as a rule. He is the
flower (such as it is) of our civilisation; and when that stage of man is
done with, and only remembered to be marvelled at in history, he will be
thought to have shared as little as any in the defects of the period, and
most notably exhibited the virtues of the race. Generosity he has, such
as is possible to those who practise an art, never to those who drive a
trade; discretion, tested by a hundred secrets; tact, tried in a thousand
embarrassments; and what are more important, Heraclean cheerfulness and
courage. So it is that he brings air and cheer into the sickroom, and
often enough, though not so often as he wishes, brings healing.

Gratitude is but a lame sentiment; thanks, when they are expressed, are
often more embarrassing than welcome; and yet I must set forth mine to a
few out of many doctors who have brought me comfort and help: to Dr.
Willey of San Francisco, whose kindness to a stranger it must be as
grateful to him, as it is touching to me, to remember; to Dr. Karl Ruedi
of Davos, the good genius of the English in his frosty mountains; to Dr.
Herbert of Paris, whom I knew only for a week, and to Dr. Caissot of
Montpellier, whom I knew only for ten days, and who have yet written
their names deeply in my memory; to Dr. Brandt of Royat; to Dr. Wakefield
of Nice; to Dr. Chepmell, whose visits make it a pleasure to be ill; to
Dr. Horace Dobell, so wise in counsel; to Sir Andrew Clark, so unwearied
in kindness and to that wise youth, my uncle, Dr. Balfour.

Explanation

Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dedication from Underwoods (1887) is a heartfelt tribute to physicians, blending personal gratitude with a broader philosophical reflection on the virtues of the medical profession. Below is a detailed analysis of the text, focusing on its language, themes, literary devices, and significance, while grounding the discussion in the excerpt itself.

Context of the Excerpt

Underwoods is a collection of Stevenson’s poetry, divided into two books: Book I (original poems) and Book II (translations and adaptations). The Dedication serves as a preface, offering a prose meditation on doctors—both as a general archetype and as specific individuals who aided Stevenson during his lifelong struggle with tuberculosis. Written during a period when Stevenson was frequently traveling for his health (hence the international list of doctors), the passage reflects his deep admiration for the profession and his personal indebtedness.

Stevenson’s own frail health (he died at 44) lent urgency to his appreciation of physicians, and his nomadic life exposed him to medical care across Europe and America. The Dedication thus functions as both a public eulogy and a private thank-you note.

Themes

The Physician as an Idealized Figure Stevenson elevates doctors to a near-heroic status, portraying them as the "flower of our civilisation." He contrasts them with other professions (soldiers, sailors, shepherds, artists, clergymen) but argues that physicians consistently embody virtue, unlike the "common herd." The language is laudatory, even hyperbolic:
- "Generosity he has, such as is possible to those who practise an art, never to those who drive a trade": Here, Stevenson distinguishes medicine as an art—a calling—rather than a mere trade (a commercial enterprise). This reflects the 19th-century ideal of the physician as a selfless healer, not a mercenary.
- "Heraclean cheerfulness and courage": The reference to Hercules (a demigod known for strength and endurance) mythologizes the doctor’s resilience, suggesting they possess supernatural fortitude.
Gratitude and Its Limitations Stevenson acknowledges the inadequacy of gratitude ("Gratitude is but a lame sentiment") and thanks ("often more embarrassing than welcome"), yet he feels compelled to express it. This tension—between the insufficiency of words and the necessity of acknowledging debt—is central to the passage. The list of doctors becomes a litany of personal connections, each name evoking a specific memory of care.
Healing as Both Physical and Emotional The physician’s role extends beyond curing illness; they bring "air and cheer into the sickroom," implying a restoration of spirit as much as body. Stevenson’s emphasis on the doctor’s "cheerfulness" and "courage" suggests that their presence alone is therapeutic, even when healing is impossible.
Mortality and Legacy The passage looks forward to a time when "that stage of man is done with"—i.e., when Stevenson’s era is historical. He predicts that doctors will be remembered as the least flawed representatives of their age, embodying the "virtues of the race." This reflects a Romantic-era faith in progress and the enduring nobility of certain professions.

Literary Devices

Elevated Diction and Classical Allusion
- "Heraclean cheerfulness": The reference to Hercules elevates the physician to mythic status.
- "the flower (such as it is) of our civilisation": The parenthetical "such as it is" is a modest disclaimer, but the metaphor itself is grand, framing doctors as the pinnacle of cultural achievement.
Parallelism and Repetition
- The opening sentence uses parallel structure to list professions ("the soldier, the sailor and the shepherd... the artist rarely; rarely still, the clergyman"), building to the physician as the climax.
- The phrase "rarely still" (applying to clergymen) creates a rhythmic pause before the contrast: "the physician almost as a rule." This reinforces the doctor’s exceptionalism.
Litotes (Understatement for Emphasis)
- "Generosity... such as is possible to those who practise an art, never to those who drive a trade": By stating what is not possible for tradespeople, Stevenson implies that doctors occupy a higher moral plane.
- "and often enough, though not so often as he wishes, brings healing": The understatement ("often enough") acknowledges the limits of medicine while still praising the physician’s effort.
Catalogue (Listing) The final paragraph is a roll call of doctors, each named with a brief, evocative phrase:
- "Dr. Chepmell, whose visits make it a pleasure to be ill": The paradox (pleasure in illness) highlights the doctor’s ability to transform suffering.
- "Dr. Horace Dobell, so wise in counsel": The simplicity of "so wise" conveys deep respect. This technique personalizes the dedication, turning abstract praise into tangible memories.
Irony and Self-Awareness
- Stevenson admits that gratitude is "lame" and thanks are "embarrassing," yet he proceeds to offer them. This self-aware irony makes his tribute feel sincere rather than performative.
- The phrase "the good genius of the English in his frosty mountains" (about Dr. Ruedi) blends myth (genius, as in a protective spirit) with wry humor (frosty mountains nodding to Davos’s climate).

Significance of the Passage

Personal vs. Universal While the Dedication is deeply personal (a thank-you to Stevenson’s doctors), it transcends the individual by presenting the physician as an archetype of virtue. This duality—intimate yet philosophical—makes the passage resonant beyond its immediate context.
19th-Century Medical Ethics Stevenson’s idealization of doctors reflects the Victorian era’s reverence for the medical profession, which was undergoing professionalization (e.g., the rise of the gentleman physician). His distinction between art and trade echoes debates about medicine’s moral dimensions, a concern that persists in medical ethics today.
Stevenson’s Own Mortality The Dedication is shadowed by Stevenson’s illness. His praise for doctors who "bring healing" is poignant given his eventual death from tuberculosis. The passage thus becomes a meditation on dependency, care, and the fragility of life.
Literary Influence Stevenson’s prose here is characteristic of his style: elegant, rhythmic, and emotionally direct. The Dedication exemplifies his ability to blend personal narrative with broader cultural commentary, a trait seen in works like Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Close Reading of Key Lines

"He is the flower (such as it is) of our civilisation"
- The parenthetical "such as it is" tempers the grandeur, suggesting humility or irony. Yet the metaphor remains bold: doctors are the finest product of society.
- "Flower" implies beauty, fragility, and transience—fitting for a profession dedicated to life’s preservation.
"Generosity he has, such as is possible to those who practise an art, never to those who drive a trade"
- The contrast between art (selfless, creative) and trade (self-interested, mechanical) reflects Stevenson’s Romantic sensibilities. He aligns medicine with poetry or painting—vocations of the soul, not the marketplace.
"Heraclean cheerfulness and courage"
- The adjective "Heraclean" (from Hercules) suggests that the doctor’s cheer is not mere optimism but a labored strength, like the demigod’s trials. This frames medicine as a heroic endeavor.
"Gratitude is but a lame sentiment"
- The word "lame" (disabled, inadequate) conveys the insufficiency of language to repay debt. Yet Stevenson’s act of writing is the repayment, turning limitation into art.
"to Dr. Chepmell, whose visits make it a pleasure to be ill"
- The oxymoron (pleasure in illness) captures the paradox of the doctor-patient relationship: even in suffering, there is comfort in care.

Conclusion

Stevenson’s Dedication is a masterclass in balancing personal emotion with universal idealism. Through elevated diction, classical allusions, and rhythmic prose, he transforms a simple thank-you into a timeless reflection on the nobility of healing. The passage is significant not only as a window into Stevenson’s life and values but also as a literary celebration of those who, in his words, "bring air and cheer into the sickroom—and often enough... healing."

In an era where medicine was both revered and limited (antibiotics and modern diagnostics were decades away), Stevenson’s tribute underscores the human element of care—the cheerfulness, tact, and generosity that persist even when cures do not. This duality—between the ideal and the real—makes the Dedication as moving today as it was in 1887.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of physicians as “the flower (such as it is) of our civilisation” primarily serves to:

A. undermine the genuine virtues of doctors by framing them as fragile and transient.
B. suggest that civilisation’s achievements are inherently flawed, despite its best representatives.
C. imply that doctors, like flowers, are beautiful but ultimately powerless against disease.
D. elevate physicians to a symbolic pinnacle while acknowledging the imperfections of their cultural context.
E. contrast the organic, natural role of doctors with the artificial constructs of other professions.

Question 2

The phrase “Heraclean cheerfulness and courage” is most effectively interpreted as an example of:

A. bathos, as the grandeur of Hercules is undercut by the mundane reality of medical practice.
B. synecdoche, where the mythological reference stands in for the broader medical profession.
C. hyperbole with an ironic edge, since the physician’s endurance is heroic yet grounded in quotidian struggles.
D. litotes, as Stevenson downplays the physician’s strength by comparing it to a demigod’s.
E. allegory, transforming the doctor into a literal mythological figure rather than a mortal healer.

Question 3

Stevenson’s assertion that “generosity he has, such as is possible to those who practise an art, never to those who drive a trade” is structurally analogous to which of the following distinctions?

A. The difference between a poet’s imaginative freedom and a journalist’s factual constraints.
B. The contrast between a priest’s spiritual guidance and a lawyer’s contractual obligations.
C. The division between a scientist’s empirical rigor and a philosopher’s speculative reasoning.
D. The opposition between a craftsman’s attention to detail and a factory worker’s mechanical repetition.
E. The gap between a teacher’s pedagogical passion and a bureaucrat’s procedural adherence.

Question 4

The catalog of named physicians in the second paragraph functions primarily to:

A. demonstrate the global reach of Stevenson’s medical treatments, reinforcing his cosmopolitanism.
B. humanise the abstract ideal of the physician by anchoring it in specific, memorable individuals.
C. create a litany of debt that overwhelms the reader, mirroring Stevenson’s own sense of obligation.
D. juxtapose the brevity of Stevenson’s acquaintance with some doctors against the depth of their impact.
E. undermine the earlier generalisations by showing that real doctors are flawed and inconsistent.

Question 5

The passage’s closing sentiment—“and often enough, though not so often as he wishes, brings healing”—is most thematically aligned with which of the following ideas?

A. The inevitability of medical failure, which renders gratitude meaningless.
B. The physician’s role as a comforter rather than a curer, prioritising empathy over efficacy.
C. The tension between aspiration and reality, where idealism persists despite imperfect outcomes.
D. The patient’s delusion that healing is more frequent than statistical evidence suggests.
E. The doctor’s self-deception about their own capabilities, masking professional limitations.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: D

Why D is most correct: The phrase “the flower (such as it is) of our civilisation” performs a dual function: it elevates physicians to a symbolic apex (“flower”) while the parenthetical (“such as it is”) qualifies this praise by acknowledging the broader flaws of the civilisation they represent. This aligns with Stevenson’s tendency to blend idealism with self-aware irony, praising doctors as exceptional within an imperfect system. The option captures this balance—celebration tempered by contextual realism—without reducing the metaphor to cynicism (A, C) or over-literalising it (E).